Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-01-18
Questions About Fertilizers.
c. Redfield, Troy, New York, writes

ashes2 Can better buy superphosphate at $40
per ton. or tobacco stalks at S14. think Of hav-
ing cellar under my barn to save the liquid ma
nure, but before that is done | shall want some
kind Of fertilizer and probably after have the
cellar there will be need OF more manure
than my stock will produce. II the prices above
given will not be too great for the result likely to
be secured. which Of them is to be preferred7 /
find statement to-day in n report Of a meeting
OF the State Dairymen's Association,
farmer may double his grass by sowing ten BUSH
els Of lime and two hundred pounds Of potash
salt on each acre. Do you agree with this2 What
is meant by potash salt9''
REPLY BY THE AGRICULTURAL EDITOR.
The price of either sort of ashes is
cheap enough, and even after allowing
what seems a high price for the draw
ing, they can be profitably applied to most
crops, especially on the lighter class of
soils. Superphosphate goes well wim ashes,
especially if it be ammoniated, but neither
can take the place of the other, for neither
is a complete fertilizer. Tobacco stalks cut
fine, or rotted down with muck or loan,
make very rich fertilizer, and a complete
one, too, for grain or root crops. This fer.
tiizer is similar in its chemical nature to
the manure of animals fed upon grain and
oil cake. The price named, Sl4 ton, shows
that the seller knows what it is worth as
fertilizer, and don't mean that the farmer
who buys it shall have all the profit. But
| thara 10 a at hot tN~ina ;f IL 10 ara
fully handled. 1t is especially rich in nj
trate of potash (saltpeter) and would be
excellent in combination with bone dust, OF
with an unammoniated superphosphate
Stems from tobacco leaves that have had
their strength extracted by soaking in a
considerable quantity of water are of less
value as fertilizer than those which have
been simply moistened before stripping. OF
the three fertilizers named the superphos
phate is the most expensive at the prices
named, yet on many crops profit could be
got from that. We prefer to spread all ma
nures broadcast on the surface and harrow
them in just before seeding; but for corn Oh
potatoes a good use of the tobacco stems
| out fine, could bo made by acatfaring
handful to the foot along the drills, or, il
the planting is made in hills (Which is moi
the best way), a proportionate quantity
could be put in the hills before dropping
the seed. But if first rotted down as sug
gested, with muck or loan, kept moist ant
frequently turned until the stems mostl,
disappear, strong compost is made tha
may be used either in the hill or drill, o
sown broadcast, before narrowing, at tn
rate of half ton to a ton of tobacco stem
to the acre. This would make a sufficien
dressing where pretty good sod had beel
turned, preparatory to good crop of pots
toes or corn.
The statement quoted from the report O
the dairymens meeting is tremendous a'
sumption. No man can possibly know it t
be fact. The "potash salt" is miners
rich in potash (from twelve TO fifty per cent
found in connection with salt mines in Ge
many and imported into this country for sal
as fertilizer. 1t very useful and popula
where other cheap sources of potash (ashe
green sand mari, etc.) are not available.
is often very beneficial on grass land, and s
is lime, but the quantity of each, and e
pecially of the lime, as stated, is very sma
d in proportion to the result promised. b
sides that, other conditions are necessar,
: especially drainage and good sod of Who'll
IL some grasses to begin with. Perhaps IL
h speaker may have had a result somewhi
# like what he speaks Of, with all the cond
e tions favorable, but nothing like it coul
reasonably be expected under ordinary ci
n cumstances. 1t is about equivalent to
a mixture of twenty-five bushels of good woo
ashes and two bushels Of salt, but the latt
would be the best and in most places u
cheapest. The potash salts are very unevt
in their composition, the best being abo
,e half common salt and the poorest near
ie all salt,