Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-04-02

for supplying crops with food and conse-
quently in their demands for fertilizers.
?. Some soils will give profitable returns
for manuring, others without irrigation,
drainage, tillage or other amendment, will
not
g. The right materials in the right places
bring large profits. Artificial fertilizers
rightly used must prove most efficient means
for restoring the worn -out soils OF Vermont
But farmers cannot afford TO use them at ran
dom.
4. The only way to learn what soil
needs is to study il by observation and e1per-
iment.
THE EFFECTS OF THE DIFFERENT FERTILIZERS
as shown by the individual experiment and
the general averages in the table are worthy
of careful study.
D. 1t must be remembered that the trials
were not only subject to all the viossitudes
of weather and season but were made on soils
of all sorts, but mostly very much run down.
The directions were to select worn-out soils.
Hence the average results with a given crop
do not fairly represent what might be eI-
pected on soils adapted TO its growth and in
average condition
6. The Complete Chemical Fertile er,"
the mixture of 800 pounds superphosphate,
$50 to 200 pounds potash salt and / 80 pounds
Gnclnding So per acre for freight, brought
tue largest crops. II must be remembered
however that this mixture was proposed to
test soils and not to bring large yields, and
does not show how well chemical fertilizers
may do. The complete fertilizers" prepar-
ed by reliable dealers for special crops are of
course more appropriate for them and would
give better results than this mixture.
I. IF" The mixture of superphosphate
H. Ill 90 a.
brought trihe less corn and decidedly more
potatoes than farm manures.
&. The mixture Of nitrate Of soda and su-
perphoshate, ID, which corresponds closest
of all to the ordinary ammoniated super
| phosphatos, fish manures, and guano, though
costing more than the mixture of superphos-
| phatc aud potash salt brought less increase
of corn, potatoes turnps, sweet potatoes,
and indeed of every crop but oats The
number of experiments with oats however,
| is too small for any general conclusions It
is very probable that they and the cereals
| generally would be more helped by nitrogen.
and less by potash than the other crops. The
mixture of nitrate of soda and potash salt,
re, " was the least efficient of all
| 9. As to the efficiency of the materials
separately, the nitrate of soda by itself was
seldom of much use, the sulphate of lime was
frequently, the muriate of potash very often,
and the superphosphate generally pro6ta-
BILE. Doubtless considerable of the effect Of
the superphosphate was due in many cases
to its sulphuric acid and lime.
10. The results with ashes (see full re-
port are variable, though generally they
were eflicacious.
ARTIFICIAL FERTILIZERS VS.. Farm MANUREs
II. As appears from the figures in the ia
| BILE the complete" chemical fertilizer
brought larger and the mixture of super
phosphate and potash salt about the same
average increase as the farm manures, tax
ing these as actually used. The quality of
the produce was generally as good or even
| better with the chemicals than with the farm
manures Potatoes, especially, were finer in
quality and less disposed TO rot with the arti-
fetal fertilizers than with the farm manures
To counterbalance the better produce with
the chemicals and their greater convenience
in handling and applying the farm manures
have the advantage of being in general more
lasting in their effects.
II. From results for details of which there
is not room here, it would seem that an ex-
celllent and, perhaps, for most farmers, the
best way to use chemical fertilizers is to sup
plement a light dressing of farm manure.
The results from using the two together have
been very satisfactory.
l3. The proper way is to make the most
and best manure possible upon the farm and
piece out with such materials as experience
and experiment show to be profitable.
METHODS OF APPLYING THE FERTILIZERS.
As between applying artificial fertilizers
broadcast or in the hill or drill the testimony
of the experiments is, on the whole in favor
of the former. The best results in the ma
jority of cases came where the fertilizers were
sown broadcast. In some of the very best
the materials we're scattered over a strip a
couple of feet or SO wide along the rows.
Such concentrated materials when too close
to the seed are apt to injure the plant espe-
cially in dry weather. The nitrate of soda
and muriate of potash often do harm in this
way.
The best fertilizers for different crops will
be discussed in subsequent articles
'Under the pices Of the American Agricultural
through whose urtesy these figures have been fur
nished.