Soils and Soil
Fertility
Eight Studies in Fundamental
Agriculture.
EDITOR'S NOTE.
The Extension Division of the Uni
versity of Arkansas, in co-operation
with the United States Department of
Agriculture, will offer this year,
through this paper, a free correspond
ence course In “Soils and Soil Fertil
ity.” consisting of eight lessons or ar
ticles. Those who wish to take
this course should write to the
Director of Extension Work. Uni
versity of Arkansas, Fayetteville,
stating name. age. occupation, and
a word about his (or her) gen
eral education, and stating that he
(or she) proposes to carry the work
through for the eight lessons. A farm
ers' bulletin will be sent to supple
ment lesson No. 1, and later for each
lesson if the question blank be return
ed for the preceding lesson. These
Planks will be sent with each bulletin.
The lessons on Soil and Soil Fertility
will consist of the following: (1) Or
igin* and Functions of Soil. (2) How
Plants Feed and Grow, (3) Tillage, (4)
Drainage, (5) Organic Matter. (fi> Crop
Kotation. (7) Barnyard Manure, (8)
Commercial Fertilizers.
II—HOW PLANTS FEED.
By W. C. Lassetter, Ass’t. Director
Co-operative Extension for Arkansas.
Plants require for their growth, me
chanical support, air, heat, light, wa
ter and food. All of these, with the
exception of light, are supplied wholly
or in part by the soil. Composed as
it is of rock fragments and decaying
vegetable matter, the soil offers a
place for root development and af
fords physical support for the plant.
The air present in the spaces be
tween the soil particles is used by the
roots of plants. Heat is supplied in
part by the soil as a result of its
physical condition. Water, while not
a component part of soil, is furnished
to the plant by it, and the physical
condition of the soil determines the
amount of water that may be reserved
for use by plants. The water sur
rounding the soil particles dissolves
plant food and the solution is absorb
ed by the plant roots. Thus the soil
must not only furnish a physical sup
port for plants, but it must supply
plant food and afford a means for
transferring the food to the plant.
Ten elements of plant food are con
sidered to be absolutely essential for
the growth of plants. Three of these, j
carbon, oxygen and hydrogen, are ob
tained from the air, while phospho- |
rus, potassium, calcium (lime), mag- i
nesium, iron and sulphur are obtained :
directly from the soil itselt.
Carbon and oxygen are obtained i
from the air, where carbon is pres
ent in the form of carbon-dioxide gas
and where oxygen exists in free con- l
<ttUon. Then* cases we taken into '
the plant through the leaves, and
there combine with water to form
the complex vegetable compounds.
The nitrogen used by plants is
secured through the soil. Through
decay of the vegetable matter in the
soil the nitrogen-bearing compounds
in it are broken down into more sim
ple forms, which, through the action
of various soil bacteria, are soon
changed into a form that can be used
hv plants. With these processes go
; ing on all the time (except when the
soil is frozen or waterlogged), a con
stant supply of available nitrogen is
provided. The content of vegetable
matter in the soil must be kept up
at all times to insure a sufficient
quantity of nitrogen for good crops.
Nitrogen from the air can only be
secured by growing leguminous crops
on the roots of which nodules are
formed. The bacteria living in the
nodules gather nitrogen from the air
in the soil, and store it in organic
combination in the nodules. Some of
this is used by the host plant, but
most of it is left in soil to become
available through decay of nodules.
The mineral elements essential for
plant growth are supplied by the soil,
i They are a part, to a greater or less
, degree, of the rock fragments which
| constitute the body of the soil.
Lime in soils becomes soluble so
I readily, and our rainfall is so heavy,
i that it has been washed from even the
I best limestone soils in Arkansas.
Most of our soils, therefore, are
lacking in lime sufficient for the sat
isfactory growth of many lime loving
crops. Tilts, with other changes in the i
soil, has led to soil acidity.
Phosphorus and potash are present
in all soils, usually in quite insoluble i
form. They form a part of certain
minerals found in the rock fragments
of the soiL These minerals are brok
en down and the phosphorus and pot
ash made soluble through exposure to
weather, the atmosphere, the decay of
vegetable matter, and a slight solv
ent effect of plant roots. Potash in
many of our soils is present in suf
ficient quantities to last for hundreds
of years, but because of improper til- 1
lage and an insufficient amount of de-1
caying vegetable matter it does not in I
all cases become soluble fast enough
to support good crops.
Phosphorus is the mineral element
most seriously lacking in Arkansas
soils. For satisfactory crops of any
kind it is necessary to replentish the
phosphorus supply by the application
of a phosphorus bearing fertilizer,
raw rock phosphate, acid phosphate,
or bone meal.
