THE FOOD OF CROPS.

Lake County Press, Issue 2114, 19 April 1906, Page 7

THE FOOD OF CROPS.

I!V 11. W. rolts, in tli- "Agiicul i ural .Journal" of N S. W. The main object in a farmer's a\ornl iihi is I o i'<'iivi-i'l iml nml at inn.'11111 r.• into suit able food for food ami (lorno.st.ir animal:;. Tin l boundless st ores of i.Ti ility i n en it Ii a ml a ir luur lo lie i nt el ligeitl ly utilised in producing whral or oats from lii.s paddock, fruit from Ins orchard, milk, but t'-r and ill. •<•*■•, limn Ins row beei or milt toii for Ids bin rhcr, wool for Ins rloi liii-r, ami lahotir from his farm animals Chemist r\ has mil \,.| iviniiril Dial |i«>i ii I at which i he elements ran he adroitly combined in art iia tally iiiiituil' ire food. U'c si ill. as in I he da\ s <>l > or.', depend on mil n n''s insrru I ri 1 ■ 11• Inborn tory . combined with man's guidance and mi id | !:.. ( 'ii« ■'•, to brine, forth our vast food supplies. ,\ ; ,l me is our good chemist . and lite or organic uiovem"nt is the mainspring of all development in plants and animals. I'lanl life and animal life conl ribuie in i he most [mm plexing unions lo provide us with our daily brood. I till many, of nature's hitherto inviolable secrets have of late years been disclosed, and we arc beginning lo rerog llise that it is an essential factor Lo success: in farming to utilise tit,, information given to it?, by the searcheß of our chemists and bacteriologists. A great pari of the material from which food is produced is obtained from the vast stipI lies ni nitrogen a.nd other nourishing gases in llie air we breathe, nut the important pari, of it is derived direct ly from t he soil. U Idle t lie at mosphere provides adequate supplies that is not, the rase with the soil. The soil, when analysed, will be found to furnish a supply of plant. food, which has lain., ill many in--1 si ances, dormant since rrcat ion. This however, is limited, Kxainples are numerous also to show that plant life has pursued an unbroken course of growth for centuries without loss of heall hj and \ igour. A prominent writer states : •'The processes of nature are such that the same material can be used over and over again as food, passing ! from plant to animal and from amj nrial to plant ill an endlcKfi cycle, and I as lone, as I he energy of sunlight falls upon the surface of I lie earth lo keep food supply in motion through I t his cycle, so long is it possible for ' t lie ferl ilit.y ot tin- soil to coat inue undiminished. It is upon the nm- ! i inuanre of this food < ireulal inn t hat agrictilt lire is dependen! ." '] he fert i 11L \ of the Soil depends on n s coni anting all ; he org a nic and inorganic ! Ilbst Mill es II led I, ,r tile ; , v n i laid-' form. The most i iiul liirtors 111 soil are !.,,< l-'i i.i. With i-\r\-y nop a portion of plain mod is removed A part is returned from the air . another pari however, is lost ~, ~.,, In■.." to Hie laud its n : Mlily r.-maui:. ui dimini .la d Such res: nu I Mill is e led bV 1.:.. lO 1.1 Cult iv aI uanite and fa .enable clonal c niil.lltl.il;!. We ca.i.not. escape the law ..; restiiui ion To disregard ilns in. are- lallurc o! nop:- I'he stud; ~; i he rycl- oi nature's f I :s imp.irtanl V<& liml ' l>e chemical constituents «'i '!•'■ s»ll and the a! ~,.,., ~1, ~-.- the predomination in • ; i .-di.Tt s ..I man. ai.iui.ils and plain :i i be de. av a rot i ;m: ..