Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-04-22
with an equally favorable season
should expect to do better another
NoaI
Manuring Potatoes.

manurlng f0tatoes.
1t is mistaken idea, that some
are affected with, to suppose that
potatoes can be grown upon a poor
soil or with small quantity of man.
ure or fertilizer. The potato Is by
no means nm exception to the general
rule that all farm crops require fer
tility to their perfect and successful
development.
In order to produce 100 bushels OF
potatoes, with the average quantity of
tops, requires of the chief elements of
plant growth-nitrogen or ammonia,
phosphoric acid, and potash
following quantities Ammonia $3.50
lbs, phosphoric acid 81 lbs, and
potash l79 lbs, being one. third more
phosphoric acid and two and one-half
times as much potash as is required
to produce So bushels of Indian corn.
From this fact it is evident that
potatoes may well follow Indian corn
and rice versa. In raising potatoes
the deficiency in necessary fertilizing
material is likely TO occur in phos-
phoric acid and potash, which is one
cause OF the constitutional deteriora-
tion of this plant on many farms. 1t
makes little difference how these
elements are supplied ashes are
excellent for supplying the potash,
but no matter how large the quantity
of this ingredient, if the phosphoric
acid is wanting the crop will cores
pondingly fail. And the only advan-
tage of an over-application of any
ingredient is that it is thereby stored
in the soil and held in reserve for
future crops. 1t is frequently advan-
tageous to plant potatoes upon green
sward, but our practice has been
rather to follow corn crop, in which
case the soil is mellow and better
adapted to the use of horse labor in
the planting than green sward and
again, if the soil has been properly
manured, it is partially prepared for
a crop of potatoes. Our practice has
been to follow corn that has been
we'll manured, and only manure the
potatoes in the hill, getting good
crops. When we think the soil is
somewhat deficient in manure n auan
tity is spread and plowed in, although
the other course is to be preferred.
Upon an examination of tables
containing the valuable constituents
of manure, it is found that horse
manure is more valuable in its comb.
nation of these constituents, adapted
to the production OF the potato, than
any other farm manure. Horse man.
ure, in its natural undried state,
contains l2.2 lbs. of phosphoric acid,
2S lbs. OF potash and 5.4 lbs. of
nitrogen or 6.5 lbs. OF ammonia in
every 1000 lbs. From this it is clear
to be seen that by an application of
three and one-half tons of this man.
ure, 100 bushels of potatoes should
be produced. This accords exactly
with our experience; we have had
better results from the use of horse
manure with potatoes than with any
other kind, in careful tests.
This should be the study of the
farmer--if there is any special adapt
ability of manures to particular crops,
whereby far better general results can
be obtained, they should be so EN-
ployed. There should always be
proportionate supply of all necessary
constituents or else there is loss in
the use OF those portions that can not
be appropriated by the crop. In
growing crops, if manure is applied
that furnishes large surplus of one
constituent, that lies unappropriated
until some rotation that requires its
use. This is very well where one
of manure is left to satisfy
rotation; then the care must be
exercised in the selection of the
rotating crops, but in annual fertiliz-
ing the fertilizing material should be
made as nearly as can be In accord
ance with the demands of the crop,
w. ii. YEoMANs.