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Image provided by: Montana Historical Society; Helena, MT
Newspaper Page Text
Soils and Crops Fertilizer, Soil-Building Crop Needed to Prevent Depletion By ARTHUR F. SHAW S A FOUR-TON-per-acre crop of al falfa hay will remove annually from the soil approximately 200 pounds of nitrogen, 40 pounds of phosphoric acid, and 170 pounds of potash, in addition to various quantities of other plant food materials. By the same token, a 25-bushel wheat crop will remove ap proximately 34 pounds of nitrogen, 14 pounds of phosphoric acid, and 10 pounds of potash in addition to other materials. You are dependent upon your soil to supply these nutrients at the proper time and in sufficient quantity for the plant to make its best growth. With one exception the soil is the only avail able source of these plant foods, where commercially prepared plant food ma terials are not applied. The exception is that alfalfa or practically all legumes do have the ability to remove nitrogen from the air and either store or utilize it within the plant system. The soil then is a store house of plant food, with the ability to utilize moisture and the sun's energy in its intricate assembly line processes to turn out a product many times greater than the seed sown. Nature provides us with a continuous abundance of moisture and energy of the sun. Some years are leaner than others. Fertility Trucked to Market A lot of heat bounced off the surface of Montana this year. Primary plant Big Smith COVERALLS AT THESE DEALERS CURT'S CLOTHING STORE Glasgow, Montana ARMY & NAVY STORE Gtendive, Montana WESTBY MERCANTILE Westby, Montana FORT PECK MERC. CO. Poplar, Montana C & H SURPLUS STORE 700 Main St. Miles City, Montana B & J TRADING POST Great Falls, Montana Built Bugged for Bugged Wear These coveralls ore o modification of the Air Force flying suit. They're engineered for maximum wearability ond made from Sanforized and color fast heavy duty twill. Right for the shop or other rugged activities. Priced right, tool SLASH-TYPE BREAST POCKETS WITH ZIPPERS ■W.O <-y COMPARTMENT PENCIL POCKET vr The smartest looking pair you'll EVER wear! The slosh type breost pockets ore set on on ongle for easy access, with zipper closures to give maximum carrying capacity. The BIG SMITH label in this garment assures you of quolity workmonship. WAIST TAKE-UP TABS $795 POCKETS or HEAVY BOATSAIl OR ILL SS-WÊ MILLERS CLOTHING STORE Libby, Montano LEONARD'S SHOP Chinook, Montana EWY'S STORE Jordan, Montana DON'S Lewistown, Montana SAMSEL'S DEPT. STORE Baker, Montana NATIONWIDE SURPLUS STORE Great Falls, Montana Big Smith Overalls, Too! 5lO( 'V NTS » TWO WAY HEAVY DUTY ■ FRONT W 2IPPER RUSTPROOf Hi metal wl BUTTONS Bjgg $ - SANFORIZED a m FAST % ■ ■ ■ H SMITH BROS. MANUFACTURING (0., Carthage, Mo. 18—October 1, 1957 food materials once found in abundance in our native soils are being trucked to market. The reserve of plant food materials is diminishing—it is being reflected in reduced crop yields, feeds with lower nutritive values and in creased susceptibility of some crops to disease. The inherent plant food materials in the soils of your farm go to market in the form of grain. The grain is being used as human food over the United States and many parts of the world. The grass which you produce, forage and feed grains, is converted into meat, milk or fiber and eventually moves off the farm or ranch to other parts of the country. Wind and water erosion account for other losses in plant food materials. Depletion of nutrient reserves in the soil has led to an expanded use of commercial fertilizer materials. We will be more and more dependent upon them as time marches on. Depletion of Organic Matter As we note depletion of nutrient re serves we also note a reduction in the percentage of organic matter in both our dryland and irrigated lands. Tillage and cropping with non-soilbuilding crops has reduced the organic matter supply over the years. Organic matter—plant roots and crop residue—plays an important part in the conversion and release of plant food materials. It supplies food for invisible organisms within the soil as well as getting op situations for chemical activi ty which aids in making plant food available for plant growth. Not to be overlooked is the improve ment in soil tilth noted with an im proved organic matter content. Organic matter combines individual soil par ticles into larger groups, making it easier to prepare a better seedbed. The movement of air—and plant roots must breathe—within the root zone of the plant is improved. Water penetra tion and the water-holding capacity of soils is likewise improved with organic matter. Soil particles are more stable and erosion is less of a hazard. Soil-Building Crops Grasses are a good soil-building crop. They produce a tremendous volume of roots. Our less productive lands may well be planted to a grass crop and set