The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-05-16


 | l tion, according to the old-time formula, 1 is only two or three inches high. The
 experiment is regarded as giving excellent
 promise of furnishing formula whereby 1 the farmers may in the future be able l to rely upon inexhaustble natural re, sources for the fertilization of their I farms.
 l This experiment is due to our experi- fence of American men of science who visited Russia shortly before the Euro pean war began. They were entertained l by scientific men of Russia. At one of the gatherings discussion was centered | upon the wonderful black lands of the 1 Ukraine district. These constitute part of the rich agricultural resources of !, Ukraine, of which Germany is NOW anxi-
 ous to take advantage
 | 1t was said that the Ukraine district, which in area is about as large as l France, furnished wheat for Athens in the years when Greece was in her glory. The production of wheat from this black l soil has been maintained for centuries l and yet the soil has never been artificial I iy fertiliZed. It is found to be today as rich in the qualities which nourish and produce great crops as 1t was hun- dreds of years ago, when the peasants of that district began to cultivate wheat. RUSSIAN SCIENCE INTERESTED In the course of the discussion it was said by an American who has gained high reputation in research work that 1t would probably be found ie scientific in- vestigaton were made that these black lands are plastic or sort, excepting in the very dry season. Tfhn they become dry and crack and the surface by this natural action of the elements IS spread over or covered with the finest kind of dust particles almost atomic in char acter. This dust by certain chemical attractions draws from the atmosphere carbonic acid gas, absorbs it and in that way communicates it to the soil. Thus 1 by one of the infinitely mysterious pro- cesses of nature the Ukraine black lands are fertilized, the atmosphere furnishing | in this way the needed carbon.
 | There is no other explanation of which | the men of science have any knowledge l of something that has been regarded as l a mysterious phenomenon associated with the unmpaired fertility of Ukraine black lands It occurred to men of science after this war began and the Ukraine district began I to bear such an important relation to IL, and especially in view of the scarcity
  | it might be worth while to make an ex- pertinent Some of the farm lands Of Michigan are very rich and yet It has been found necessary in order to secure the highest production to fertilize 1t arti- fically Would it be possible, men and science asked, to coax nature to 1urnlsh the fertlizing quality that is necessary The experiment was made by convert ! ing ordinary clay into dust or the small | est particles possible, and having done that to deposit a small quantity of tnls l
 dust upon the soil It was also necessary in order to make comparison or to per
 feet the experiment that part or the
 farm plot should not be treated in this |
 way This dust was sifted, so to speak,
 over a portion of the farm; and then Ill
 due time corn was planted So also corn was planted in an adjacent lot, which |
 had not been in like manner treated. TO
 the qualification of those who were max
 ing the experiment, the corn which was
 planted in the plot which was furnishing !
 the experimental test sprouted early. | grew rapidly and gives promise Of coming
 early to maturity and being in very healthy state. The other corn is growing slowly.
 In another year more extensive experi-
 ments will be made. In the state or IoWa
 and in parts of Missouri and in Minneso-
 ia there are lands somewhat similar Tn
 texture and appearance to the black |
 lands of Ukraine. It is proposed to treat
 part of these lands with line dust' | so that it may be determined whether Tn
 this way the atoms do absorb carponlc 1
 acid gas from the atmosphere, convert
 ing it into carbon so deposited as 10
 furnish nourishment to the plant
 Should the experiments hereafter made l demonstrate the accuracy of this scien-
 tific theory, then it may be that the
 farmers of the United States will be able
 within a few years, through the capture
 of natural laws and the utilization ol
 some of the mysteries of chemistry, 10 | secure abundant food for their plants whereby the crops may be made greater in amount and better in quality.
 One of the scientific societies of Rus
 sia. in view of this suggestion or the
 American men of research. planned ah exhaustive scientific investigation or tne black lands of the Ukraine, so that 1t !
 mieht be determined whether these lands | are self fertilizing obtaining from the atmosphere itself by natural law abund-- ant deposits of carbon with which to | replenish the soil. Plans for the organ izat;on of commission to undertake tnis scientific work were we'll under way
 when suddenly the war began, making 1t necessary either to postpone or apan- don the plan. But it would be extraordi- nary if, by reason of the war and be- cause of the suggestions made to science by the productiveness of Ukraine black
 lands. by and for American farmers, should be. able in a simple, inexpensive and satisfactory manner to obtain from nature rich fertilizing qualities, whereby our crops may be increased and their quality improved.