Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-04-30
To the Farmers Of Vermont.


Vermont farmer can ut the least expense
obtain the elements of plant food needed
upon his own farm. The question has
been often asked Had | better purchase
the manufactured fertilizers offered in the
market. or buy the crude materials of
which they are made and mix them my
self?" " and if | buy one or the other
which are besl?" These questions though
important and proper, are not easily an
swered in a general way. nevertheless
some light may be thrown upon them by
u little discussion, hence this circular at
this time. 1t may be safely asserted,
think, that rs rule all important discov-
cries and results in improved agriculture,
rs in all other departments of industry,
come from careful and painstaking exper-
iments by careful and observing men; and
the more we have of these year by year
the more rapidly will human knowledge
increase and its corresponding benefits
ensue. At the close of the winter series
of meetings thought TO advance the cause
am trying to serve, by visiting some of
the scientific men who in their laboratories
are solving many of the problems for us,
and the intelligent manufacturers of fer
tilizers who are more anxious than we
sometimes think to get at the right of the
business of making good article, which
shall meet the want of the farmers and
their ,ols.
In pursuance of my plan spent some
time in the laboratory OF Prof. ALwater al
Mid,lletown, Conn.,. looking over results
Of fertilizer analyses made there and else
where in New England, and satisfied my
self as 10 what was the best and cheapest
materials for Vermont farmers TO buy.
Prof. Atwater courteously rendered me
every assistance in his power, although
busy with his college duties, accompany
ing me to New York, where we met with
IL number of the leading dealers who offer
ed articles of guaranteed composition, and
at prices that seemed very favorable.
1t is not clearly settled as yet that The.
average farmer can purchase the material
in the market and manufacture his own
fertilizer cheaper than to buy the same all
ready for use, though in some individual
instances he doubtless can, and for such rs
think they can and wish to, we have OBJ
tanned prices from dealers in chemicals
and publish herewith.
The following firms, with doubtless
others who deal in these articles, have
uniformly shown their goods by analysis
to contain what they are represented Of
The different ingredients, viz II. j. Baker
e. Brother, 2l5 Pearl street, New York
city; Bowker Fertilizer Co.. Boston,
Mass the Mapes Formula Co., New
York city; Hobson, Hurtado Il Co., N. Y
The latter are dealers in Peruvian guano
which in the opinion of some of our chem
lists is the best and cheapest fertilizer in
The market. Of the above firms can BE-
bought ground bone of different degree,
of lineness for from 80 to 50 dollars pei
ton For quick effect the finest is the be>l
because more easily soluble. For slower
action as in seeding down to grass the
coarsest will do. Surerph sphate, guar
anteed Is per cent. PhosphoI ic acid, can
be- bought for $50 per ton. This is made
from dissolved bone black Or Canada apa
lite rock. 1t is. says Prof. Atwnter, the
cheapest source of phosphoric acid in the
market. Muriate of potash, 80 to 81 per
cent. Potash, at $35 per ton. This, says
Prof. Atwater, is the cheapest source OF
potash in the market, though a German
potash salt Nitrate of soda, 80 per cent,
at $50 per ton. Sui plate of ammonia %
per cent, at 800 per ton. For large quan
titles reduction from these prices may
be had.
For potatoes and sugar beets the sui
phate of potash is said to be preferable
The muriate is said sometimes to make
the POTATOES soggy and TO reduce the
amount of sugar in beets. The sulphate>
han h,, intn hay laSS
actual potash. The sources of nitrogen
other than the atmosphere are nitrate Of
soda. sulphale of ammonia and dried
blood.
Peruvian guano can be bought ut from
$50 10 S5S per ton, according TO quality.
We hope that more experiments will b,
made the coming year tlitn in any
wear before, and that the farmers will
study to know for themselves what fertili
zers will fit the wants of their soils and
crops, and what ones they can afford t"
buy. We have to acknowledge that the
great trouble is to tell just " hat is best in
each case. Soils seasons and crops differ
and the material which can be used with
profit in one case, may not be economical
in another. During the past year II series
|
was conducted under the auspices of the
Vermont University and State Agricul-
tural College upon seventeen farms in diff
ferent parts of the state. The returns OF
these experiments and of similar ones in
other states throw II good deal of light on
these matters. For instance, in expert
ments with corn, IL mixture of 800 p 'und>
of superphosphate, 200 pounds muriate of
potash and $50 pounds nitrate of soda,
which would cost at the rates above men,
toned little les than Sl5, brought on the
average, 48 10 bushels of shelled corn
per acre, against 46 bushels with farm
manure.
But of the different fertilizers used in
the experiments. the most profitable fol
corn was mixture of 800 pounds super.
phosphate and 30 pounds Tor in some
cases $50 pounds) CT muriate of potash
which would cost ut the above rates So
This brought on The average 43 bushels
per acre. With potatoes the results witt
artificial manures were still more favora
Bile. The mixture of superphosphae
lnuriate of potash and nitrate of soda
brought on the average, one-third more
than the farm manures and was the mos
profitable fertilizer used. But it must bt
remembered that these results represen
general averages. The variations in The
individual trials were very wide. A MAJ
terial that repays its cost ten-fold in ont
case may utterly fail in another. On som,
soils potash salts proved very profitable
on others they had very little effect. Su
perphosphate was generally, but not nj
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