Vernon Parish Democrat. (Leesville, La.) 1917-193?, 1919-08-02


ing capacity of soils. Humus is a
spongy material which has the ability
to hold large amount Of water for
the use Of plants.
Third: Humus prevents extremes
of soil temperatures. "A soil containing
a sufficient supply Of organic matter
does not respond to changes of temper
allure so readily one deficient in hui
mus. The soil that is deficient in hui
mus warns up more quickly and re-
tains its heat for shorter period.
Fourth: Humus adds plant food to
the soils. All humus materials or or
ganic matter contain small amounts of
plant food. In the case OF legumss
grown to plow under, large quantities
OF humus as well as nitrogen are added
to the soil. if properly inocuIated by
the plants which gather it from the air.
Yet you can take the legume plant.
make hay OF it. store it away for food
leaving the nitrogen in the soil for
crops, and sometimes think this is the
proper and right way TO handle all Ie-
gume crops, for the reason that to
make humus quick out of green stuff
plowed under, lime should Be added
to it to help to quick decay of the plant
plowed under into humus condition.
That means bringing lime into contact
with the nitrogen, which means losing
a percentage of the nitrogen; for the
action of lime on nitrogen is to evap-
CRATE the nitrogen and lose it. The
safest way TO do would be to lime the
soil before sowing the legume crop,
blowing it well into the soil, allowing
it to lie idle after blowing and harrow
ing for two or three weeks: then BY
the time the plant begins depositing nj
trogen in the soil, the lime will have
become part of the soil SO thoroughly
that its effect on the nitrogen will
amount to very little if any.
Fifth: Humus prevents teaching Of
residual plant food from the soil. Con-
didons occur frequently when all Of
the fertilizer applied is not used by the
crop. This is very true in the case Of
potatoes. Humus will absorb and hold
this plant food in the soil for the sub
sequent crop. Do not infer that this
is an absolute remedy against teaching.
In the case of green manure grown to
turn under, they take up much resid-
ual plant food and prevent il from
teaching.
Sixth: It liberates small quantities Of
plant food. All soils contain plant food
in an unavailable state. The decom-
position of organic matter is accom-
plished by the formation of small guam
titles of acid which help to change a
small part Of this plant food to form
disable by the plant. Carbon dioxide
is given off by the decomposition of
organic matter, and this absorbed BY
the soil water has solvent effect up
on the mineral elements in the soil.
Seventh: Supplies food for bac-
terra, Good soils contain millions Of
bacteria which feed on the products
of decay of organic matter.
Precautions should be used. There
is never any great advantage without
some disadvantage. Barnyard man
ures, however, seem free from any dis
advantages. but there are numerous
precautions in the handling, storage,
and use of them. They should be
stored in manner which will prevent
fermentation as much as possible prior
to application. It is we'll to use acid
phosphate or gypsum in the cutters of
the stables. These materials absorb
the liquid and hold the amonia, which
are the most essential parts of the man
ure. 1t is always best to spread the
manure on the field as soon as it is
made, unless one has pit where both
manure and liquid can run into it for
safe keeping until used; and in any
case il is good plan to mix soft phos-
phate with the manure and liquid. You
will then have almost a perfect man
ure, With small quantity of potash
added you will have a perfect manure.
When crops are grown to turn under
to increase the supply of organic mat
ter. a dry season may prove injurious.
When the plants are allowed to make
a heavy growth before blowing under,
the soil will be found very much dryer
than if the field had been plowed but
left bare, or if not plowed at all. II
such a case as this, with the soil as
dry as when plowed. as that under the
clover, not only would there Be dam
ger of the seed not terminating pro
perry. but the large growth of crop.