Deming graphic. (Deming, N.M.) 1903-1948, 1918-07-12


Maintenance Of the fertility Of the
soil is a question that some Of our
Luna county formers have considered
m thought but not in practice. No
doubt cur virgin soil is IN a fairly
good state Of fertility, but no soil can
long endure constant cropping with
out having some fertility restored.
This has been done in the past and
very valuable farms have been ruined.
Such laundering will not be repeated
by anyone who is wise enough to
profit by the experience Of others.
II is true that Luna county farms
have not reached a period Of exhaus-
ton. And IL we are wise we will
never allow this to come to pass. In
fact, the best farmers are those who
viii at the very start begin 10 inn
prove their soil even though il may
be rich in plant food in the original
state. And we believe that II behooves
us to give this question some practical
consideration before another year
passes.
II has appeared to your county
agent that some hardy leguminous
crop ought TO be planted at the last
cultivation of either maize or beans,
or Immediately after these crops are
harvested and used as a cover crop
TO be plOwed under in the early
spring. This would add both humus
and nitrogen to the soil. With this
IN view your agent has written to the
agricultural college for information.
To this request for information Prof.
r. L. Stewart, the agrOnOmist, gives
the following reply:
"ln this regard will say that the
beans in themselves are, of course,
members Of the legume family, and
are not considered to be very hard on
the soil, and serve the purpose of
green manure crop wherever they can
be plOwed under. The sOrghums are,
of course, rather hard on the soils,
more so probably than the small
grains, or even corn. However, as
both of these crops are short season
crops, see no reason at all why some
leguminOus crop could not be planted
at the last cultivation of either of
these two crops, or shortly after they
have been harvested, and make suffi-
cient growth during. the fall and early
winter so that they could be plOwed
under, and in 'this .waS add consider
able humus TO the sod. We have done
some work along this line from time
10 time, and find that peas make
very desirable cover crop. These
peas can be planted in the fall, and
will usually withstand the winter
climate and produce considerable for
nge before it is time to plant the
spring crops. We have found, how
ever, that the peas do better If they
are not planted until October or No
vember.
"This year we tried winter vetch,
seeding this crop on the 9th of De-
cember last, and with the result that
we got u very hxuriant growth, and
so much green matter, in fact, by the
first of June that it was very diff
cult matter 10 get il all turned under. |
This crop, however, can be planted
much earlier in the fall, and in this
way probably be ready to turn under
somewhat earlier.
ave have never tried cow-peas for
this purpose at this station, but have
every reason TO believe that they ,
could be used for this purpose.
"Yon probably will not care to
plant either beans or maize before
May, and therefore you have plenty !
Of time for any of the above men
TONED crops to produce ample growth
for green manure. Although you will
not pillow them up this late, and in this
way not give them time to decay suf-
ficiently well to afford very much
helm Ia that wears eron. thew wonld |