Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1880-04-26


WHEN AND WHERE TO USE THESE
FERTILIZERS.
As our experiments. general expert
ence, and sound science show, soils, crops
and other conditions differ, and each
man must study his own. Nevertheless
there are some general facts that help in
deciding what fertilizers are best.
FERTILIZERS FOR CORN.
In the experiments with corn, nitrogen
was rarely, the potash salt often, and
superphOsphate generally profitable, where
soil and season were such as to permit
good growth with any manure. On the
average, the most profitable mixture
used for corn has been three hundred
pounds of superphosphate dissolved bone
black or other mineral superphosphate)
and $50 pounds Of muriate of potash.
At $500 per ton for superphosphate and
$40 per ton for the muriate this would
come to 1926, to which must be added
cost of freight and applying. In the
average of number of special expert
ments (not described in the previous ar
ticles) this has brought so l-3 bushels
of shelled corn. Addition of nitrogen
has increased the yield somewhat, but
generally not enough to pay the cost
A mixture of $50 to 200 pounds of
muriate of potash and 200 to 400 pounds
of fine bone dust has also given excel
lent results with corn.
Unless the unanimous testimony of
the experiments is false, Vermont far
mers can add greatly to the fertility of
their fields and the profits of their farm
ing if instead of buying Western corn
they will raise it, with such helps as
we shall hereafter take occasion to ex-
plain in more detail.
FERTILIZERS FOR POTATOES AND
TURNIPs.
Patatoes have responded well to all
the ingredients, nitrogen, phosphOric acid,
and potash. The complete fertilizers
have been the most profitable in nearly
all the cases where soil and weather were
not more adverse. The mixture of 800
pounds superphosphate, 200 pounds mu-
riate of potash, and $50 pounds nitrate
of soda. costing about $3.50 has brought
an average yield of l60 bushels, and in
some cases over 800 bushels, about dou-
bic the product without manure. Nitro
rogen could be furnished more cheaply
in sulphate of ammonia or dried blood,
than in the nitrate of soda. Peruvian
guano would probably be better still tc
supply nitrogen and phoshporic acid
Fish would serve the same purpose.
The experiments with ,turnips have
shown the best results with the complete
fertilizer, though they responded well t.
the superphosphate in every case. But
they are as yet too few however, for re
liable differences. Still they accorC
with the common impression that makes
phophoric acid, in the form of superpos
phate and bone dust, almost specific
for turnips.
FERTILIZERS FOR GRAIN AND
GRASS CROPS.
For wheat, oats, rye and barley, gen
eral experience favors nitrogen and phos
phOric acid, though potash is frequently
profitable. Peruvian guano, fish bone
superphosphates and sometimes potasl
e salts are apt to be profitable. For gras
land, bone, superphOsphates and Otter
potash salts are found useful. Clover i
especially benefited by potash and get
little good from nitrogen. Sometimes
heterogeneous fertilizer like sulphate o
ammonia is excellent as top-dressing il
spring, to force a backward crop Of gras
or grain. The old pastures and mead
ows of our dairy farms are very com
monty deficient in phOsphates. Bon
supplies this lack cheaply. 1t is slo'
and lasting in its action and hence pal
ticularly good for seeding down to grass
QUANTITIES OF COMMERCIAL FERTILIZER
TO USE.
The amount that can be pro6tably use
varies, of course, with circumstance
From 100 to $50 pounds of potash sal
250 to 500 pounds of superphOsphatt
800 to 60 pounds of bone dust. 200
800 or 400 pounds of Peruvian gnan,
$50 to 200 pounds of dried blood or n
trate of soda, and 100 to $50 pounds {
sulphate of ammonia are moderate dres
ings per acre. Where several article
are used together, somewhat less of eac
would naturally be applied than whel
they are employed separately. Whe
used with farm manures, still small,
quantities suffice. Two hundred pounC
of superphosphate. or 100 pounds
of muriate of potash, do very we'll
supplement to dressing of stable M
nure. Indeed, on farms removed fro
the larger markets this is usually Il
best way to employ such costly material
They furnish plant-fOod ready for INN
date use and thus the crop is apt to g
a better start, ripen earlier, and be Ia
ger than with farm manure alone.
moderate excess of the fertilizer abo
the demands of the crop does it no bal