The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1877-06-29
farm ind Nonsellcld.
[For the Marietta Journal.
A COMPLETE FERTILIZER.

wheat, and an representative COM
position Of other plants, in my for
mer essay, it is nov proper to give
the composition Of a complete fertil>
izer. A complete fertilizer may be
thus formed: Phosphate of lime
$50 lbs; nitrate Of potash III lbs I;
sulphate Of ammonia 222 lbs sui.
phate of lime Qand plaster) 81 lbs;
which should not cost more than 20
or 80 dollars. The above quantity
1866 lbs. is to be mixed well with
as much, by weight of muck or fine
soil, and broadcast for wheat, say
two, three or four hundred pounds
per acre, according to the land.--
Now one very important question
arises, where are we to get supplies
for general use Il may be ans
wered that phosphate of lime may
be obtained from bones of animals
and fish, to limited extent, and
there is a considerable per cent Of
phosphate Of lime in all volcanic
rocks, and most marls contain it, and
considerable deposits uuderly ere
taceous earths. The potash may be
obtained from three sources From
volcanic rocks, which contain about
10 to 20 per cent Of potash. Sec
ond: Sea water contains it. AT
Strasfurth in Prussia there 10 de-
post 2o00 to 5000 feet thick. Then
small supply may be made from
wood and vegetable matter. Azotic
may be obtained from ammoniac and
nitrate compositions. 10 the fabri,
cation of coke, 10 good furnaces, all
so there will be furnished ammoniac,
then we have he azote Of the air
ard some plants draw azoie from the
air, and from this fact some green
crops may be made to aid the sup~
ply OF azote. Lucerne draws from
266 to 800 lbs OF azote from ar to
the acre. Hence, if OIL other sources
of azotic matter were withdrawn,
there would st;ll remain the azote OF
the air, which is thrown off by cer>
tain plants. The air is an inexhaus>
tible source Of ezote, and il remains
for us to have the nitrate aud ammo
MAC in sufficient quantities so as to
combine the azote of the air with
oxygen to form ritrates, or With hy>
drogen to form ammonia. AS to
lime, there is a good supply for the
future. The ashes Of wood viii fur
nish potash for limited supply on a
farm; this mixed with waste salt,
(which is often tbrown away from
picked meat, fish end other sources,
will make good fertilizer for
many crops. have com, now
growing very lUxu,iantly, that is
fortified with the fshes end salt,
about handful to the bill. Last
year | made very fine coin thus fer
tilted. Some ammonia, in fixed
form, would aid the production; but
it will not do to mix ashes (which
evaporates, or renders volatile the
ammoria,) with the mixture con-
tanning muriate or carbonate of am.
monia. The nitrate of potesh (salt
reter) aud the nitrate of ammonia
may be mixed together, and the nj
trate of soda may also be added. -
Stable manure, which contains much
ammonia, should not be mixed with
wood ashes, as the sshes will render
the ammonia volatile, and cause it TO
escape. But stable manure and
barnyard msnure are both much
benfitted by the application of a So
luton of sulphurie acid, or some ma
toriai containing it, as sulphate of
lime or sulphate of iron in solution
made of proper strength to fix the
ammonia, that is, convert it into the |
sulphate of ammonia, which is not SO
easily rendered volatile. The mix
ture of the piirates with most MAJ
nures is not only uninjuIious, but of
much benefit by their affinity for hy- |
drogen, which causes them 30 attract
that element from the ar, aud thus
keep moistr-e. The mu, late of So |
da has similar power to attract hy>
drogen, hence its application to
lands that ere high and dry. Now,
how are we to make enough manures
at home, without too great outlay for
commercial fertilizers : There are
many ways by which that object
may be accomplished. All the wood
ashes should be carefully saved, and
il mixed with waste salt make
good fertilizer for cotton or corn. -
The stables aud COW stalls should be
kept constantly supplied with fiue
straw or forest leaves to absorb the
urine of the suimals and cid in fur
Disbing the supply of good manure.
Stable manure not only conts'ns a
large per cent of ammonia from the
urinel but a good desl of phosphate
of lime and other elements of nutri-
ton to plants. All msnures should
be finely manipulated, SO as to make
them available for the ready assimi
Iaiion by plsuts.
|. j. III. GoSS, NJ. d.
E.p1frpS ara very husv fohtinp