The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1882-01-26
where guano anu other fertilizers are

s.SAeS... S..................... .04.U3
tennessee ............. .45.08
LII the report of the Bureau of Acri.
culture OF December LIST, as taken from
the Financial Chronicle of December 18th.
the percentage of reduction is as follows
where guano and other fertilizers ,cerc
used: ''''
In georgia. ..................24.00 per ct.
North Carolina. .....25.00
South Carolina. .......28.OO
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. .......26.00
Mississippi pi.............25.OO
Where guauo and other fertilizers were
not used:
In nArkansas.................5l.0 90 per ct.
Iexas. s.................. 1000
tennessee see............ $500
Inc Intelligent reader will at once oh.
serve that the cotton crop in those States
where guano and other commercial fer
tlllzers were used is far ahead in percent.
age OF yield of those States where none
was used, aud instead of the commercial
fertilizers injuring the plant, they we're
OF great benefit; and the fact is, had
their forcing influence been absent in the
early days after planting, stimulating the
plant to push down its tap.root into moist
soil, the result in the growth of the plant
might have been most disastrous, and it
might have been quite destroyed by the
drought which followed, instead OF being
fortified to Withstand a season of dryness.
The report of the Agricultural Bureau
shows Georgia, which uses more fertil-
izers than any other State in the Union,
to come out the best. Had she not been
protected by the use of them, she might
have Jared as badly as did Texas, Arkan-
sas and Tennessee. Fertilizers cannot
guarantee crops any more than respeota-
Ole physicians in regular practice can
guarantee cures; and it is we'll known
that over eating, even of good wheat
bread and healthy meat, is Injurious to
the human stomach. Nor can man live
by bread alone; he must have what is of
more vital importance-water. So it is
with the soil. 1t may, by ignorant plant
ers, be overloaded with u fertilizer, as the
stomach with bread; and no crop can be
grown without water. But to assume to
discontinue the use of fertilizers. or to
buy low grade, cheap and poor article,
because the experience of some planters
during the past unfavorable season in a
few localities has not been entirely salts.
factory. would be-to continue the COM
parison-like refusing to eat bread, or to
buy only that of inferior quality because
it could be had for less money. The ex-
perience of years has taught the planter
the value-nay the absolute necessity
of food for the plant and soil and by
the use Of commercial fertilizers, not.
withstanding the disorganized condition
of labor, the South has immensely in.
creased her yield of cotton and corn, and
thereby grown rich since the war. It
may be true that on lands where a high
standard guanO has been used for some
years, low grade can be employed as a
makeshift for one season, just as man
with good dinner can fast longer than
the poor tramp who has got but a smell
of cooking at the kitchen door; but it is
only question of time when each will
be forced to satisfy the cravings of nature
or die. But, reading between the lines
! of the article, another reason appears for
its publication; it speaks of ammoniated
| fertilizers as most injurious, end kainits
| as very useful. During the past eight
! months the cost of ammoniates has in
creased about 80 per cent, whereas the
price of kainit has declined; consequent
ly, many sellers who did not supply
| themselves in time with ammonia can
make more money by persuading the
| farmer that ammonia is bad, and kainit
just now, very good for their lands; and
it is commonly reported, that some will
| offer to the planter this season the low
grade fertilizer, deficient in ammonia, but
at the same price, as better articles Of
late years. The planter may easily be
deceived for one season in this way. Ex.
perience and the best scientific teaching
have shown that ammonia, potash anC
phosphate of lime are all of great value
to the plant-ammonia particularly So
| to give it vigorous start in the early
season, pushing down the tap.root
whence comes its sustenauce in time O
drought. 1t is also necessary to provide
the large amount of ammonia found il
the cotton seed; planters annually con
Stunning large quantities of this materia
az compost for their lands, solely fol
the ammonia it contains. The most val
uable of these necessary ingredients il
doubtless phosphate of lime, and thil
shhoti,aa should 5o contained ;c .he fertilizer IL
both soluble and insoluble form, for tha
i which is applied to the soil as insolublt
is, nevertheless, gradually disintegratet
by it and assimilated by the plant, ant
its true value is apparent later on, ever
to the second, third and fourth year.
1t has been stated that planters have
abandoned the use Of Peruvian guanc
because of its excess of ammonia, bu
another important fact might have beer
mentioned, viz, that there is scarcely
any Peruvian guano to be had Is it no
notorious that that source of supply wa
long since exhausted, and is not PERI
now bankrupt greatly in consequence
The Peruvian company, about which
there is now SO much political discussion
is organized not for working the guan'
deposits of Peru, but to enforce claim
against that country for q percentage o
the back issues and profits which PERI
has enjoyed from the guano beds, nov
mainly exhausted.