Show I 1111 I The Land Doctor By Vivian Shearer The subject of oC fertilizer and fertilizing is a big one too one too big to go into in detail right now Heres Here's a tip though that might come in handy until wo we get around to the tho fine Cine points the tho thoI very best besl and cheapest first lino I fertilizer is simply the prevention prevention prevention tion of soil solI erosion and its ils first cousin leaching which we might call nutrient erosion Soil erosion erosion erosion ero ero- sion carries of off the body of tho the soil nutrient and all NutrIent erosion or leaching happens when water waler moving through the soil dissolves valuable plant nutrients nutrients nu- nu and carries them away either up or 01 down wherever the water goes Both of these losses may be reduced reduce to negligible amounts by the proper preparation preparation preparation tion of ot the land and Its proper use When these losses are stopped stopped stop stop- ped tho the amount of additional fertilizers required to replace those elements removed remo In the harvest harest does not constitute a serious problem I said additional fertilizer be because because because be- be cause in ordinary farming the normal proportion of or organic matter mailer In the soil Is largely maintained maintained main main- by the return to lo the land landof of such residues as the stubble and the the roots from the plants I Continued on page vage four 1 The Land an Doctor Continued from page one that have havo been harvested This supply of raw organic matter is generally about all that the soil is capable of digesting To replace mineral elements clements removed in the tho harvest fertilizing fertilizing fertil fertil- izing elements clements such as phosphorous phosphor phosphor- ous potash lime and so forth will be needed to bring tho the soil up to a l reasonable standard of or fertility These cases must be bo treated in accordance with the local conditions which have havo caused caus caus- caused ed the need Any land ma may be enriched with ith artificial elements to the point where it will produce produce pro pro- duce cluce more than can be expected normally However in general practice it has been found that after a normal condition of ol fertility fertility fer fer- has been reached any additional additional ad ad- fertilizer will not pay for itself something itself something like what they call in business the law of or diminishing returns In any event the main effort should bo ho to a proper nitrogen carbon ratio for this Is the ratio that means a well bal functioning of the soil Something like the work play ratio for youngsters Too much of either work or play upsets a natural natural natural na na- na- na tural balance so that neither amounts to much With a proper nitrogen-carbon nitrogen ratio in the 0 soil any additional mineral fertilizers fertilizers fertilizers fer fer- fer- fer should be added only after after after af af- af- af ter a borough study of the soil conditions Maintaining a proper soil fertility fertility fertility fer fer- and is an altogether matter than that of trying tring to restore an abused field Topsoil Is the most precious gift with which the Creator has blessed the children of Adam Adamand Adamand Adamand and Eve When land loses a part of its topsoil it gets sick But But Dut- nearly all nil sick land laud Is manhandled man hand led land laud Land hardley per over getsick gets get sick by itself or when properly used |