HOW TO GET BETTER CROPS.

Bruce Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 51, 28 June 1909, Page 3

HOW TO GET BETTER CROPS.

"It is becoming bettor known in New Zealand that the soil, 110 matter liow productive in tlio past, must by the many crops taken oil' come to a state ol exhaustion (says an agricultural chemist writing 111 'Tho Dominion'). Plant food is always present in most soils, but often m a small and unbalanced state —ill very .small quantities in proportion fco tho mass of soil itself. These elements aro taken from the soil daily in Live, grain or in tho flesh of tho animals nourished and fattened by these products, and experience shows that the most productive paddocks under this system of spoliation must eventually give way. There is hidden in many .soils a largo amount of material which a farmer can use, but there is no resen o of elements in the bulk ol our light lands. Tor years tho plant foods nave been taken out of our soils, and .•ory little eifort has been made to restore them by fertilisers most suitable •o fill tne gap, and so strengthen the links which so complete the circle of fertility.

"The plant foods most important to farmers are tho following: —Phosphoric acid, combined with the lime of the soil to form phosphate, which is one of tho perfected foods which all crops require; also humus, potash, and nitrates. If one of the above important elements is absent, or is not in a state: of sufficiency, the crop will suffer and starve. To increase the store of plant food so as to yield profitably cannot be dono all at once, but must bo a process of time. Principles to bo remembered by all farmers arc:: —Oats, turnips, and barley need plenty ol pnospliates; mangolds plenty of potash ; wheat, nitrates. :v£ueh of our heavy soils _ require Inne. and when the potash is locked up ai; application of potash salts will not oni> liberate some, but will supply the necessary potash. There are a few signs which will greatly assist too agrieuiuirist to ascertain tho condition of the soil, and to select tho most suitable feitiliser. If the country is overridden v.-ith hawkweed and the herbage is ol a pale delicate color, it is sadly in need ;>f nitrates; if over-done with tufts of cocksfoot and coarse-growing grasses,, the soil is too rich in nitrates; it' Yorkshire fog prevails, with sorrel, it is deficient in iime; should the clovers bo absent there is a shortage of phosphates and potash. Tho careful feeding 02 tho better grasses and clover will slowly but surely crowd out the inferior ■ erbage. Good herbage can only be ■ laintained by keeping the soil in a good 'physical condition.' "The most important point to consider now is, 'How can wo restore the depleted plant foods to our soil so that ,;:ie growth of crops may be perfected •uicl yield an extra profit. Wo can do o'lis by up-to-date methods as follows: -Drainage, an important factor, we .mist place, first. Natural constituents >f soil. The proper use of plough and ..reparation of seed bed. Correct rota''oll of crops. Rotation of manures, so : hat any residue from former crops may .0 of benefit to tho next crop. Attention should also be paid to tho various lepths the plants go in search of suit--1 bio food. The difficulty of obtaining i proper return from the land is often Iho fault of tho farmer: some have i eculiar opinions respecting the economies of agriculture. To deploro past mistakes and sit down and allow mat:(>rs to go on as they like—making no Tort to get at tho root of failures to I'hieli the scienco of manuring, if proorlv applied, may lighten the burden !' farming—is not the shortest road to ■uccessful farming."