The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1922-08-23
FEEDING The SOIL
. TO IMPROVE CROPS


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Many a farmer may not be aware
of the fact hat he is both chemist
and biologist and that the farm is his
laboratory; but so it is in fact. eVry
likely the first inkling the early
farmers had of soil enrichment was
when they plowed manure under and
found it produced better crops. The
farmer, probably better than any
body else, knows that crops are made
out of something and that the soil
must produce this something to
make a growing crop what it is. This
brings up the question as to the COM
ponent parts of plants. Knowing
what these are, the farmer can then
do something to provide the soil with
plant-growing materials. Let US look
at the organic structure of plants. By
analysis they are found to be made
up 0 nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen and
carbon, there being probably less of
the last than of the others. AS to the
mineral substances we find also lime,
soda, potassa, magnesia and iron,
combined with such acids as phos-
phoric, carbonic, silicic and sulphuric,
in addition to some chlorides.
The mineral substances named
above have been found in ashes from
cultivated plants, and the amounts
vary, of course, with the kinds of
plants. The stalks of grains and the
grasses furnish SILICA, and leaves and
edible roots supply potash. P~hosphor-
US is found in the seeds of grain-bear-
ing plants. Beans, peas, etc., supply
lime. Vegetable acids, through com
bustion, are changed to carbonates
which is to say the element contained
in the ashes was not present in that
state in the living plant. Supply OF
materials by the atmosphere is auto
matte and takes care of itself.
If you have ever heard so much
about the addition of limestone tC
!, soil you must know that this is nc
|, joke and that it is because it does
several very necessary things. A SOU
! soil will have it's acid ~neutralized By
limestone, and so becomes sweet. This
limestone hastens the solution OF var
ious mineral substances in the soil
so that it can be used to create
) advantage as plant food. 1t ais ply.
an active part in the decomposition O
organic matter, and is really needles
to form humus. Humus is a vegeta
bic mold, or decaying vegetable It's
sue, which gives a soil its rich BROW
or black appearance. Retention o
n this humus in the soil is encourage
a by the limestone. Again, limeston
n must be present in order to favor tn
S working of the soil bacteria. Yon ca
I not get away from the fact of the ne
cessity of limestone in the soil, 70
S all soils must have it to greater o
n less extents. The manner of applica
+, tion must be well chosen, probabl
d the best being that of feeding it Will
% sowing wheat, clover seed, ETC., eithe
$. by the drill or by a special Distribute
<, You know now that humus helps
Is soil regain its fertility and that hi
mus is the product of several yer
necessary elements for plant growtl
I'd Never, for the above reasons, bur
lg off trash on a field before plowini
no matter if you think it will pho
lg easier and better. If you plow undo
to the refuse but dead vegetable ma
p ter, like straw and animal manure
you are supplying the soil with tt
necessities to recuperate. Such tras
~ if buried by deep blowing, to the e
ne tent that later narrowing and seedir
will bother it very little, will soon d
cay and become a part of the so
SO Green crops like clover are good al
to plow under to build up the supp
of humus. You can also do it by
le- te~rnating fallow plants with t
Ike grains.
DouDtful soils should be sent
samples to an expert for analys
If sucn soils prove to be lacking
no some essential which previous Gro
may have depleted, a chemical anal
sis will tell what is lacking. Then
Tor is up to the farmer to supply t
ed missing element, by rotation Of GRO
IN, blowing under of humus matter, or
i've direct application of the element
ats drills, etc. Nature will do the re
ted
re. COUNTY EGG-LAYING CONTES
TT -
A naO~foIifxy of lose 4hor IN ,