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

Unadilla, Mich, eight ewes from the
flock of j. Ii. Mead, six from that OF ii.
s. Cross, two from that of j. A. ~ V. l.
Spear, two from that of j. w. Stevens,
and one each from the following flocks:
u. ID. Twitchell, &. l.. Clark, f.. Grls-
void, and G. Abel.
University OF Vermont and State Agricul-
tural College.
FIELD EXPERIMENTS WITH FERTILIZERS.
In this article and others 10 follow, Prof Await
err aims 10 draw from the field experiments super
intended by the University, some lessons on the
value and use OF commercial fertilizers In Yer
mont. 1t is hoped that many farmers VIII find
herein answers to questions which they arc ask,
sQuestions on which further is desired
may he addressed to me-, and answer will he
made either in future articles or 10y private com
munication. MIL. BucKHAM, President
WHEN AND WHERE TO USE THESE FERTIL-
IZERs.
AS our our experiments, general OK
perience, and sound science show, soils,
crops and other conditions differ, and
each man must study his own. Never
theless there are some general facts that
help in deciding what fertilizers arc
hest.
FERTILIZERS FOR CORN.
In the experiments with corn, nitro
gen was rarely, the potash salt often,
and superpbosphate generally protita-
BILE, where soil and season were such as
to permit good growth with any ma
nure. On the average, the most profit
able mixture used for corn has been
three hundred pounds of supcrphos-
phate dissolved bone black or other
mineral superphosphate) and $50 lbs. OF
muriatc of potash. At $500 per ton
for superphosphatc and $40 per ton for
the muriate this would come to 1926.
to which must he added cost of freight
and applying. In the average of a
number of special experiments (not
described in the previous articlcs) this
has brought so 1-2 bushels Of shcllcd
corn. Addition of nitrogen has in
creased the yield somewhat, but gcncr-
ally no enough to pay the cost. A
mixture of $50 to POO pounds of muriate
of potash and 800 to 400 pounds of fine
bone dust has also given excellent re-
suits with corn.
Unless the unanimous testimony of
the experiments is false, Vermont far
mcrs a add greatly TO the fertility of
their fields and the profits of their
farming if instead of buying Western
corn they will raise it, with such helps
as we shall hereafter take occasion to
explain In more detail.
FERTILIZERS o POTATOES AND TURNIPs.
Potatoes have responded well TO 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 too adverse. The mixture of
800 pounds superphosphate, 200 pounds
muriate of potash, and 100 pounds hi
trate of soda, costing about 1850, has
brought an average yield of 100 bush
els, and in some cases over 300 bushels,
about double the product without ma
nure. Nitrogen 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 to supply nitrogen and
phosphoric acid. Fish would serve the
same purpose.
The experiments with turnips have
shown the best results with the COM
plete fertilizer, though they responded
well to the su%perphosphate in every
case. But they are as yet too few,
however, for reliable differences. Still
they accord with the common impres-
sion that makes phosphoric acid, in the
form of supcrphosphate and bone-dust,
almost a specific for turnips.
FERTILIZERS FOR GRAIN AND GRAss
& CROPS.
For wheat, oats, rye and barley, gen.
eral experience favors nitrogen and
p~hosphoric acid, though potash is fire.
quently profitable. Peruvian guano,
fish bone, superphosphates and some
time potash salts are apt to be profita-
BILE. For grass land, bone, superphos-
pilates and often potash salts are found
useful. Clover is especially benefited
by potash and gets little good from nj
frogen. Sometimes a heterogeneous fer
lilizer like sulphate of ammonia is ex-
cellent as a top-dressing in spring, to
force a backward crop ofgrass or grain.
The old pastures and meadows Of our
dairy farms are very commonly def
cient in phosphates. Bone supplies
this lack cheaply. 1t is slow and last
ing in its action and hence particularly
good for seeding down TO grass.
QUANTITIES on COMMERCIAL FERTILIZERS
TO USE.
The amount that can be proGtablv
nsed varies, of course, with circumstan-
COS. From 100 to $50 pounds of a pot
ash salt, 250 TO 400 pounds of super.
phosphate, 800 to COO pounds of bone
dust, 200 TO 800 or 400 pounds of Peru
Wan guano, $50 to 200 pounds of dried
blood or nitrate of soda, and 100 to $50
pounds OF sulphate of ammonia are
moderate dressings per acre. Where
several articles are used together, some.
what less of each would naturally be
applied than where they are employed
separately. When used with farm ma.
nures, still smaller quantities suffice,
Two hundred pounds of superphos,
phate. or 100 pounds of muriate OF pot,
ash, do very well to supplement 1
dressing of stable manure. Indeed, or
farms removed from the larger market.
this is usually the best way to employ
such costly materials. They furnish
plant-foOd ready for immediate use and
thus the crop Is apt to get a better start
Iipen earlier, and be larger than witt
farm manure alone. A moderate ex
cess of the fertilizer above the demandI
OF the crop does it no harm unless It 4
concentrated too closely about tn,
roots. The absOrptive power of mos
, soils sufices to retain most of tine phos
phoric acid and potash until they mr.
used by plants, but nitrogen is expose,
TO more or less rapid loss by beinl
lcached away by drainage water, form
ing inert compounds In the soil, or ei
Gaping into the air. II the phosphate
and potash salts, therefore, are not tal
On up by the first crop, the soil wi