When the supply of any one of the
ten elements of plant food is limited,
the crop is limited. Since all of these
are furnished either by the air or
by the soil we knew where to look
for the cause of an unsatisfactory
crop. Aa pointed out in the above .
paragraphs, nitrogen, phosphorus and
potash are the essential elements to
which most attention must be given 1
The man with the easel placed it
close to the fence so that he could
look over the paiings and down that
rosy vista of hollyhocks. The cottage
beyond the hollyhocks was quite hid
den from view by the drooping
branches of a chinaberry tree. In
the path between the rows of holly
hocks stood a girl in a pink dimity
frock. The skirt was frilled to the
waist with tiny pink ruffles. A pink
sunbonnet hid her face.
"My medal picture!” exclaimed the
artist, opening his paint box. "I don't
know what she’s looking at, but if
she’ll only hold that pose for a few
minutes longer—”
With swift, sure strokes he outlined
the girl's pliant form in its quaint
gown of the newest fashion—a mod
ern adaptation of an old style. She
was facing the hollyhocks and look
ing intently at something on a round,
green hollyhock leaf. One slender
white hand and rounded wrist were
stretched cautiously out, and one lit
tle foot in its high-heeled slipper ap
peared beneath the short skirt.
She scarcely seemed to breathe, and
five minutes passed before he drew
hack quickly while a great golden but
terfly fluttered up and out of sight
among the trees.
Even then she did not face him, but
turned toward the cottage and van
ished in a bend of the path.
The following winter Wade New
ton’s picture, “Miss Hollyhocks,” car
ried off the coveted prize.
*******
“nut why won’t you sell the pic
ture?” insisted Henderson, lighting
another cigarette.
Wade Newton glanced across his
studio where “Miss Hollyhocks” was
placed on an eas'd.
“It isn’t a girl you know, is it?”
went on Henderson, stroking his tiny
mustache.
“Never saw her face,” said Newton.
“Then, why—”
“Because I have a curiosity to dis
cover her for myself. Confidentially.
Ned, Miss Hollyhocks brought me
fame and a number of orders. I’m go
ing to marry her some day.”
“Idiot*” gihed Henderson drawing
on his gloves. “Rut I suppose you can
go down and find her in the old gar
den any time you please.”
“I wish I could,” returned the other
with a sigh.
“What do you mean?”
“You know I was called abroad as
soon as I finished that picture. When
I returned I went immediately to
Sleepy Valley where I had chanced
upon th£ garden, but the girl and her
n
people had vanished as the rose of
; yesterday. It seems they had only
hired the place for three months and
beyond learning that the name was
Smith I oame back as wise as I went.”
I “Smith! I like Miss Hollyhocks
better!” said Henderson. “Of course
♦he might have been homely as sin.
but, believe me, Wade, only a girl
j with a peachy complexion will guard
it with a sunbonnet."
i Newton laughed indulgently. “I be
lieve the pink sunbonnet has set you
to dreaming, too,” he said.
“Well, by-by; I'm off,” said Hender
son. “Wire me when you find Miss
Hollyhocks."
“I will," agreed Newton.
He dismissed the picture and the
unknown girl from his thoughts and
dressed for dinner. He had'promised
to dine with the Colemans, who had
just returned from a year’s travel i
abroad. Their daughter. Dorothy, had j
! held Wade's heart In the hollow of her j
, hand for many months, only she did
1 not know it. Wade was not sure of
it himself, for his girl of the holly
hocks intruded her mysterious per
sonality every time confession hov
ered on the tip of Wade’s tongue.
“Dorothy is In the library, Mr.
Newton,” said Mrs. Coleman as she
greeted the painter. “She wanted me
to send you to her as soon as you ar- ;
rived."
With a light step Wade entered the
library and closed the door behind
him. Then he stood as though para
lyzed.
Over in the embrasure of the bow
window there stood a noble palm. In
the shadow of it was a girl in a pink
sunbonnet and a pink frilled gown
She might Imve stepped out of his
picture!
t “Who is it?" he asked quickly.
She stood motionless, one slender
white hand extended toward the palm
leaves.
In three strides Newton had crossed
the room and stood beside her. He
bent his head and peered around un
der the pink sunbonnet. A charming
pink and white face, a pair of blue
eyes and enticing lips. Newton kissed
her then and there.
“Oh!" she cried, and stepped back. |
“Dorothy, darling, I never dreamed ;
—I never guessed—that you were my
hollyhock girl,” he breathed rapidly,
his eyes afire. “What were you do
ing there in Happy Valley, and why
didn’t you tell me that you were stop
ping there? Who are the Smiths, any
way?”
But Dorothy only shook her head
and fled from him, saying that she
must change her dress. He caught
her hand at the door.
“You love me—you will be my wife, j
darling?" he asked. “You know how
long I have loved you. To think you
should be my dream girl, too! You
love me?" he insisted
She nodded—he kisse her again.
(Copyright. 1915, by the McClure News
paper Syndicate.)
New Record by Fisheries Bureau.
The commissioner of fisheries, un
der date of June 10, advises that not
only will the output of the fish-cul
tural operations of the bureau of fish
eries during the fiscal year ending
June 30 surpass previous records but
for the first time in many years there
has been a sufficient supply of black
bass to meet all current demands for
both public and private waters. All
outstanding applications for black
bass will be filled. Some of these have
been held over for several years for
lack of a sufficient supply of the fish.
