86 



CROP PRODUCTION AND SOIL FERTILITY 



Diagnosing Infertility. — Knowing the meaning of fertility and 

 the factors determining it, any one can diagnose a case of infer- 

 tility or low productive power with a fair degree of accuracy, or 

 gain an idea, at least, as to the cause of failure or low yields. A 

 knowledge of the cropping history and past management of the 

 soil in manv instances will greatly aid in arriving at any definite 



Fig. 35. — This crop yielded 75 bushels of corn per acre. Rows were four feet apart 

 and hills in the rows three feet apart — one stalk in each hill. The secret — each stalk pro- 

 duced a little less than IK pounds of ear corn. (Mississippi.) 



conclusion. For example, alfalfa failure on some soils may 

 be due to no other cause than the absence of alfalfa nodule- 

 forming organisms. 



The Secret in Growing Good Crops. — The secret of a good 

 yield of corn consists in causing each stalk in the field to produce 

 at least one good ear (Fig. 35). To attain this object a good farmer, 

 because of experience, selects a workable and desirable soil, pre- 

 pares a good seed bed, increases the richness of the soil by adding 

 manure or commercial fertilizers, cultivates the growing crop as 

 well as he knows how, and trusts to the weather for the rest 

 (Fig. 36). 



