Emil Truog 51 



Following the application of the ashes, crops began to grow with 

 great vigor. Even alfalfa became a successful crop on a soil whose 

 highly acid, impervious, and poorly drained subsoil would seem to 

 rule out this crop for all time. Just lately, an alfalfa plant, which 

 among many others has persisted for about fifteen years in a subse- 

 quently unplowed corner of one of the fields treated with ashes, was 

 carefully dug up so its root development might be examined. 



The root system of this plant was found to be both deep and ex- 

 tensive. Large tap-roots had gone to a depth of over four feet. Gnarled 

 knots found on the roots indicated clearly that at certain stages the 

 growing points of some of the roots probed about persistently in search 

 for a tiny opening which would allow further downward penetration. 

 Undoubtedly, the vigor in the plant needed for this relentless probing 

 and development was engendered by the liberal supply of plant nu- 

 trients. 



Extensive field tests in recent years show conclusively that with 

 adequate liming and fertilizing, Spencer silt loam becomes a very 

 good medium for the growing of alfalfa and many other crops. Under 

 this treatment and a rotation which includes a tap-rooted legume like 

 alfalfa, there is little question that in time this soil can be vastly im- 

 proved. When these large tap roots die and decompose, the subsoil will 

 be provided not only with organic matter, but also, and this is probably 

 even more important, with large pores for aeration and drainage. 



Of course, there are some soils which, because of shallowness, high 

 water table, or other physical defects, cannot be made productive by 

 applying lime and fertilizer. Then there are the saline soils — soils which 

 because of restricted leaching contain such an abundance of salts (some 

 of these may be actual nutrients) that a toxic condition for plant growth 

 is created. To carry out the simile used previously, it may be said that 

 such soils are over capitalized and, for amelioration of this condition, 

 require special treatment. 



Wherever soils have suffered severe leaching, they usually lack an 

 adequate supply of plant nutrients for good crop production. However, 

 when this lack is corrected, the favorable results are often phenomenal. 

 The present high productivity of podzolic soils in the Scandinavian 

 countries furnishes proof of this. 