Among recent deliveries of this fish
have been 10,000 to a large artificial
lake at Austin, Tex., formed by the
damming of the Colorado river, and at
the station whence the fish came a
large supply is now on hand. It is the
policy of the bureau to distribute each
year an increasingly large proportion
of fish which have been retained at
the hatcheries until they reach the
fingerling or yearling stages, which
means that the output, being more
mature, is better able to care for itself
and is not so subject to the depreda
tions of natural enemies.
One of the Fastest Cameras.
Capt. B. H. Behr of the United
States coast artillery has invented a
camera that marks a great advance in
the art of photographing swiftly mov
ing objects. It differs from the or
dinary camera in size and in the mech
anism of its shutter. It is almost
four feet high. An electric motor that
makes several thousand revolutions a
second works the shutter; and since
the speed of the motor can be accu
rately adjusted, the photographer can
determine the length of exposure j
down to one-five-hundredth of a sec- j
ond. The new camera has photo- i
graphed mortar shells at the moment
they left the muzzle of the gun, and
afterward, and has shown the curi
ous “smoke ring" or "gas ring’’ that
accompanies the projectile when it
emerges from the gun. It may yet j
help to determine exactly what hap
pens when a modern high-power shell
plows its way through solid steel.—
Youth's Companion.
Trout Drowns a Muskrat.
Lew McQuiston, one of Iiellefonte’s
best anglers, went up Spring creek j
and while whipping the stream he saw j
a lively commotion on the other side
of the creek, says a dispatch to the
Washington Post from Bellefonte, Pa.
In the gathering twilight it was hard
to distinguish what it was, but he
finally made out a muskrat and a trout
which he avers, was two feet long.
The big rat managed to get out on
the bank and drew the trout with it,
but the fish flopped around, hanging
on to the rat's nose, until it finally
flopped back into the water. Within a
few minutes the commotion died down,
and the trout swam away, leaving the
muskrat’s lifeless body on the creek's
bottom.
LODGE DIRECTORY.
ROWLAND LODGE No. 594 F. & A.
M.meets every second and fourth Satur
day evenings at 7:30 o'clock. Visiting
Masons always welcome.
C. T. Thompson, W. M.
C. A. Berry, Sec'y.
HOWARD CHAPTER, No. 122, R. A.
M. -meets every first and third Thurs
day evening at Masonic hall. Visiting
companions welcome.
L. F. Magee, H. P.
R. W. Beede, Secy.
HUTT1G CHAPTER Wo. 320. Order of
the Eastern Star, meats every first and
third Friday evening at 7:30 o'clock.
Visiting brothers and sisters welcome.
Mrs. C. A. Berry, W. M.
Mrs. L. G. Gibson. Sec'y.
HUTT1G LODGE No. 348 I. 0. 0. F.
meets every Tuesday evening. Visiting
brethern cordially invited to attend.
A. P. Holtsford, N. G.
E. L. Ware, Secy.
HUTT1G REBEKAH LODGE No. 66,
meets every Monday night at 7:30 o'clock
Visitors are invited.
Mrs. Dona Holtsford, N. G.
Mrs. May Claybaugh, Secy.
SWEET BAY CAMP No. 41 1 W. 0. W.
meets every first and third Saturday eve
nings. Visitors made welcome.
L. M. DeSpain, C. C.
J. C. Bridces. Clerk.
RAILROAD TIAIt TABLE
St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern
LITTLE HOCK & MONROE RY.
South North
5:25 a. m. . Huttig . 3:23 p. m
7:55 a. m.Monroe 1:00 p.m
LOCAL. *
Leaves Arrives
1 1:55 p. m. Huttig 12:15 p. m.
St. Louis. Iron Mountain & Southern
FARMERV1LLE A SOUTHERN HY.
North South
4:42 a. m. Huttig 3:54 p. m
3:15 a.m. Farmerville 5:20 p. m
local, t
10:15a.m. Huttig 2:25p.m.
tArrives Monday, Wednesday, and Fri
day from Monroe and goes to Farmer
ville.
*Arrives Tuesday, Thursday and Satur
day from Farmerville and goes to Mon
roe.
DRS. MAGEE & MAYFIELD
Physicians and Surgeons
At Company Hospital
Office Hours—8 to 12 a.m., 1 to G p m
Sundays—9 to 11 a. m., 3 lo 5 p p m.
Htgulence Phone 12; office 18
HUTTIG - ARKANSAS
Your Business Means Our Profit!
(raws' m warn1 ' ■HmnMHHM
’’vr’TJEmamE-s^ass mss: ^sssm
And
Our Business Means YOUR Profit!
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All things work hand in hand and in working together
we can accomplish much for both.
It takes long to tell, but little time to see how well we
s
are equipped to supply your demands.
Our sales force will take pleasure in showing you any
thing you wish to price or inspect.
WHEN YOU WANT IT, WE HAVE IT!
WHERE QUALITY COUNTS
DEALERS IN EVERYTHING
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