Rensselaer Journal, Volume 12, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 January 1903 — Keeping the Land Covered. [ARTICLE]

Keeping the Land Covered.

Nitrification, or the forming of solute nitrates, goes on most rapidly in latter part of summer and during autumn. Unfortunately it is during the same period that the growth of summer plants declines and they absorb less and less of these soluble nitrates. The result is that these valuable nitrates are very apt to be leached out of the soil and be lost. To counteract this great loss all land possible should be covered with some crop which will grow through autumn, winter and spring, absorb soluble nitrates and hold them for the future crops. Fall sown small grains, grasses and clover will do this, but land intended for corn and cotton the next year is too often left bare. This should never be, when it can be avoided. These summer crops very generally need applications of nitrogen. Now these can be given by seeding down the land in crimson or German clover and turning it under in early spring. Such a crop will preserve from waste the soluble nitrates developed in the soil in late summer and autumn and also add the nitrogen which it appropriates from the atmosphere. It is a case of killing two birds with one stone, says Southern Cultivator. Spoiled In Transit. “I wonder,” said Cholly as they drove along the boulevard, “why that thing in front of us is called a T cart?” “Perhaps,” suggested Miss Flyppe, “it is because it is just ahead of ‘U.’ ” Which struck Cholly as being so clever that he undertook to reproduce It at the club that evening. “I awslced her,” he proceeded, after giving the preliminaries, “why that thing i* front of us was called a T cart, and she said it was because it was just ahead of me. Baw, Jove, though, I cawn’t make it sound the wav it did when she got it off, don’t you know.”—Chicago Post.