The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1882-02-10
Deer Greek Farmers Club.
Chemical Fertilizers.

Deer Greek Farmers Club.
Chemicai Fertilizers.
The beer Creek Farmers Club met nj the resi-
dence OF VIM. w. CaStner, on Saturday, Feb 4th.
There were present the President, Geo. T.. Silver,
and Mcssrs. $. Is. Silver, John Moores. Il. John
Rogers, Thomas a. Hays, VIM. I. Hays, Alex T..
Hays, James +. Hanna and Mr.. Cashier
Mcssrs. Moores, Rogers and Thomas a. Hays,
the committee of inspection performed Their du-
ties in the face Of the snow Storm and reported
Mr.. Hays said that from the neat appearance of
the farm Mr. Cashier might be called a No. |
practical farmer. He has four frst-rate horses,
in good condition; his cows look well. and his 10
ewes have produced II lambs lie also has a fine
ram, His hogs look well, and his cattle are in
stock housed in cheap but warm stables. Ills
barracks which were fun of grain and hay, are of
the hosting kind, and although costing bur little
are admirably adapted for protecting hay and
grain.
than any one present, and never knew any lend
which showed greater Improvement than this
since Mr. Cashier has had it. He remembered
cred with stones; now they are clean, smooth and
produce large crops. lie mad seen Mr.. Cashiers
wheat before the snow fell, and 1t looked promis-
ing.
Mr.. Moore3 said thai Mr.. Casncr seemed to
have the nack OF doing in 10 or Il years what ii
takes some farmers life time to accomplish His
crops for years have been above the average. he
hoped MIR. Cashier would cndeayor to teach other
farmers how TO raise such good crops.
Mr.. Castncr said that his hoisting barracks had
cost him about $50 each Heavy white oak or
chestnut posts are set in the ground to depth OF
feet square and the posts from 20 to % feet clear
of the ground. MIR. Castner said he had lost
enough wheat in one season To pay for three bar
racks. The roof is raised or lowered by a Jack
screw mad" especially for the purpose. II is pro-
vded with prong at tGc foot, which supports it
IN one Of the hoes OF the post while the corner of
the roof Is raised.
DOES THE USE OF cnEMicAl. FERTILIZERS PAY
THE FARMER?
This was the question announced. Mr.. Cashier
thanked the committee for their fay urab report
aud said that If they wanted to improve ihuir
farms rapidly they must adopt his plan of plow-
ing down cioEer sod every two years. At that
time 1t is III it, prime aud furnishes more Vegeta-
bic matter to the soil than when older. What is
needed in our soils is vegetable matter. In pro-
posing tho question ho had ruforenaa t. az hon
Cstly and scientifically prepared fertilizer, and
not 10 the worthless articles palmcd or on farm
erS. He thought the time had come when farming
cannot bc succgS.tul without the use of chemical
fertilizers. With them you can improve land
quicker, cheaper and r2is" betercrops than with
anything except clover. The chief elements of
fertility are phosphoric acid, potash, soda, mag.
