The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-10-06
What Does the Soil Needg

The reader is ready to ask, How am
and other planters to know what our
soils need to make them produce good
crops, you say the analysis of the soil
will not tell rs? We reply, resort to
the plant analysis. Ask your soil Sc
ries of questions such as tne following
Do you need potash? Do you need
ammonia? Do you need phosphoric
acid, or do you need any two or all OF
these2 How shall ask these questions,
and how will 1 interpret the reply !?
Select q plat of land which will repre-
sent fairly your soil, or several such
plats, if you have soils differing materi-
ally in character and supposed compo-
sition. Next get few pounds of muri-
ate of potash, few pounds of sulphate
of ammonia, and some high grade
superpho, phate or acid phosphate. If
you have a State Department having
supervision of fertilizers, you can get
those already inspected and analyzed.
Ask the chemist of your Slate College,
or your Commissioner of Agriculture, to
suggest the quantities of each of these
elements to apply per acre, and then
apply to one plat, say three rows sixty
feet long, only potash to three others,
only phosphoric acid; to three others,
only ammonia; to three others, potash
and phosphoric acid to three others,
phosphoric acid and ammonia and to
still another three, all three of
these elements, leaving three rows in
the center of the plat with
out the application of any manure
whatever. If your soil needs nothing
but phosphoric acid, it will say so by
giving the largest yield where phos.
phoric acid is used, whether alone or in
combination. If it needs two of the
elements. that combination will give
best results. If it needs all three, OF
the so-called complete manure, the plat
on which all were used, will show best
results. If individuals cannot afford tC
undertake these inquiries, let clubs
combine to bear the expense, and i'm
pose the investigation on their mos
careful and accurate observer. If this
cannot be done, insist upon your Com
missioner of Agriculture selecting care
full men in different parts of your State
to conduct the inquiry under his direc
tion, he to supply the material, etc.
and publish results. If you have {
General Assembly with intelligence ant
craftsmanship enough, get them to es
tablish one or more experimental sta
tions in your State with your none
which you pay for the support of you
gOce,nnaent, to be administered by you
sereants(D. If you farmers who rea
productive industries of your States
will WELD the influence you should an
can if you will, you can instruct you
brethren of the plow first, and the
your servants ,cho make the lars. S.-,Somh
ern Planter and Farmer.
Recipes.
Me Pm.-Take mashed potatoes
seasoned with salt, butter and milk, an
line hpking dish. Lay upon it slice
of cola meat of any kind; add sal
pepper, catsup and butter, or any col
gravy put in a layer of potatoes an
another layer of meat in the same wa
till the dish is full have layer of p
, tatoes on the top. Bake it until it
: thoroughly heated through.
, RICE PUDDING.-Rice pudding is /
/ yond comparison the best ever made,
: spite OF the fact that 1T is the cheapes
8 The secret of its perfection is in Il
I long cooking it gets. For six o'clo'
( dinner, the rice and milk should be p
! on the stove early in the forenoo
4 The best thing to cook it in is doub
E kettle. Add to quart of milk ty
$ heaping tablespoonfuls of rice. Let
$ simmer on the back of the stove
/ must never boil-untila a couple of hou
q before dinner. 1t will then be thic
1 creamy substance. Then salt al
e sweeten to taste, put it into puddil
/ dish, and bake it in a moderate ov
= until it is of jelly-like thickness a
k the top is slightly Drowned. 1t can
: eaten either hot or cold. If the lati
b is preferred, the pudding may be ma
y the day before, if that is most CONVEX
L ent. II desired, flavor may be addt
# This is emphatically the perfect pu
v ding of its kind.