Soil Conservation Pays

where visions grace the sky freedom shall bless the land the story of the use of soil in our great nation during the past century is both disillusioning and challenging millions of acres have declined in productive capacity have been lost soil improvement through good land use is a modern vision a new frontier challenging america yes the earth is good to us if we are good to it fertile soil produces better crops and better crops mean more nutritious foods a healthier people and greater prosperity for us all over fourteen 000 banks supply this greatest single industry with credit and other banking facilities these banks are backed by the federal reserve system with its 12 regional banks and their 24 branches throughout the united states the country bank on the corner of main street usa is there to serve and help build a strong america by maintaining a productive agriculture let's look in on such a country bank this bank like hundreds of others in the fourth federal reserve district is a symbol of the financial stability and strength of the surrounding area the steady flow of customers is indicative of the bank's importance in the community its many banking services are designed to meet the financial needs of mr and mrs america business thrives in this community in direct proportion to the productivity of the soil and the know-how of the men who till it the smooth flow of farm produce to market and of equipment and supplies to the farm is made possible by cooperation between the farmer and his banker farming is a business where short-term loans to be repaid after the harvest are common however this farmer is discussing another type of loan he's seeking credit to finance capital improvements and to buy mechanized equipment the banker must be well informed on farm operations in order to work out a sound plan that will be advantageous to all concerns here's an example of how bank credit wisely used has helped to build a successful farm attractive buildings modern machinery excellent crops green pastures and fine woodlands all these are the fruits of progressive farm planning what you do not see is the hidden wealth of the soil without which all this prosperity would be impossible [Music] soil to be productive must be protected against erosion must be revitalized by constant replacement of the mineral elements n2 soil must be used to give a maximum return this means the application of soil conservation measures to assure continued high productivity like any other thing of value topsoil must be protected its chief enemies are wind and water wind which scatters it aloft and water which washes it away into rivers and oceans an idea of the loss caused by water erosion may be gained from this test plot where soil to the depth of nearly two feet has been carried away has been lost by the runoff of surface water water damage may be even more severe like these deep hillside gullies or this cornfield where valuable land has been lost by surface drainage but whether it be crop land or pasture the answers to erosion by water are at hand how well contoured farming provides a practical solution going around instead of up and down the hill makes it easier for the machine as well as the man alternate strips of cultivated and sod crops on the contour stop the loss of soil from erosion for example this contour planting of parsnips aids in controlling surface runoff rows of crops on many farms no longer extend up and down the hill making plowing and cultivation difficult instead they follow around it and fences follow the contour rather than in straight lines even berries are grown on the contour and the sod mulch prevents serious erosion by runoff from the moment the plow turns a furrow in the spring until the crop is harvested in the fall contour farming is the answer thousands of farms are acquiring the new look the patchwork pattern of square feels that invites erosion is giving way to a new soil saving design more and more crops are growing in swirling strips and flowing contours that hug precious topsoil in place today the american farmer is protecting his acreage of cropland by building terraces these may be constructed with ordinary farm equipment once the contour line has been established the farmer continues to plow until he has built a terrace which will hold surface water without the damaging effects of erosion as a rule newly constructed terraces should be fertilized seeded and most immediately this reduces soil loss caused by excessive rainfall provision must be made to carry off water which contour strips and terraces collect sod waterways constructed along natural drainage slopes do this here's an example of what may be done this field had been damaged so seriously by erosion that the owner wondered whether it would be possible to grow tobacco on it again he solved the problem and saved the land with terraces contour cropping and sod waterways these three steps have restored the land productivity increased yearly income and added to the value of the farm on steep slopes a good method of arresting erosion is to plant special types of deep rooted grasses which make excellent pasture land for good pasturing is the key to profitable farming it's the easiest and cheapest way to feed livestock the extensive root system of grasses clovers and alfalfas conditions the topsoil and revitalizes it on this hillside a legume grass mixture has replaced brome sedge and wild blackberries when soil is unsuited to other uses reforestation offers a profitable solution here is a farm woods that is giving the owner a return on his investment woods can also correct serious erosion problems development of woodlots is the most profitable use for many acres of unproductive land this excellent under canopy of seedlings will be a source of continuing harvest yes the earth is good to us if we are good to it soil losses like these are seriously damaging but a type of soil deterioration which may be even more destructive is the gradual depletion of organic matter failure to provide a balance through crop rotation between sod crops such as legumes and grasses which add organic matter and cultivated crops such as corn and tobacco which reduce it penalizes the farmer severely in contrast with this corn which grew only two feet high on land where corn was grown continuously look at this corn which stood over six feet tall on the same date grown under identical conditions except that crop rotation was practiced over a period of years for every ear of corn grown on the continuous plot four were grown where rotation was practiced more than sunshine