• all am mnl- ami | I -m:. m"., ns '., i 1,,- s.o! I |,,.se ■ huii. n l . w m hj go to f. rim ..■ ,! mid pro-, 1.1.- n...u lor ooure plant immu Ih In I In- change I he : I ml\ .-I I 1,., mn. I mm o| bai 1.-i ui is lan-.-l; I, , ~1-.ei! The soil !■ lull ...• In iiiv organisms b;e tei la and nun » bere v.atuitb ni.-iMinv and ampb' n...,l ..,o| 1..-s pievail ii .-> are i.n.r. pi o I . em. I . I I. hj m I.a. ter 1.1, tie- number 111, 11-HI ! .>l,\ millions per "1.111; 1,,.. I:, sand;, sod the I In i> Sinai: I -r. ate. t i e amount oi huuiu -. ,n,e|ln OI -eeel.,!,|e Umll.'l' i 11.;,, .;,, ai-r lie- numhe, o. bade,-,., and .., ow lb \ We pas-. 1., be.v I b ■ Hill, i ll.ee |ee| ~| foU! !c-'l tile ■ . 1 Ii 1 i .- I ai.- few I a' siv f"et lb.-, have .lieappealed .1 ther I'-' Hie ;.<- aie n del.led |ol I I id in ioU- IV j 1,..-,.. ii e nl plant food. end w n bout ' v, hich u. now kimv. l hat I la- earl b's surface would be absolutely uiiiuhabii able \\ e has '■ mow i i HMsfcir-ed i he appli ,-.,! ion ol b.n lernlog, from the uc ademic arena of .science to every day Id' i the larm I' is known that i |,e soil, animals and crops contain certain essential clem.-nis such as ;,r.r n potash, phosphorous, sulaml Mine Those subject t si rapid iNhaustioli in I he sod are mi',■,:■;.-n. phosphoric acid and pol ash. I'hey must be in proper pro p,ut ions .suitable for plain food Soils nun. contain I ben, m lull tjn.i n- | I it \ . but mat be sterile t hrotigli nb- ' seii.-e of water or W alllll 11. I he ph.\ sical nat are of 1 In- soil is also a factor. I'ract ical fert ilit.v , it will be noted, depends .ui man.-. r..ndil ions. ( he- act-'' ot inat/e of lilt \ bushels removes appro.\imatel\ i»r> "J pounds nitrogen. .".-Jib. phosphoric ' and, r.Clb r-'""-' 11 ' "ie acre of ! w heat of thirl \ bushel:. reinov ••:■ about •J'.i'.lb. nit roeen, '.l ',ll. phos phone acid. IdAn. potunh. \ilro e.-n js I be mi e.t expen.'-i \ e C( .list I 1 lien t lot all fert tin"-is, \\e know I hat j such as grain, milk, roots and llesh, j t akrs \\ it 11 H c.-rl am plant food in j varying proportion!., and whilst the [ soil contains v ast si ores of plant lood. our business is lo release it An axiom every lariner should have ; in his mind is ■'That all som ces ot manures or i fert ilil.v from I he fa rui a ml 11 s surroundings should b- lull- ill ilis.-d before resort is had lo purcliase plant food. - ' A inailUle is a --ul iSI ance nece: s.i r.v I o I be I.' row! hj of a cri ip, and not contained in 1 he soil is • ullicient una mil.-, oi in pi . iper form for ini mediate coiisiimpl ion. There are bulk manures and soil dressings a \ a liable to I lie farmer from vv bub In- can seen re in an rn mi mile w ay, fert ill ers such as fa i up. aid and animal manure. . also bird manures ol all laud::. lielli: e irolll wool • bed:. abal t oir: . dige: lot s, Id I. hair. hoi n .'- c. , refuse fi ..in bojllngdovv n \\ oiks. i-nt l Ie v aids, glue, si arch, la ui far: oi ies , ni md m: \\ , ,r1..... ra b bit preserving works, tanneries, :;as v. oik re! oiti . brii.-l- and i ile \ ai dr.. marl..l • Imps . i he refuse ii ire:., i nl skimming.-, i t he nu >.- t ahum la nl and \ ;-, liable jugs 1 \ deposil S of soil and humus on flats, in gorges. • \r;. beds of creek:-, si results, laeoons. rivers, dc.'.ie,iii«s from rivers, lakes and lull.-.bones , liighlsoil, road scrapings, street sweepings, drainage from sewd'j- and ei-ss-pits, malt dust. rotted haw aud .straw, inuizc stalks.

