The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1878-08-14

| Vi udblAAC lA1AU w AAA NDSOA - SAA~
elements of plant food to the soil; it
| is only through the enterprise Of the
husbandman and the aids of science
that these great supports to agrlcul-
ture can be made available. In the
order of nature there is no such thing
as exhaustion or failure of the soil,
but there is opportunity for increase
and progress to meet the want OF
man to any number within the posi-
bilities of increase. The resources
for the fertilization of the soil are
unlimited, and who can tell the ca
liabilities of the soil when wisely
cultivated and fertilized to its fullest
need? The returns of the earth to
reward the industry of the husband
man may be said to be unlimited, but
pecuniary rewards are prescribed by
the circumstances and conditions OF
surrounding things. That the ele-
ments of plant food as prepared by
the honest manufacturer of CONNER
cial manures are beneficial, and need
to be used to keep up the production
of our grain farms there can be no
doubt with those that have used them.
The experiments of Laws q Gilbert,
in England, in raising consecutive
crops of grain for over thirty years
on the same land, with none but min
eral manures, securing an increased
production thereby, is convincing
proof Of their importance as fertiliz-
ers, and all who have for several
years past used such in this country
bear testimony to like beneficial re-
suits This experience is only in cor
roboration of the common sense prin-
ciple that if we restore to the soil
that which we carry off in growing a
crop it cannot be Impoverished or
be less productive, and if we restore
more than is taken away the soil
must be enriched and made more
productive.
It would then seem wise for every
farmer who has exhausted the virgin
fertility Of his soil to supply such ma
nures as will feed the plant and pro-
duce the crop desired. Supperphos-
phate of lime as now manufactured
and sold by reliable parties in our
country meets the greatest needs
of our grain growers, though expert
ence may show the need of other ele-
ments not usually contained, or it
may be found economical to have
special manures for special purposes
and for special crops. But still there
is another question to be solved
which is as important to every farm
er; it is whether these fertilizers will
be sold at present at such prices that,
the farn1er GAN grow his crop fsern
them and leave him a living profit
We know they will be in the future,
but they are now too expensive. The
materials of which such manures are
composed are held too high and the
profits Of the manufacturers are too
great to leave any encouragement to
the farmer in their general use. A
good superphosphate should be sold
to the farmer for much less than the
present rates, and would then afford
the manufacturers a larger profit
than our farmers receive on the pro-
ducts of their farms. The manufac-
ture of fertilizers is now in the hands
of few, who monopolize the trade
and exact large profit, much against
their general profit. 1t is true that
farmers may make their own super
posphates at less than they can pur-
chase, but there are but few who
will undertake the work, and none
should, without experience and con-
veniences not usually at hand on the
farm. We must continue to buy such
goods as are prepared by the regular
manufacturers-that is, if they furn-
ish us with a reliable article and sell
to us with reasonable profits and
without commissions or agents fees
added. In all grain growing sec
lions of the older States these fertil-
izers will be used, and farmers should
buy directly of the manufacture
er in such quantities as will be for
their, as we'll as for his advantage. 1t
is a large outlay to our Eastern farm
ers to buy the inorganic elements Of
the grain they grow and compete
with the Western ones who have it
ready in their soil, but it is a necessi-
ty which only due economy will ena-
bic them to practice.-F. P. RooT
- NTo.n Val. JKon.JT