Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1881-04-21
AeR1crLTrRAL,
The PrObl cynA vi Fertilization.

A hard Winter has passed, and coon
Spring will he here. The wheat fields
have already commenced to change
their Winter "a b for that Of Spring,
and what an agreeable change. The
glory Of the d.y is tast approaching
the equatorial centre, bringing along
with him longer days, giving more
time to laboriug man to p.'epAre for
his future work in ripening grain and
p.rf-cting fruit. ere he returns to his
Autumn and Winter home again.
On nv growing wheat am at a loss
what to apply to help him in his work
Of maturing heavv crop. for after
many wears Of trials and experiments
there is nothing I know Of, gave we'll
rotted IN ,nnra, that I can apply with
a certainty Of success; having seen one
Of the most approved fertilizers fail.
although manv Of them are und"nbt.
civ of grea, value to farmers. In a
letter recently received FROM Mr. j.
3 L.wes, the we'll known English
farmer, who h.s .ione 40 mnch in the
way Of experiments he recommends
IL: -application Of 275 Tbs. Of nitrate
OF soda to tho acre a. AEON IA the Win
ter rains are over. as this has been his
course on the same land for years; and
in the some letter he remarks that his
land is too poor to grow clover excert
once in ten or twelve years. If snch
is the condition Of land there. where
Islands Of enano anil valleys Of phos-
pilates have been transported for fer
tilizers. 10 sav nothing Of the thou.
sands Of shin loads OF grain, oil cake
and other materials for making man
ure which for many years have b'en
landed npon her shores, WHIT can we
expect in course Of time by onr mole
Of robbing the soil without any return
for that displaced? Already we hear
Of the rapid decline Of the former pro-
ductive soils Of tho West, and ~ FIR
the large portion Of our own so.l no
one pre.ends tc plant grain without a
good enpp'y Of fertilizer, and even
then often fail. It is time to take
warning and consider what is best to
do in preparing for the future hundred
millions Of people who it is supposed
will dwell here in the not far of III
ture.
Yon. Messrs Editors, are familiar
with the views Of the writer reg riding
the worthlessness OF organic matter IN
ey.rv offensive form hich fer yeas
har been put into fertilizers and sold
to the farmers with promise tn t it
will give two or three per cent. am
nonir. A. year bv year passes nv
zee nothing to change my views long
entertained and often expressed in
yonr deservedIy popular monthly,
that neither .rganlc matter or soluble,
or super. phosphate Of lime is plant
food. and to nee either one as base
or standard 10 c.lcn'ate the va|ne O.
Tire same az fertilizers is false STAN
dard. I am rrsrsr"a 70 contest this
enhiect With arv one hn' I mo gh to
defend this popular notion. A. an
evidence that I am not losing ground
on this subject ] nm glad to see that
one OF orr largest manufacturers who
for vears has manufactured a soluble
amnoniased phosphate. has entirely
abandoned the use at sn'phrric acid.
and does moi claim particle If so!n.
biz phoanko'ic aci'l. INT IN tho con-
trarv tell, Won in hia r'nl.- that it
does not rortsin anv. aud. 10 til" maine
indicates. his brand is prepared Nv
fire. which ia the great destroyer of
ma+tar AMI presents 'le plant
food in the form i. was fnnnd when
originally c,o1sd down sufficiently for
organic life Ia emerge from it. allied
By those other inorganic elements
fonnd in the air water. nitrogen and
oarhonic acid. |
That Moor vermont lend has been
returned to its original fertility and
that it can re done again. none can
dispute. The question. therefore is:
hos TO do il in the most desirable.
quickest. and me least expensive man
ner? Surely MT W the cnnstant APP
plication nf artificial feri;|izers.
the free admission cf Mr.. lawes
after iortv ve,ra' rial with unlimited
means. proves this to tho writer, TO-
vay moth ng Of his own ff'esn wears Of
triu' and " cations failu'es. Although
much has basn accomplished. vet am
far from having discovered the long
sought for panares which wonld be
the philosophers stone for millions of
acres oil land. at one time productive