The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1880-04-23

"L|. =.
while more or less of the nitrogen viii
run TO waste.
now TO APPLY COMMERCIAL rERTrLIz-
ERs.
The safest way is to apply broadcast,
but they may be put in the hill or drill,
provided they are well diflused through
the soil. This last point is very impor-
tant.
Farmers are apt to think the ma
nure must DO put close to the seed or
the plant will not get the benefit OF II.
This is wrong. IL is not the just ger
minated plantlet that needs the manure,
but the plant, from the time 1t is well
started until its growth is done. we
want, not only to give the crop a good
start, but to help il M OH the home
stretch as well. The roots and their
branching ~rootlets run nj IN all dircc-
lions in search of food, and the fertiliz-
ers ought to be where as many OF the
r%ootlets as possible can get at them. Ii
we distribute the fertilizers as well as
we can, the water in the soil, aided by
the chemical and physical forces that
nature keeps in operation, will do the
rest. In illustration of this, remember
how well barn-maDure acts when appli-
cd as a top-dressipg long before the
seed is put in.
:. But if we concentrate the fertilizers
in one place, fewer roots will get them,
and these may be injured by coming in
contact with them or with their concen-
tratcd solutions in the soil. The roots
= will find their way TO the manure and
, develop more where it lies, It is true,
still we should not oblige them TO hud.
, die together in one place, but should
= rather encourage them to spread around
, where, with the increased capacity the
|, fertilizer gives them, they can get the
J, more from the soil. Roots join with
other natural agents in rendering inert
stores of plant food available.
Above all, do not let the fertilizers
C come too close to tho seed. A coarse.
dilute material like yard manure ma,
do the plants no harm, but such concen
tratcd fertilizers as gnano, potash salts.
: dried blood, or high grade superphos.
pilates may kill them"
Some of the best rcsults in The cx.
periments have come where the fcrtil
izcrs were spread broadcast over {
space eighteen inches or two feet wide
along the row.. If they are TO be put il
the hill or drill they ought to be frs
mixed with three or four times thei,
bulk of mellow earth. If the latter i,
rich i'll vegetable mould, so much Tho
better. Moist saw-dust or muck ma,
be used in place of the earth, if more
convenient.
Il ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.
4 Mr.. ID. i. Whcclock, of Barre. In,
joined with Il nciebbor in buying sui
phate OF ammonia, supcrphosphate anl
mnriatc OF potash. They inquire!
/. "ls any other chemical needed
with thesc?' Answer, no. These fur
! nish nitrogen, pIosphoric acid, ant
= potash and make a "complcle f%ertiliz.
err But unless you have found tina,
= your soil wants all these ingredients
= You may he using some at n loss.
2. "Shali we apply them separately
or mlXed!' AS is most convenient
Probably labor will be saved by mixing
well upon the barn floor before apply.
: ing. Only il a large amount of the
S potash is used it would be well to an.
ply 1t some weeks or months before the
: seed is put in, so that il may get well
diflused through the soil.
: 3. GLOW much of each shall we use
per acreF' As said above, 100 to 15C
pounds of snlphatc of ammonia, 200 ia
AGO pounds supcrphosphatc and 100 ia
+ 200 pounds muriate of potash, are fair
, amounts. Use more if the soil is ruu
I down than if ii is in good condition,
and less of such material when all are
t applied together than if it were used
s alone; For grain crops, let nitrogen
and phosphoric acid, sulphatc of am.
= monia and supcrphosphate, predomi.
nate; for corn, use phosphoric acid and
potash freely, and little if any nitrogen
TOR potatoes, all three literally.
A.. "Would it be well to mix all with
: plaster, muck or carth?' Yes. if con.
venient, especially if you apply in the
f hill or drill. Plaster is well, If cheap
and your experience promises profit.
Muck is excellent if well weathered and
r dry. Otherwise good mellow earth to
dilute the fertilizers.
3 MIR. Wheelock's plan of clubbing
!, with his neighbor, buy ing the materials
and mixing them is very sensible.
They get them probably for 20 per cent
less than they would cost mixed in
''complcte fertilizers" by purchasing
, IN large amounts they get some dis.
count, and if they pay cash, still more /:
and finally they know what they are
about, can mix at discretion, and use
with profit. -
snch question as these are very pertinent. nn,i
assist inc writer in making his directions clnar
) and practical. Inquiries addressed IN mn s;Ii a..
forwarded for answer. NJ. II UucEua