swamp gta.s'-. lenves and In.ish-rnk-ings (when fermented aiui der.ompos ed i , peat and rich fibrous soil from ! old bog lands , guano existing in ('RVOH inland ibats) or by sea shore jon islands lish, refuse, coal-dust , coal ashes, s.-a weed, sea shells and shell drill ( which occurs even inland i; lime, mat I, g.v psum, afihes and sand. (lii'-ii manures peas, benns, cow peas, \ otches, lupins, soy beans, vi Ivet beans, tangier pens, clover, lucerne, rye, barley, rape, mustard, dandelion, Weed:;. A.c' t me of t lie niiiiii feai uies of iiianuring is lo return humus Lo tile soil either 111 the 10111 lof stubbles. tile root.-; of crop!;, green manures, the duns, of grazing animal:- or farm-yard manures. Humus increases the witterholding and ret amine, rapacity ol t Inland I t improves i! H pliy sical and a hauieal cotidit ion . renders the soil more easily aeiatud, adds bac!el la to Ihe soil , and provides food I'm- t heir grow ihj and propagnl ion. I le.-p ami thoioiigh cultivation means enhanced profits, and is the first consi.lei at ion of every skilled farmer, combined wil Ii sui table dra iniige. Ilreeii manure is produced by any crop that is grown primarily for the purpo.se of improving the soil mid nol. for it s harvested product . It is found in sound farming pract ice to grow these between ordinary crops to ml be:- plough them in or feed them oil -.villi any domestic, animals, preferably sheep. (1) The chief aim of green manuring or by turning in green crops is to increase Ihe supply, of humus, organic matter or mould in the soil. The term is aupli"d io some quickly-grow-ing crop which is ploughed in green ; and thai is host conducted when the .cop is young and during warm weather, so thai it. may decay, rot, or decompose rapidly. C2j Not only does this form of manure add humus to the soil, but improves its physical condition of texture. The soil is made more friable and looser, and more easily aerated. Moreover, in our warm climate it increases the moisture-holding capacity of the soil and makes it, more retentive. Two classes of plants are used for the purpose of green manuring : i 1 > Rape. rye. buckwheat. Cape barley, dandelion, mustard and weeds ill) The leguminous crops—peas, beans, soy-beans, lupins, cow-peas, clovers, pea-nuts. vetches. lucerne, iVc. With the leguminous crops is secured the dual advantage of not. only adding humus to i lie soil. but. also transmitting stores of nitrogen from the atmosphere to the soil, by indirectly releasing plant food and by i end.'! ing i t a vaila hie. Tow peas. soy-beans, tsillgief pea, can be grown in summer ; clovers. p.-as, vetches or tans, &c, in winter. Crimson clover and black vetches are both valuable fodder plants in the 1 law ksbury district. Kxperiiuents .showed that a crop of clover Id inches high on one acre produced HS.SH>. nitrogen, equal to s.o worth of nitrogenous manures. Catch .ions or clover crops .iff also a disl inct gain to exhaust ed soi Is. siah a crop as rap.-, which can |... grown dm ing lhe winter instead of allow ing llie ground to lie idle or ....rowing weeds. It breaks lip the subsoil and admits air It brings up from below stores ot potash and pbosphoi ic acid, and b-a v.-s i hem on Ihe -.ill-face for Ihe ne\t crop I'he sheep. 1h" most llsefu I Ol" dolliesi ic animal:, in returning nitrogen and ~t her ■. al mile con;.; it noil:; io Ihe pre\en! - winter ra in ■ wash I ng i>r 1.a1.1'.g a wa. into drain'., gullies. , ..'. 1-. and live, :.. large stores of .ed-db- plan- I I The roots turned in add to ibe humus <>i the soil. : oil In- idle. ' ' is a sound a vi'Htl Loose smls are mad.- firmer and more relent ive. san.lv soils are built n; and mad" more n-ri lie. clay, soils |„.,-on,.- imh'e:- and more friable ~..,! oh . am!, , rops wit hj see. p pigs. I. .',.•.. m'o.'.ortioii .-I ibe manure Kvery , :„,, sold ~n the mini means a d.-ad loss of ferl ilii.v. i'he media : I ;il . bactei nil. and In:de coudii i a :he soil is alwa.v s benefited by cat cli. co\ er, or green manure n ops - for Ihe grow 1 b of c. hich we have a suitable I limate. In I, eiiminous crop: we have absolute e\ Id, nee ol the | ence of m.V rills III" biici.-ria in the nodules or warty oxidant s t heir fund ions hi ing to throw oh certain compounds, which combine wit Ii ol hj. ri; I o release the surrounding insoluble plaid food A ii-,- crop or weeds will act as a green manure. I'he aim is to keep sonic I- mil ol crop oil your land all the time, and lo change it from crops ! hai r-.b lhe land of hmi ility lo (hose v.incb are soil renovators, and increase Ms plant food. You may be i u a p. >si tmn I o economic!! Ily supply ihe requi:- in- manure, or Ihe s.dl may be rich enough to stand ci opping for y --a rs : in such cases a nd a I ion is not i allien led. The main crops in rot at ion to ma inta in ferid i' y I'he law of rotat ion. or ihe i la: s of crop, is del crinined largely by , lima! ic nunlit ions and soils. Cowpea is a good crop, to be followed by maize, aud t Ins followed by a root crop Wheal soon after turnips or potatoes is always likely to yield e heavily. The object, t hroilglioill is never to allow two ci ops foil, iw ing each ol her which require lhe same ingredients or fer-li!i-e|-: . Follow a deep rooted crop with a surfaced ling crop. Allernaii ng i In- er. Ips on such I mefi ends in augmented ferl ility .