The Lexington progress. (Lexington, Tenn.) 1884-current, 1921-05-13

"A farmer who sells hay sells, on the
average, fertility to the amount Of one
half the market value Of the crop; IL
he sells grain, about one-fourth the
value Of the crop, while II milk Is sold
he receives % times as much for II as
the value of the fertility contained.
Where cream is sold less than 2 per
cent of the fertilizing value of the feed
is sold from the farm.
Four.Fifths Of Plant Food May Be
Saved.
Under a good system of management
About so per cent Of the plant food
contained In the crops or feed stuffs
fed to dairy cows is saved and re-
turned to the soil In the form Of
papure. On this basis the value Of
At-gen, phosphoric acid and potash
Contained In the manure resulting from
the feeding of one ton of the principal
crops or feeds is as follows:
Corn ................... 6.6z
Wheat 7.3O
Oats .................. 1865
Cow pea hay 14.7S
Red clover hay .............. S.T4
Alfalfa hay ................... 1907
Soy bean hay ................. 11.O9
Wheat bran ................... 12.42
Llnseed meal .................. ZU.1S
cottonseed meal (S79c protein). 26Sa
The dairy farmer Is a purchaser
rather than seller Of grain, and
thru the purchase and feeding of
concentrates rich In protein, he Is con-
stantly adding much nitrogen, phos-
phoric acid and potash to his farm.
When he feeds . ton Of cottonseed
neal, for example, and properly cares
for the manure, he adds to his farm
plant food worth at prewar prices,
$3.50 in the form of manure, or three
fourths as much as the ton Of meal
cost him. If he feeds the crops grown
on his farm and carefully saves the
manure he is not only able to return
to his land so per cent of the fertility
removed from his soil by the crops, but
The amount of fertility added thru
the feeding of purchased concentrates
is very great.
Farmers Net More For Crops.
The farmer who markets his crops
thru a herd of good dairy cows alsc
receives a greater price for them than
does the farmer who sells them direct,
and at the same time makes a profit
on the feeding of purchased feeds,
since a good dairy cow returns fair
profit over market price of feed.
The average dairy COW produces
about II tons Of manure per year,
worth S2.75 per ton, or $500 for the
year. on the basis OF the nitrogen,
phosphoric acid and potash contained.
But this is not all, for in addition to
the actual plant food contained.
manures are valuable for the organic
matter, or the humus, they contain.
This serves 10 increase the water mold
ing capacity Of the soil and to improve
its mechanical condition In the same
manner as does the turning under OF
green manure crops. The beneficial
effects of manure last much longer
than do the effects Of commercial fer
tilizers. Hence, the true value Of
manure is really much greater than II
indicated by the above estimate.
The farmer who Is improving his soil
the fastest and most economically Is
the one who is marketing his crops
thru a herd Of good dairy cows.
saving the manure in . careful manner
and applying 1t to the best advantage
in q well-planned crop rotation which
includes the growing Of legume hays
the use OF lime and some phosphate
and perhaps the occasional turning un-
der Of q green crop on very thin land.
This article will be followed by one on
How to Save the Manure.)