Soil Culture & Modern Farm Methods
Over the years, Growers Chemical Corporation has used the book More Food from Soil Science by Dr. V.A. Tiedjens as a reference text for farmers to use to discover and refine the Growers mindset. During that time, the company has suggested other reference books to farms that also contribute third party credibility to the Growers mindset. Usually, these references are more recent publications covering new science or a new approach to older science. So it is a unique circumstance when an older reference seems to be appropriate for use with the Growers approach.
Several years ago, a potential GMS user was trying to figure out of the Growers meeting he attended was giving him the correct story about agricultural production. As he wrestled with his mental dilemma, he happened to find an old book at an antique auction that confirmed the Growers Program. After he brought attention to the reference book, many other GMS users started examining the book and were very impressed by the message of the author.
The lime section of this reference book gave in depth details of the necessity of the element calcium (Ca) in soil to ensure the success of the farming operation. The book describes various experiments that demonstrated how soil physics would be positively improved with the addition of Ca to the soil.
Other direct quotes from this reference book help to show the content of the pages:
1. "Lime acts both chemically and physically."
2. "Primarily, we plow for the purpose of making a seed-bed and turning under trash. Plowing should also thoroughly pulverize and aerate the soil. We pulverize in order to make available plant food with envelopes each soil particle. We aerate it in order that the soil may be thoroughly oxidized, a condition necessary to the healthy maintenance of soil bacteria."
3. We know that the supply of potash is practically inexhaustible in most soils, and that it can be made available by tillage methods and the application of lime...Lime renders potash in the soil more available. The soil may be rich in insoluble silicates containing potash and still be starving for soluble potash. Lime decomposes the soil silicates, thus setting the potash free."
However, the first several paragraphs in this reference book should be very understandable to farmers that realize they are only caretakers of the land for future generations.
"Soil is the source of all wealth. From the soil directly or indirectly, human beings and all animate creatures obtain food. When the Creator planned this universe, He apparently provided every element necessary to sustain life and ordained that in the evolution of life and death, there should be no destruction of elements. Complete compounds are formed by the union of these various elements, and they perform their function in accordance with fixed laws, and finally turn back in the form of gases, vapors, and mineral salts to start anew their endless work of production.
"While elements may be indestructible, they sometimes stray, some become lost, and often many are misused. Were it not for such losses, nature's store of plant food would not be diminished. It devolves upon man, therefore, to co-operate with nature in order, first, to secure from the soil the full benefit of its fertility, and second, to prevent depletion.
"Most virgin soils contain a goodly amount of the essential inorganic elements, and in water and air we find the four great basic elements in abundance, namely, nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon. Standing between these two groups of elements, we have the man we call the farmer, who is the active dynamic force intended by the Creator to make available the actual and potential power in nature's storehouse.
"We find in the soil silica, phosphorus, potash, lime, magnesia, iron, sulfur and other elements which enter into the economy of plant growth.
"Water is composed of hydrogen and oxygen.
"Three-fourths of the atmosphere is composed of nitrogen. Carbon is found in combination with oxygen, and the store of free oxygen and hydrogen is inexhaustible.
"When these various elements are brought together under the right conditions and are furnished with humus, which is the home of the laboratory workers of the soil, then plant food compounds are formed and made available.
"If all of the elements and compounds which go to make up vegetable growth are returned to the soil and atmosphere, there could be no diminishing of fertility. There is, however, a discrepancy between the amount taken from the soil and that returned which may finally bring about absolute depletion in some of the elements unless scientific methods are enforced by the tillers of the soil.
"The farmer, therefore, is confronted with these two problems: First, to make available plant food elements which exist in the atmosphere and in the soil, and, second, to return to the soil plant food and guard against wasting."
The most intriguing fact about this book is that it is not new science. Soil Culture and Modern Farm Methods by W.E. Taylor was first published in 1913. However, most of today's farmers would say its publisher makes the content of this book sound science. The author Dr. W.E. Taylor was Director of John Deere's Soil Culture Department, and the book was issued by Deere & Company Manufacturers of High Grade Agricultural Implements at Moline, Illinois, USA.
This is an excerpt from the Early Fall Growers Solution (2019) written by Jim Halbeisen, Director of Research.
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