The Red Cloud chief., 1879-01-30

Toy dressing srass iAnds,
lnquir, 1. often made. Gays The hrs.
too Journal ~ Chemistry. rgNriing
the proper method ~ using ~cnhcrntrs
ted irr,ihEnTs and the time when they
should be applied ~ grass lands, u 10
certain that the chemical ag~nis nu~ So
largely employees should ne, ba applied
~ ,op-drvssine under III. same c'ndl'
tons ~ barry ard n the tive
forms II plant nutrimoni c,ist Ia tho
agents under widely diiorcn, circum
stances Manure. ot stable dung, must
undergo some important che mirai
changes bcioro the active principles arr
formed. ar hcinr, the, are ut,~d iut
plant assimilation the heterogeneous
part. 50 important In the arusth IT
wasscs. iA not rvallN formed ~ manure
Tho elements must bc grovl al diet.
emily. and new combinations produced.
aud thus The factor II time cumcs IN Ia
be- considered Ammonia. ~ such, al
though II holds the nitrog,n. cannot hr
assimila,rd 10y plants, Ia fact, II Is de
structi,c uo plaat lite. when brough, la
| contar, with them In concentrated torn
ftffs nltNbifs W. w hAAAN' " w
change. and charged with free ammo
MIA. will destroy grass " spread upon ~
In n still. cloudy day With chemical
salts holding nitrogen Ia n hs..i condi-
ton. either ~ sulphsl.s. nitrs,"s, or
carbonat.s, The case u different these
are soluble forms. and readily take the
next step which III them tai enter the
structure IL plants. A. regards tn,
| o;h.s important elements of iood, ia.
phosphcric acid and the potash. similar
conclusions may be entertained
II 10 obvious, then. that In employing
| the different combinations for top dress.
ings. We must bc guided by an ia,nlli.
gent understanding ~ III. nature 81 the
agents. and this applies Ia time Of rP-
plication ~ well As Ia methods. We
hay. had considerable experience In
this matter Il top dressing grass lands.
and therefor. feel competent Ia ad,i.e
ON the -ubI.ci. In the use ~ stable
dung we say. apply u rather late In ,he
autumn. bu, act too late, that 10. de-
no, wat until the ground ~frccs.s. bs,
about a month before the usual time
for the advent ~ severe trusts. IL sp'
piled too early. NJ In Angus, ar sop
t.mbsr. In the northern parts u the
the country. y Dire. hard In III. sun,
and IL not 80 readily acted upon b,
frosts. and !. therefore not AZ well dis
,ributed NJ IL should be-. The scti,s
principles have time enough u, undergo
chemical chang. from October to Apri
or May u the succeeding year.
Concentrated fertilizer. should not
under any ordinary conditions. be ap
piled Ia the autumn. The reason l,
tina, by the rsp,diiy ~ IN. change. th'
active elements II food ar. brought al
of the plants. aHd thus by absorption
they ar. stimulated Ia growth ~b.'
growth 10 NO, d.-irahls. A plan, 10 ms
benefited IL Is IL fed jus, before agent
are ready Ia cut ~ down and arresi al
activity. Beside this. the application
81 sctive fertiliser, in the fall - attend
ed with loss In other directions Sub
stances lko nitrate 81 soda and potash
and chlorid. Il potassium ars quit. -
luble. and the liquid il apt Ia ruh ava,
Il facilities are afforded. II applied I,
a side bill late in sutnmn shsn q giAg
q ice IL possible. almost a total Ia.
may result n q brook rcc.ive the wash
ings ~ the hills. Ia porous. al,.Drptiv
soils the dissolved sAlu may sink "a
deep into the soii during n long wints
and early spring. Our method hA
been to apply chemical fertilizers 4
gras. lands In tho spring. n % too early
Just befor. growth bsgtns. Result
have been highly s~st,sfactory in a
cases. Warmers must remsmhsr nsro
90 apply nitrate ~ soda alone ~ un
combined This salt aids gresuy Il
the growth 81 the rich grasses, hu;
applied by itself u may do harm. Con
: bins II always ~ith good supsrpbeS
: phAie. and then its maximum effects ar
. seen. We are certain thai this impoi
|, iani fact IL not well understood, " 10
. fact learned by deduction and srper
J encs. No one 81 the astiye agents ,
plant food does well alone. ave pei
hsps suyerpho~phsis. aud this bersf
{ IL largely confined Ia roos erops, A
soon as farmers understand how "a "a
Z and when w. nae the concentrated fsl
t~ilixers ~ top dressings IA grass LAID
1 these will b. extensively empl0j
. ed than at present.