The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-11-10
Soil Improvement Vital
kansas City Weekly Starr

kansas City Weekly Starr
Special soil Improvement trains are being oper-
ated by the Missouri Pacific and the Wabash rail-
ways. They are equipped with illustrative material
which shows in striking manner the results OBJ
tained from different methods Of soil management
Lectures arc given by specialists from the agricul
tural colleges through which they operate. The
roads are not wholly altrustic in their efforts to
assist the farmers. They realize that revenue
not be obtained from agricultural products which
are not produced.
Study Of agricultural statistics indicates a de-
crease in yield Of basic agricultural crops such as
corn and wheat in the older farming sections. Diff
ficuty in the growth Of egumcs is usually encoun-
tered in the same areas. Many farmers have fol-
lowed the practice of continued production Of corn
wheat and timothy, giving little thought to the re-
mova and sale Of plant food involved. Virgin soils
which have accumulated vast stores of plant food
from disntegration Of mineral bearing rocks and of
humus from decayng vegetable material are very
productive. They continue to produce profitable
crops until the supply Of essential element
limits production.
Plant food exhaustion is usually limited to nitro
gen. phosphorus potash, frequently associated
with change from an alkaline to an acid reaction
in the surface SOIL The best means Of increasing
the supply Of nitrogen is from the use of legumes
Legumes will not thrive in an acid soil. Where such
a. condition exists lime in some form must be used
as a corrective.
Deficiencies in phosphorus and potash may be
corrected by the use of commercial fertilizers In
the older farming sections of the east the farmers
find it necessary to provide for the purchase of fer
tzers annually just they do for rent, interest.
taxes CIR any other necessary annual expenditure.
Results from Investigations made by agricultural
plant food by the Of fertilizers is profitable
practice on nearly all soils which have been farmed
for generation more. Some may respond to
the use of only che element, such as phosphorus
Others may require both phosphorus and potash
for maximum yields. Nearly all show the effects
OF growing alfalfa, clover, soy beans some other
legumes when subsequent crops of Germ or wheat
are harvested.
The soil improvement programs usually recon-
mended include the production of livestock as 4
means OF marketing the legumes grown in crop ro-
tation SERIES The practice Of growing egumes and
turning them under green manure is occasionally
followed The loss of plant food which results from
feeding such crops to livestock is not sufficient to
justify such practice except under unusual condi-
tons.
That farmers really interested in the soil i'm
provement program is indicated by the large num-
Der who bring soil samples to be treated. At one
station in Kansas one hundred and fifty farmers
brought separate samples b the train to find cut
whether lime was needed to correct acidity. The
results Ct such efforts not Immediately valuable.
The application Of lime and the seeding Of legumes
are only preliminary steps in their progress toward
better system Of farming. Financial remunera-
ton comes only after these crops are fed TO live
stock and later crops Of wheat corn and oats pro-
vide sufficient increase in yield to justify the ex-
penditure ct time. money and labor.
The results obtained from field trials and from
laboratory work are sufficient to justify faith In
ndAe. legumes and livestock = tie Foundation On
which permanently profitable system d aeficul-
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