nesa and little ammonia. Nature will supply
all the ammonia needed, but the rest must he Oh
tanned from some chemical fertilizer. In bone
yoL only apply one kiud OF plant food, phosphate
of lime which Is slowly convertible into phOs-
phoric acid by the action of the clements with
chemical fertilizers you can raise more and better
wheat and at Il smaller outlay than with barnyard
manure: more and better wheat, also, than with
Peruvian guano The great mistake farmers
make is that they take no pains TO know whether
n chemical fertilizer pays or not. They make no
careful rests. Fresh harnyard manure is not
good fertilizer Tor the immediate crop to which ii
is applied hut should BE- applied to the land two
years before needed for n crop. Mr.. Cashiers
rotation is to piow sod for corn follow the corn
with oats the next spring; SOW wheat after the
oats, and the following spring clover. He
mows or pastures the clover the first year, pas
lures II the next and the following year plOws 1t
down for corn again. Hc sows some timothy with
his clover, but would not if the clover were sure
to take without it, as he regards clover better TO
Tux Ion HI,
chemical fertilizers with q drill for wheat, and
also with wheat drill foi corn, using 400 pounds
To the acre for corn, and 800 for wheat For two
years he has been using South Carolina rock and
potash, and the result has been so satisfactory
that last fall he put in his entire wheat crop with
it. The cost Is $40 a ton. II you can tlnd honest
parties it is cheaper to buy chemical fertilizers
than to make them. Very often the failure Of
fertilizer to act properly arises from ignorance on
the part OF the manufacturers, and not from ris-
cality. He had first tried formulas of his own
Taking the analysis of the potato he had a ferti-
lIer made containing what the potato requires
ana raised / magnificent crop. He next took the
analysis of wheat. and at cost of $j per ton had
fertilizer made which produced him 40 bushels
of wheat to the acre. Most fertilizers cost too
much forthe amount of feruiAing properties they
contain For instance every scrap of leather and
every old shoe Is used in the manufacture of fer
tili2ers. The article then purports 10 contain 80
much per centagc of nitrogen, convertible into
soluble ammonia, but II never can be converted
in the soil and Is valueleSs Bone will not improve
land as well as n properly prepared phosphate,
and there ia Just as much ndulteraton in bone rs
in anything else. He strongly urged the use of
south Carolina rock. If you Cuy phosphates, he
said, you buy South Carolina rock at phosphate
prices, because I enters into the composition of
all the better chemical fertilizers. lie had used
it alongside of high grade and reliable phosphate.
ana could see no difference He used no fcrtili-
ger for oats as under his system none is needed
and he raises good crops.
Mr.. Rogers thought little good phosphate, say
200 lbs. to the acre, could be used to adVanas in
connection with bone for wheat The use of
chemical fertilizer entirely might pay, provided
you can get a reliable article. Last season he
used Davidsons wheat fertilizer and il gave him
ingly particular in buying chemical fertilizers,
market.
4. r. Hays hal used Dayidson's high grade
phosphate, and the wheat started better than
where bone or bone meal had heen applied. One
year he used Patapsco guano, aud saw no differ
bone proved TO be the best.
Mr. Hanna had used Davidson's, Whitelock's
vegetator and bone ash, side by side, 500 lbs to
the acre, and saw no difference between them--
tic was of the opinion that chemical fertilizers
VII! do better IN good season, Last season was
Lord " Polks phosphate on tomatoes and they
appeared to do well.
VIM. Il. Hays knows good fertilizers will pay
He had used chemical fertilizers. From some he
saw good results while from others saw no re-
suits. He had abandoned their use. hut seeing
Mr. Cashiers wheat so big, last fall he used Dav-
idsons phosphate and so far liked it,. He Ind
made some experiments with various fertilizers
on wheat and should watch the result Barn
should be put on sod Last year he used 400 lbs
phosphate and next 10 i $50 lbs. bone with 40 lbs
Peruvian guano. At harvest the difference in
the grass was very perccpthe in favor of lhe
bone and glano.
John Moores thought chemical fertilizers will
pay, but most of the permanent Improvement on
land In this county has been by ground BONE
Commercial fertilizers probably help to bring the
bone into action. on poor land he would first
start with commercial fertilizers and then use
bone; on rich land he would use commercial fer
tiZers, because they are more active than BONE
Where land Is rich In vegetable matter or where
he uses barn yard manure he considered bone
sufficient. cheap commercial fertilizer might
produce better crops than high priced article
because 1t might contain something that the land
needed. The trouble is, we don't know what our
land needs and put on a great deal that is of no
use. He knew he could not get wrong with barn
yard manure and bone together, but in the alb
sence Of barn yard manure he should use the best
chemical fertilizer he could get.
?. r. silver also believed chemical fertilizers
will pay when we know what they contain and
VI hat Our crops require. There Is nothing, how
ever, In which farmers spend more money
without knowing what they are getting, than fer
tllizers. He had never experimental with them,
but used bone and barn yard manure. 1t Ia evil |
dent from the appearance Of Mr.. Cashiers farm |
that chemical fertilizers will pay.
Tbos. A. Hays thought Mr.. Cashier thoroughly |
and had sifted the question. He had ]