- On the soil conditions necessary for the best growth and development of the crops.
- On the market value of the crops.
- On the increase of or the protection from injurious diseases and insects.
- On the distribution of labor throughout the year.
- On the caring for farm stock.
- On the providing for home supplies.
This inquiry and the conclusion will be based on the following facts learned in the foregoing chapters.
Plant roots need for their growth and development (see [Chapter II]):
- A mellow yet firm soil.
- A moist soil.
- A ventilated soil.
- A warm soil.
- A soil supplied with plant food.
Decaying organic matter or humus is one of the most important ingredients of our soils. Because:
It greatly influences soil texture and therefore the conditions necessary for root growth.
Its presence or absence greatly influences the attitude of soils toward water, the most important factor in plant growth. Its presence helps light, sandy soils to hold more water and to better pump water from below, while it helps close, heavy soils to better take in the water which falls on their surface. Its absence causes an opposite state of affairs.
The presence of organic matter checks excessive ventilation in too open, sandy soil by filling the pores, and improves poor ventilation in heavy clay soils by making them more open.
Humus, on account of its color, influences the heat absorbing powers of soils.
The organic matter is constantly undergoing more or less rapid decay unless the soil be perfectly dry or frozen solid. Stirring and cultivating the soil hasten this decay.