The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1879-08-06
THE FLORIDA AGRICULTURIST.

fruits. 1t was abundant formerly in
our soils, but by constant cropping
they have become impoverished of
potash, and it is much needed plant
food.
Now, as regards combinations of
substances, my friend Stockbridge, of
the Massachusetts Agricultural Col.
lege, has suggested some combina-
tions, which doubtless many OF you
have experimental with, and trust
you have found them useful. have
experimental much in this direction,
and the results have been given to
farmers of Massachusetts, through the
meetings of the Massachusetts State
Board Of Agriculture,as early as 1871.
Prof Stockbridge generously gave
credit for these researches at the
meeting of the Board, at Haverhill,
in 1865. / had esed combinations
essentially like those now coupled
with his name, for several years prior
to 1871, but [ hesitated to publish
formulas, for the reason that hoped
farmers would be led to study princi-
pies, and thus be guided by Undue
ton to construct their own form
ulas.
If we only knew what differing
soils absolutely require to render
them fertile, it would be easy to ar
range mixtures, or apply the one sub
stance, which often is all that is re-
quired to put fields into good filth.
Analysis, unfortunately, does not
supply the safe guidance which is
desirable. We are not able from
laboratory work to learn pre-
cisely what any given soil needs, and
while it is possible to get at general
conclusions from that source, and
such as are important and useful,
we do not learn how much Of any
one substance is needed to produce
fixed crop results. We do as we'll to
interrogate the soil ITSELF as to make
laboratory researches, and by this I
mean that it is possible to learn APP
proximatively the true wants Of our
fields by carefully observing the eff
fects of fertilizers when understand
ingly employed. This kind of exper-
imenting, however, is not perhaps
adapted to the culture or capacity of
some farmers, for a considerable
number of husbandmen are like Dob
bins horse, capable of drawing any
thing but an inference.
The formulas that have been sug.
gested and extensively employed in
this country are based upon the plan
of applying sufficient quantities OF the
three forms of plant food, in proper.
tons as suffice to meet the wants Of
a certain number of bushels of the
cereals, tubers and roots, or pounds
of hay, above what the natural con.
dition of the soil is capable Of produc-
} ing. While this plan is not in all re.
spects Objectionable, it is obvious that
it does not afford safe guidance in its
: results, or, that may not be in the
end wastefnl. We can never know
what soil is capable of producing
in an unfertilized condition, and,
therefore, we can only guess at re
- suits. As we know, by analysis
) what amount Of plant food each crop
requires, it is easy to construct form.
ulas on that plan, and we may as
sumo whatever we choose, as regards
the natural capacity Of our soils.
In the treatment OF my own fields
l have pursued plan which does not
call for fixed formulas, or rather
which does not admit of any uniform.
ity in formula. Attention is given to
the nature and wants of the crop
which different fields produce from
year to year, and the food supplied
in all cases has reference to the crops
raised, and those projected. 1t is
known what corn, wheat, rye, pota-
toes, hay, ETC., needs, and supplies
are furnished adapted to their re-
spective wants. Ii "a corn crop has
been raised for two or three consec-
utive years, upon field, it is certain
that an excess of the heterogeneous and
phosphoric forms of food must be
supplied if the succession OF crops is
to be continued; if not, and potatoes
follow, then dressing of potash
alone is all that is needed. The fields
themselves indicate their wants by
the returns they make, and in this
we are taught the wisdom of crop
rotation. 1t is not alone what we
apply to our fields that comes back
to us in produce; it must be remem-
bered that our fields hold large