Imperial Valley press., 1922-11-16
SOIL FERTILITY
GETS BIG BOOST
FROM H0LTVILLE
Chamber Of Commerce Will
Meet to Plan For Soil
Building Campaign

Tomorrow night the Holtville
Chamber of Commerce will hold one of
the greatest meetings of the year, at
7:30 p. IN. in the HOltville Civic Cen
ter building. Some of the best speakers
on the important subject of soil ferti-
lily will be present to discuss the
question. Clark Adair, j. w. Scott
and w. w. Weir are on the program
for the evening. Mr.. Adair will tell
of his experience with cover crops and
of the benefit to his soil.
Plans will be announced for n
thorough study of the best proven
methods of soil building.
r. w. Hoover, of the Holtville Bank.
who is one of the most enthusiastic
advocates of soil fertility in the valley
and is also member of the soil exc
cutive committee of the Associated
Chambers, said today in speaking of
the importance Of this subject to the
welfare of the farmers of Imperial
Valley that the keenest interest is be-
ing manifested over the matter, and
that inquiry for dependable books and
pamphlets upon soil fertility is being
made almost daily.
The soil committee is preaching the
planting of legumes as green manure
fertilization and recently has distribut-
ed copies of circular No. 1l0 recently
put out by the University of Califor-
MIA College of Agriculture. Mr.. Hoover
saws this short treatise should be read
by every farmer in Imperial Valley.
The following quotation from this
pamphlet will illustrate its value.
u ,e ho in
corporation of green organic matter
into the soil through plowing or SINH
lar operations. The purpose is to main
tain or increase the organic matter con
tent of the soil, which constitutes one
of the most important factors in soil
fertility. >
"Any green crop which yields large
tonnage of material in q short time
NAV be used. There is group of
plants, however, called the legumes,
which possesses not merely the power of
Welding large amounts of organic mat
ter, but also the power of withdrawing
from the air one of the most valuable
elements of plant food, nitrogen. For
green -manuring purposes, therefore, the
legumes are to be preferred to the non
legumes, wherever choice is possible.
Plants Of this class belong to the we'll
known family Of which peas, beans,
vetches, alfalfa, the clovers, lupins and
MANY Others are members. More speci-
fic information bearing on the choice
of green manure crops in California is
given below.
"Nothing more emphatic can be said
in support of green manuring under
proper conditions than a description of
the role played by organic matter in
soils. This role may be described as
follows:
/. Organic matter, by its binding ae-
ton ON the soil particles and by its
sponge like, absorptive power, makes
all soils more retentive of moisture, i.e.,
it improves water,holding power.
2. It's light bulky mass holds the fine
soil grains apart and also prevents
them from sitting downward and form
ing an unfavorable subsoil layer, l.e.,
organic matter improves the aeration
necessary to heavy soils.
4. Organic matter is the source or
energy and the laboratory in which the
important beneficial soil bacteria make
plant food available and bring abont
other changes of Importance to plants.
5. Through its decomposition by soil
cro-organisms, organic matter be-
comes source of carbonic acid and
other weak acids which help to dissolve
and make available the mineral matter
necessary to the growth of plants