Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-04-14
Professor Atwater on Fertilizers.


rection in Connecticut to which we referred
in the first article. Professor Atwater re-
views the potato experiments as follows
ain Mr.. Shows experiment No. l, every
plot which had superphosphate gave a fair
yield, every one without it failed. The
chief need of that soil seems to have been
phosphoric acid. In Mr.. Coles experiment,
No. 2, all the materials are useful. The
that without manure) by thirty bushels, the
superphosphate by twenty-five bushels, and
the potash salt sixty-five bushels. Together
they are more effective than singly. The
complete fertilizer &C raises the yield
from one hundred and fifty unmanured, to
three hundred and seventy bushels, while
the mixture of superphosphate and potash
salt brings three hundred and sixty bushels,
net increase of two hundred and twenty
bushels per acre with a fertilizer costing
1915 or less. But the largest yield of all
was with stable manure, nine cords per acre,
four hundred and seventy bushels. But
while the fertilizers do so well on Mr.. Coles
land, Mr.. Tobey, No. 3, finds no benefit
from any of them. DR.. Cutting, No. 4, and
Mr.. Rising, No. 5, get fair returns, both
finding as is generally the case, that the
complete chemical fertilizer excels the
farm manures."
Professor Atwater draws the following
general conclusions from the experiments :;
"O Soils vary widely in their capacities
for supplying crops with food and conse-
quently in their demands for fertilizers.
(2) Some soils will give profitable returns
for manuring; others, without irrigation,
drainage, tilage or other amendment, will
not. (3) The right materials in the right
places bring large profits. Artificial fertili-
zers rightly used must prove most efficient
means for restoring the worn-out soils of
Vermont. But farmers can not afford to
use them at random. (4) The only way to
learn what soil needs is to study it by OBJ
servation and experiment"
The professor calls attention to the fact
that worn-out" soils were mostly chosen
for these experiments, and says that on bet
ter soils better results might be looked for.
Yet this does not seem to have been the
case on Mr.. Tobey's farm, where the soil
may, however, have been in too high condi-
ton from previous good farming to give the
fertilizers chance. The Complete Chem
ical Fertilizer" the mixture of three hum
dred pounds superphosphate, one hundred
and fifty to two hundred pounds potash salt,
and one hundred and fifty pounds nitrate Of
soda, &C." costing 1888 per acre On
GLIDING So per acre for freight, brought
the largest crops. The professor thinks that
the " formula fertilizers of the dealers, in
which the attempt is made to adapt the ma
terials to each special crop, would be better,
which we beg leave to doubt 1t is true
that on some soils the potash might have
been left out, and for some crops Glover, for
instance,) the nitrogen might have been re-
placed with netenth its value of plaster
with advantage, but these are things that
the formula men don't seem to understand
They put costly nitrogen salt into their
clover, bean and pea fertilizers, when it is
OF no use, and potash into all, regardless of
the fact that in most clay soils there is
plenty of potash, which only needs to be
made available by drainage and intelligent
tillage. To less extent the same criticism
applies to the promiscuous use of phosphates,
though the soils not needing them are fewer
than those where potash is not lacking. 1t
often happens that an application of plaster
will develop supply of potash in soils where
it seems to be absent-enough to give large
crop of corn or potatoes. Professor Atwater
continues "The mixture of superphosphate
and potash salt, F. costing 1925 per acre
brought trife less corn and decidedly more
potatoes than farm manures. The mixture
of nitrate of soda and superphosphate, ID,
which corresponds closest to all the ordinary
ammoniated superphosphates, fish manures
and guano, though costing more than the
mixture of superphosphate and potash salt
brought less increase of corn, potatoes, tur
nips sweet potatoes, and indeed, of every
crop but oats. The number of experiment.
with oats, however, is too small for any gen
eral conclusions. 1t is very probable tina
they and the cereals generally would be NOR
helped by nitrogen, and less by potash, thai
the other crops. The mixture of nitrate o
soda and potash salt, E. was the least eff
fcient of ALL"
The remark of the professor about the
application of nitrates and ammonia salt
to the cereal grains Goats, wheat, etc. is il
accordance with experience. On soils abund
antly supplied with phosphates and potash
cereals will rust and fail to make crop with
out heterogeneous fertilizer And on the othe
hand surplus of nitrogen without pho'
phoric acid and potash in due proportion
will cause them to run to straw" lodge
and refuse to "fill." As to the efficienc
of the materials separately, the nitrate @
soda by itself was seldom of much use, tn
sulphate of lime was frequently, the muriat
of potash very often, and the superphoi
phate generally profitable. Doubtless col
siderable of the effect OF the superphosphat
was due in many cases to its sulphuric aci
and lime. The results with ashes are var
able, though generally they were eiticacious
We are glad to see due allowanc
made here by the professor for the value {
the sulphuric acid and lime (plaster) in 81
perphosphates. In the estimates of chen
lists upon the value of different brands
these goods, based on analysis, the value
the acid and lime is always set down as
when in fact they are rarely worth less tht
Sl00 to each barrel, or usually enough
more than cover the freight. The profess
next takes up the consideration of the col
parative value of artificial fertilizers al
barn manure. He calls attention TO the ia
that in these experiments " the 'complet
chemical fertilizer brought larger and d
mixture of superphosphate and potash 81
about the same average increase as the far
manures, taking these as actually used. L
quality OF the produce was generally as 60
or even better with the chemicals than wi
the farm manures. Potatoes especially WE
finer in quality and less disposed to rot wi
the artificial fertilizers than with the fal
manures. To counterbalance the better p
duce with the chemicals and their grea