PART II
Reading edition
Soil Fertility As Affected By Farm Operations And Farm Practices
Chapter Page
XVI. A Fertile Soil 141
Physical properties:
Power to absorb and hold water
Power of ventilation
Power to absorb and hold heat 142
Biological properties 143
Nitrogen-fixing germs 144
Nitrifying germs 145
Denitrifying germs 147
Chemical properties:
Nitrogen in the soil
Phosphoric acid in the soil
Potash in the soil
Lime in the soil
Great importance of physical properties 147
Maintenance of fertility 150
XVII. Soil Water 151
Importance of soil water 151
Necessity of soil water 151
Sources and forms of soil water 153
Too much water 154
Not enough water 154
Loss of soil water 155
How some farm operations influence soil water 156
Hoeing, raking, harrowing and cultivating 158
Manures and soil water 159
Methods of cropping and soil water 159
Selection of crops with reference to soil water 160
XVIII. The After-cultivation of Crops 164
Loss of water by evaporation 164
Loss of water through weeds 165
Saving the water 165
Time to cultivate 166
Tools for after-cultivation 167
Hilling and ridging 169
XIX. Farm Manures 171
The functions of manures and fertilizers 171
Classification 171
Importance of farm manures 172
Barn or stable manure 173
Loss of value 173
Checking the losses 176
Applying the manure to the soil 177
Proper condition of manure when applied 179
Composts 181
XX. Farm Manures, Concluded 183
Green-crop manures:
Functions 183
Benefits 185
Character of best plants for green-crop manuring 185
The time for green-manure crops 186
Leguminous green-manure crops 186
Non-leguminous green-manure plants 191
XXI. Commercial Fertilizers 192
The raw materials 192
Sources of nitrogen 193
Sources of phosphoric acid 195
Sources of potash 199
Sources of lime 200
XXII. Commercial Fertilizers, Continued 202
Mixed fertilizers:
What they are
Many brands
Safeguard for the farmer
Low grade materials
Inflating the guarantee 202
Valuation 205
Low grade mixtures 207
Buy on the plant food basis 209
XXIII. Commercial Fertilizers, Concluded 211
Home mixing of fertilizers 211
Kind and amount to buy 212
The crop 213
The soil 215
The system of farming 215
Testing the soil 215
XXIV. Rotation of Crops 219
Systems of cropping 219
The one crop system 221
Rotation of crops 224
Benefits derived from rotation of crops 230
The typical rotation 231
Conditions which modify the rotation 232
General rules 233
Length of rotation 233
XXV. Farm Drainage 235
How surplus water affects fertility 235
Indications of a need of drainage 235
Drains:
Surface drains
Open ditch drains
Covered drains or under drains 236
Influence of covered drains on fertility 237
Location of drains:
Grade
Tile drains 238
Glossary 241