aside for a few years to restore their productive ability. During this time the land can be utilized as pasture or forage for livestock, thereby provid ing some return during the restoration period. The price of grass seed this fall will be in your favor, making it a good time to plant large acreages. Late fall or early winter—after freezeup, but before snowfall—is a good time to plant crest ed wheatgrass. It needs no seedbed preparation and establishes well in stubble land. To assist you in establishing a grass stand you may be eligible for a con servation payment. Why not call your local ASC office and determine whether or not you can qualify? In our irrigated areas we cannot over-emphasize the importance of or Legume or legume-grass crops for hay ganic matter. All available crop resi due, barnyard manure and green manure should be returned to the land. or pasture have a frequent place in a rotation program. One-half of the rota tion may well be in hay or pasture and the other half in a cash crop. It has been demonstrated many times that crops will respond to commercial fertilizer applications when grown on soils in good tilth. Fall Fertilization If you are an irrigation farmer are you plowing down land this fall to be seeded to a legume crop next spring? If so, you should apply 250 to 300 pounds of triple super phosphate and then plow it down. This amount will carry you through a six-year rotation with good results, normally. Phosphate is one plant material that we do not have to worry about losing through leaching. It stays close to where it was originally worked into the soil. We should work toward higher but less frequent applications of phosphate on our irrigated lands. All too often light but more frequent phosphate treat ments are disappointing and especially when broadcast on the surface. £ B «HP T> C ■ 7 ,RA "Let's face it . . . You have to take the bitter with the sweet." Protective Service Nutrias and Promoters Just Rats, Says BBB THE NUTRIA is a South American rodent that attains a weight of up to 25 pounds. It is the largest of the rat species. It inhabits the fresh-water marshes of Louisiana and is of minor value as a fur-bearing animal. While the nutria has been raised in captivity for some 35 years, the National Better Business Bureau says a current promotion is underway to increase the number of nutria ranching operations. The claims made by sellers of breeding stock, says the NBBB, indicates that it's a high-pressure, get rich-quick scheme. Typical of the claims made by the promoters is that a pair of nutrias is worth $1,000; a pen costs $18; feed, handling and overhead costs are less than 3 cents a day; that pelts are worth as much as $75 each; that nutrias are disease-resistant; that nutria fur garments are available at all first class stores; that the reason fur has not been more popular is that the fur secure enough raw pelts; that nutria is in unlimited demand. According to authorities consulted by the NBBB, all these claims are false. A summary of opinion of heads of fur houses in the United States reveal these facts: "The prices nutria fur has been bring ing for the past 20 years on an average will not permit a person to raise them and make a profit." "The best quality nutria furs sell for around $3 each." "We do not hesitate to say that the raising of nutria will be absolutely industry has not been able to unprofitable as the demand is not sufficient to absorb the quantities now being trapped in Louisiana." Frank G. Ashbrook, former chief of Wild Fur Animal Investigations, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, adds this comment: that in spite of the many years of study, research and promotion of legitimate fur animal production and utilization of furs, this get-rich-quick skin game can be perpetrated on the American public." '...It is an appalling fact Termite Control IF YOUR HOME is infested with specific estimate of the cost. Their termites, chances are it won't collapse in the next day or two, but the traveling termite exterminator will tell you that it might and you should let him take care of them immediately. The swindler will refuse to give a charges are usually figured on the basis of so much per gallon of chemi cal. Some will claim they use a "secret formula." A reliable exterminator will give you a correct estimate of the cost in ad vance. He will not insist on doing the job today and will have no objection to your checking first with your county agent or state entomologist. A delay of a few weeks or even months in controlling termites will make little difference in the damage done. To be rushed into the job could result in some unnecessary damage to your bank account. While seme increase in sheep flocks in the next few years seems likely, it probably will be rather slow and meager. Expansion will be hampered by the problems of dogs and parasites in farm flocks and by tire labor prob lem on the range.