Grainger County news. (Rutledge, Tenn.) 1917-current, 1921-05-04

The dairy COW Is one Of the most
important factors In maintaining and
increasing soil fertility. AS rule the
most fertile and highest priced lands,
the world over, are found in the dairy
sections. On the Island of Jersey land
rents for $50 to $50 per acre, and is
used for keeping the Jersey COW. Land
in Holland, worth from 81, 900 to $1,000
per acre, is used almost exclusively
for dairying. In almost every com
munity in our own country can be
found farms. the fertility and value Of
which have been very materially in
creased thru the intelligent use of the
dairy COW.
Permanent soil fertility is the fund
amental basis Of permanent agricul-
ture, and the conservation of soil fer
tility is the greatest problem of agri-
culture. Unless the fertility removed
from the soil by the growth Of crops is
returned the land eventually becomes
so reduced in plant food that profitable
crops cannot be grown. Farmers prac-
ticing this system have very properly
been called "mine farmers" because
they are constantly mining out the
fertility. or plant food, and hauling it
away from their farms without 'replac-
ing it. Soil fertility is like a bank ac-
count. If the farmer continually
draws on the stock of plant food con
tanned in his soil without replacing the
amount withdrawn, 1t will be come ex-
hausted so far as profitable crop yields
are concerned, just as surely as will
his supply of cash in the bank become
exhausted If he continues to write
checks without making deposits.
Whether or not it is possible to main
tain fertility where grain crops are
raised and sold and commercial fer
tilizers are used, 1t is certain that 1t is
seldom done. Grain farming has al
ways meant selling fertility that has
been stored up In past ages, and has
been followed by impoverished soils
and improbable agriculture. The boys
and girls reared on such farms have
gone to town and left their parents to
exc out meager existence en- such
depleted soils. On the other hand, we
and that the farm from which the
products have been sold largely in the
form of livestock or livestock products,
have gradually increased In fertility
and value, and the owners are pros
porous and contented.
The most marked examples are In
connection with dairy farming. Con-
tinuous growing of crops and selling
them from the farm is like drawing on
the principal deposited In the bank
until all is gone, while dairying par.
mits a man to live on the interest, as
deposits of soil fertility are frequently
made, and the interest grows larger
year by year.
Market and Manural Value Of Crops.
In selling crops on the farm, or In
purchasing feed stuffs, the wise farm
ers consider the value of the plant
food that leaves his farm, or Is added
to it, as the case may be, and also the
market value of such products in re-
lation to its manural value. Allowing
20 cents per pound for nitrogen and
6 cents per pound for phosphoric acid
and potash average values for these
elements when bought in commercial
fertilizers in large quantities, in nor
NAL times, the total value of the plant
food contained in one ton of some Of
the principal farm products and feed
stutfs is as follows:
Corn Observation-Disclosures. 11S
Wheat NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 9.12
Oats ................... 9.56