Show Organic Matter Needed To Boost Crop Yields Conservationist Says I WIth the natIon demanding maximum productIon of food and fiber in 1944 farmers m in the Grand SoIl dis district are considering every pos possible possible sible means of adding organIC matter to the soil sOlI during the winter and spring months C S Fonte distrIct conservationist stated today Everyone knows that sOil depletIon and lowered YIelds gOI go hand m in hand he saId That s a why the producers of the Grand district want to bUild up their sOils by adding organic matter the real living part of the sOil The humus can e Improved he saId by proper use of crop residues by turning under green manure crops by applIcatIon of barnyard manure and by intelligent crop rota rotatIons rotations SoIl having ample organ organIC IC matter holds more water and andIS andIs IS much less subJect to erosion than sOil having plant matter he added When early AmerIcan settlers cleared and broke the land the soil was rIch in humus supplIed by decaying leaves tWigs roots and grasses Under cultIvatIon however much plant food hasl has been lost partIcularly on land subJect to severe wind or water I erOSIOn OrganIc gives a better structure Improves Its provIdes food for bacteria la ia keeps plant foods aVaIlable so that plants can use them and for intro serves as a storehouse gen phosphorus potash and I other necessary minerals Heavy soils can be made loose and crumbly by adding organic matter Just as sandy soils sOlIs become more loamy If the humus content IS increased penetratIon penetration tIon the holding capaCI capaCIty capacity ty of the sOil and plant growth are greatly Improved by m in increasing creasing the organic content of soils sOlIs |