CHAPTER IV 

 SOIL FERTILITY 



The food elements of plants. 



Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. 

 Maintaining the plant-food supply. 

 Removal of plant-food from the soil. 

 Benefits of crop rotation. 

 Feeding live-stock in relation to soil fertility. 



Green- Manure 

 Use of green-manure crops. 

 Crops used for green-manure. 



Red clover, crimson clover, cowpeas, soybeans, vetches, Canada 

 field peas, velvet beans, beggarweed, bur clover, rye, 

 buckwheat. 



Farm Manure 



Importance of farm manure. 

 Kinds of farm manure. 



Horse, cow, hog, sheep, poultry. 

 Composition and character of farm manure. 



Influence of litter. 



Influence of class of animal. 



Influence of age of animal. 



Influence of kind of work done by animal. 



Influence of feed. 



Losses due to improper handling. 

 Methods of handling manure. 



Hauling manure direct to the field. 



Use of a concrete pit. 



Use of a covered barnyard. 



Allowing manure to accumulate in stalls. 

 Methods of applying manure. 



THE handling of the soil in respect to its fertility we are to 

 learn in this chapter, discussed in such subjects as the plant- 

 food elements, rotation of crops, the saving and application of 



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