The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-04-14
farm aud Garden.
Commercial northumberland


We have spoken of the dissolved bone or
dissolved phosphates, the ground or un-
dissolved, and the precipitated, ere
duced, or reverted" (Which mean the
same thing, which are thus altered in the
soil by something they meet with there.
To sum up, there are many persons who
prefer the dissolved bone or phosphates,
while there are many also who prefer the
croundbon or phosphates Both are right
1nder some circumstances, but we think
the prevailing sentiment in this country
and in Europe, is strengthening in favor
of the ground form If we wish speedy
effect, as the Truckers do, or on late
planted spring crops, then we would use
the dissolved form. rOn fall sown crops,
as wheat or winter oats, we would prefer
the ground form. On fruit trees we should
use the ground bone or phosphate. On
limestone soil or land which has been lit
orally lined, we should use the ground.
for the lime will reduce it to the undis-
solved form, and the labor and expense
Of dissolving will be lost; besides, the
large substitution of gypsum for phos-
phate of lime, which occurs, will be
dead loss. The ground form is, as every
one knows, slower in acting, but it ulti-
mately meets with something in the soil
to make it soluble, and it's effects are of
course more lasting.
Most of the phosphoric acid used in
agriculture is in the dissolved form, be-
cause manufacturers find it much easier
and cheaper to dissolve than to grind.
the fertilizer acts quicker and shows i'm
mediate results, and because the gypsum
formed by the dissolving process is a good
menstruum for their other ingredients,
preventing too, the escape of ammonia
from the compound. In many instances,
in dry summers, ground bone or phos-
plate will fail to act, and the manufac-
turer will get the opprobrium offurnish-
ing a bad fertilizer or committing a fraud
Phosphoric acid is not often used alone
the farmers getting it generally in the
form of a manipulated article. Some
farmers use it alone in the ground form
on their wheat, and it has generally been
found to pay except when the season
has been bad for wheat. In England it
is largely used on the turnip crop, some
times ground and sometimes dissolved,
but more generally now, the former, we
think, as the turnip crop is to be followed
with barley or wheat, and clover, the
ground form having more permanent eff
feet, comes into play in advancing the
growth of these crops. Barley generally
comes after turnips, then clover, and
wheat after clover.
AS general rule, none of these fertil-
izing substances should be used alone.
Phosphoric acid for instance, will induce
increased growth of crop, and thus an in
creased quantity of ammonia, and potash
will be removed from the soil, and will
ultimately be exhausted from it. No
single article of plant-food can for any
length of time cause good crops. Phos-
phoric acid in some form is very necessary
in composing" Stable manure Isl com
plete manure in itself, but the farmer can
not get enough of it to go over his crops,
and to get enough of the mineral constit-
uents it must be used in quantities, which
would be wasteful of ammonia There
fore, it should be composted with phos-
phoric acid (ground, or dissolved bone.
or phosphate) and potash, to which should
be added rich dirt. But we will come to
speak Of composts" hereafter. There is
one substance which acts particularly
well with phosphoric acid, that is nitrate
OF soda. 1t makes the phosphoric acid and
potash dlffuse themselves through the
soils, and thus become more active and
available. An experiment made in Mas
sachusetts by Dr. Nichols, exhibits this
Several hundred pounds of superphos-
Phate had been applied to the soil. The
drainage coming from that soil was tested
and it showed no trace of phosphoric
acid, proving that it had been entirely
retained in the soil But in treating the
same soil subsequently with nitrate ofI
soda, and repeating the test in regard to
drainage waters passing through phos-
phomc acid was found in these waters
For these reasons, says DR.. Nichols
Ct chemists are in the habit of calling it
chemical plough, doing the mechanical
work
This nitrate of soda, Chill saltpetre" of
commerce. the most valuable source of
ammonia, is found in South America on
the Pacific coast in large quantities, and
is destined to play an important part in
the fertilization of lands, and is already
being extensively used In England. it |
IS much used particularly on grasses, to
the amount Of 200 to 300 lbs per acre.
1t is applied in the spring, as it teaches
readily from the soil 1900 lbs. of fine |
ground bone is applied in the fall, and