Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1917-10-11

IVer tldt.
The crumbling OF the earth's crust is a
strange phenomenon. The rocks that
appear so lasting, so eternal, are, like
every other thing, turned into soil by
the noiSeless but irresistible forces OF the
pelting rair, the cold, gravitation and the
solvent action of carbon dioxide gas.
Such complex OF living organisms,
such antagonistic forces, such delicate
adjustments, would be difficult for the
mind OF man 10 unraveI If they appeared
beneath his eyes in broad daylight, but
in the impenetrable darkness OF the soil
changes take place that we can only
guess about Think what undiscovered
forces might be at once let loose could
we only know what is happening in a
spadeful OF earth
When you consider how the power Of
man in mechanical fields has been in
creased, so that to-day he can with one
hand turn loose an engine OF a thousand
horse power, and when you realize that
in agriculture he has only doubled, quad
rupled, or at most increased tenfold the
crop of corn that he can grow upon an
acre OF soil, it is evident that the study OF
the soil. although among the Oldest oc-
cupations OF mankind. has Jagged behind.
A like SlownesS has marked the de-
velopment OF the plants that we grow in
the soil. You have only 10 look al the
chared corn and the squashes from Inca
graves, the grapevineS irescoed in Egypt
ian tombs, or the old mural paintings in
ASSyrian palaces, and compare them with
the plants that we grow to-day, 10 realize
that in agriculture mankind has moved
forward slowly. True, he has gone
from the pointed stick TO the steam
plough, but the corn he plants is much
the same, the time he takes 10 grow il is
just the same, and he must still as in
those early days, husk the corn by hand
But, after all, railways are only hun
dred years old, ocean liners are things
OF our lifetime, and flying began yester-
day. Within the last hundred years
more apparent progress has been made
in those things than in the whole time
that had gone before since civilization
began. Perhaps the century TO come
will see as sudden leap forward in ag-
rculture.
Can it be possible that this mystery OF
the soil will forever elude us ? Is it not
more likely that some day, and perhaps
a day not very far away, discoveries will
be made that will shake the very founda-
tions of our agriculture by cheapening
the cost OF producing food ? II so, the
effect OF those discoveries would spread
with almost inconceivable rapiditY
the farming world.
Chemical fertilizers have done great
things, but they have not revolutionized
agriculture. Leguminous plants for soil
are doing great things, but
they have been in general use by the
Orientals for centuries Bacterial cultures
10 inoculate these egumes have proved
and are coming into general use,
but they have not cheapened the cost Of
producing food 10 any such extent as the
steel process cheapened the
cost OF producing steel. So until we can
find some way OF actually seeing what
happens in the soil, our knowledge OF
what goes on beneath our feet must be
acquired by the slow and tedious way OF
indirect analysis.
We know already, for example, that
among the inhabitants Of the soil there
are some that break down the thin ce-
menting layer that binds wood cells to-
gether. We know, too, that some forms
OF bacteria, feeding on cellulose, are able
to change the nitrates Of the soil 10
nitrites; that there are rod-shaped bacte-
ria that attack the rootlets OF legunes and
certain other plants and form nodules on
them that store up the nitrogen OF the ar
in the soil and leave II richer than il was
before. We know that one thing all the
different living organisms in the soil need
to feed upon is celluIose, humus from de-
csying plants.
But why is it that certain plants need
large amounts OF lime and that others do
not, and how do potash and phosphoric
acid act upon this complex Of lhe soil ?
We know that those things all have TO
be on hand and in the night form, TOO, il
the plants we wish TO foster are to get
what they want from the soil.
When you roll particle Of soil between
our thumb and forefinger you feel the