rain and proper temperatures are needed to keep the good earth bountiful crops become more valuable when sufficient quantities of organic material have been put back into the soil crop rotation permits the necessary chemical and bacterial actions to take place many farmers keep their soil in high productivity by using a crop rotation starting with a meadow followed by a cultivated crop such as corn a small grain crop like oats then a meadow again for one or two years on croplands where rotation of cultivated and sod crops is not practical winter cover crops such as wheat and veg rye or rye grass are often plowed down to restore needed organic matter dense stands of sod crops are also used because they add nitrogen to the soil when plowed under they encourage the development of a soil structure which breaks up easily drains readily and is well aerated because of this invigorating effect upon the soil farmers favor the use of sod forming grass for soil improvement regardless of the topography of the land actually in rolling terrain legume grass mixtures have another important advantage in that their roots hold the earth in place absorb water and so help to control erosion birds foot tree foil so-called because of the shape of its seed pod is being used to enrich the soil in areas where alfalfa or other perennial legumes are not suitable most field crops are unable to use plant nutrients efficiently if grown in soils deficient in calcium the application of lime is frequently one of the prime requisites of soil improvement a common practice is to apply it on oat or wheat stubble or to hay meadows prior to the planting of corn nitrogen phosphorus and potash are essential and soil which is high in all three produces luxuriant crops proof that soil conservation pays is shown in this field of corn deprived of nitrogen failure to provide sufficient nitrogen retards growth and reduces the yield crop yields are affected by a lack of phosphorus a deficiency which causes a reddish bronzing of the leaf potash too must be present in sufficient amounts for the yield and quality of corn and other crops will be low when potash deficiency is severe a yellowing of the leaf margin occurs for best growth you must have not only the basic elements nitrogen phosphorus and potash but also traces of such elements as manganese copper boron and others in order to obtain high crop yields whether it be hay corn oats tobacco fruit or root crops the soil must first be supplied with organic matter second must contain essential plant nutrients and third the soil must be well drained how often have you seen a field like this lack of drainage may be just as harmful to crop growth as excessive erosion caused by rapid runoff tile well laid and properly maintained provides good drainage for years in many cases the increase in crops harvested has been sufficient in four to five years to repay the cost of installing the tile the golden rule of harvesting is cutted at the right moment the golden rule of profitable farming restore what the harvests have taken high yields obtained from fields where soil conservation measures are applied not only mean more farm income but high yields are also the basis for a sound prosperous farm community [Music] profitable farming involves adapting modern practices to soil types topography and other factors farmers frequently seek the advice of trained men the county agent conducts educational programs in his district he reviews plans for such meetings with a local soil conservation board members of which are elected by the farmers to direct the work of the district applications for farm plans are considered by the district board suggested farm plans with maps are discussed at regular monthly meetings as soon as possible the farm planner calls and explains the soil conservation measures which have been recommended one of the problems under consideration on this farm is how a sod waterway may be constructed to carry away the surface water which bypass the tile drain and cut an open ditch through the cropland much of the basic research being conducted at the state agricultural experiment stations is providing new and up-to-date solutions to field problems brought in by agricultural agents farm planners and farmers [Music] in addition the various state agricultural colleges train the farmers of tomorrow in modern farm practices they also disseminate timely information through educational meetings bulletins and news stories this information benefits both farmers and consumers all over america [Music] the farmer's greatest asset is the topsoil to aid him in establishing a proper program the farmer may send samples of his soil to the nearest soil testing laboratory so that samples will be representative of the area they are taken at several points in the field when the samples arrive at the laboratory they are opened pulverized to facilitate testing and then placed in identifying boxes the first test is to determine the soil acidity this indicates whether the soil is low in calcium from this test it is possible to determine whether lime is needed and if so the amount required the next step in the laboratory procedure is to determine the organic content of the soil then a test is made to find out how much available phosphorus is needed finally the amount of available potash is recorded the results of the test together with recommendations are sent to the farmer who submitted the soil samples along with the farmers bankers to have long been aware of the importance of good farming only in recent years have they had opportunity for organized study of the practices which are fundamental to successful farming bankers associations joined with agricultural colleges to plan and sponsor field meetings to describe and demonstrate new developments in agricultural practice this close cooperation is leading to new patterns in farming yes soil improvement and wise land use are good business they increase productivity while protecting and improving the farmers basic assets the soil modern conservation practices are paying off on thousands of farms throughout the nation and this prosperity is reflected in more business activity on main street usa the country banker is working closely with farmers in fostering good business by encouraging and helping to establish sound soil improvement practices the growing success of the american farmer in making soil conservation pay is an encouraging sign for more than 150 million americans who depend upon the soil for food so let's go forward confident that where visions grace the sky freedom shall bless the land [Music] you