The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1884-02-15
The Egis and Intelligencer.
Bel Air. Md, February Is, 1884.
DEER CREEK FARMERS CLUE.
On Using Commercial Fertilizers for
Corn ON Rich Land

Ilcsides active members of the club, there were
S,wyor, VIM. Oldfield, James A.. Hanna, James
l.. Correct Sr., James l.. Gorrel, Jr., of this coun
ty, and MIR. David McMcnamin, of Philadelphia
The special committee of inspection, consisting
of Messrs John Moores, James Lee and Edward
p. Moores, reported, that they could find
horses are in good condition, he has lot of I'm,
grade hogs, weighing probably 400 lbs each
They saw romarkabe ine Jersey gs nei,er ana
wheat of which, If anything need be said, il is
that it is too good. Mr.. Rogers has the faculty
Of farming with very few horses He cultivates
t,yo farms with only four horses and no oxen and
his work is done in the best manner and in sea-
son.
The question announced for discussion was
WIN ii pay to use fertilizers for corn on land
That Will yield from IL to IA barrels without fer
Iznrsf
Mr. Rogers said he had come TO the conclusion
that to the average farmer who has to make a
living by farming, il would not pay to apply
commercial fertilizers on the kind of land indi-
Gated. There is always Danger or loss oil ierli,
Tiers on the corn crop from Inc necessity 1l
10 wash, II large portion of the fertilizers being
thereby carried OFF. In applying Fertilizers to
wheat the same danger does not exist. Sod is the
basis of all Improvement and that can be at
timed better by applying fertilizers to wheat
than to corn. Where land is poor of course the
risk of using fertilizers is justiable. IL he had
tnapply fertilizers he would prefer bone mixed
WIN some good as one Ass assists the ae
results from using phosphate alone. For corn
he applies the fertilizers broadcast but isnot so
or South Carolina Rock applied to the corn is apt
to IRE it in dry seasons, but with bone dust no
it IN rs for wheat and not with the corn. on a
stiff sod little phosphate will start IL belt r.
lie thought 400 lbs per acre Of any fertilizer IS
enough ia use i'm the row, scattering IL as much
VIM oldneld thonghtit would not pay to put
phosphate in the hill. He world drill in 300 lbs.
OF bone each way before planting corn, or 200 lbs
of phosphate each way: lie did not know thatit
frpn N /
was sure of increasing the yield to ~ barrels
thereby. lie had used 800 lbs. of South Carolina
rock with 800 lbs. Patapsco guano, and 300 lbs OF
bone with the same quantity of Patapsco guano.
and where the rock was applied the wheat looked
better but there was no difference in the head
ing. Last year he used rock on corn but had a
"t james n T. Hanna said if he could raise II or14
barrels of corn without fertilizers he would not
apply them but save them for wheat. If the land
would not raise corn it ought to be fertilzed hea-
Why. lie thought very little land in Hartford
w,i produce IL to II barrels without fertilizers
Ills average crop is 10 barrels. lie mostly uses
bone fer corn With 8 lbs. OF phosphate h per
member remarked that the reason MIR. Han
ia did not raise more than 10 barrels was because
ne chcckered his corn instead OF drilling 1t.
Thomas Lochary said if he had brought his land
mp tu raising from II to IA barrels of corn with
iarn yard aud stable manure alone, it would pay
to put bone on il for corn If IL had been brought
up to that with hone he would apply no more
hone without first putting on stable manure. The
.irst application of bone Away pays the best. He
Thought bone aided in filling out the corn.
MIR. Munnikhuysen took the negative side of the
question. He would rather buy an extra guam
tity of fertilizer for wheat and put the land in
rrass. As Mr. i.ochary says, the flrst application
phosphate will make the bone already in the land
aDtive. lie would not use phosphate alone on
poor land, but in connection with bone. All fer
tllizers even bone, are better applied To sod, n
year ahead hut many farmers can not afford to
John Moores.-It is throwing fertilizers away to
put them on land which has already had 3 ora
tons of bone and will produce from IL to II barrels
of corn to the acre. IL is folly fora man without
money to buy fertilizers for corn on land that
WIN raise even 10 barrels, on account of the I'M
certainty of the crop and the low price of corn.
lie had put 10 tons of fertilizers on a corn field
II did not go over the whole of it, and he could
zee difference in the corn in any part OF the
tisid. 1t will pay to buy any good fertilizer for
wheat lie thought farmers were inclined to
expect too much from fertilizers when applying
ground and working the corn. lie had used with
good results 400 lbs. of bone and 200 lbs. of good
active phosphate, mixed. His plan Is to run the
rows, then run n harrow up and down them. This
leaves a sufficient mark in the rows by which to
drill the corn. If more attention were paid to
saving barn yard and stable manure and prepar-
ing the ground and working the corn, farmers
could do without the 81 ring purchase OF fertili-
VIM Webster.-No farmer ever lost cent by
manuring land heavily, except upon bnckwheat
Even then the benefit would be seen in succeed
ing crops. Commercial fertilizers are valuable
Wo9ld apply to that 100 lbs of bone and 200 lbs
of phosphate per acre. If we knew what crops
needed we might get better results from chang
ferilize land that would yield IL to IA barrels of
corn to the acre, but he would not advise farmer
to go in debt for fertilizers to apply to such land
An application of cooper lbs. acre would improve
The corn and the wheat and grass following.
James Lee differed h WIN !, a ma naT f o, 1ne
who could raise IRON IL To IA barrels OF corn per
acre without fertilizers 10 buy them. From 500 To
tIln Ill
least 3 barrels 10 the acre. IL would also perma-
nently improve the land and greatly increase the
wheat crop following. Hc prefers dllllhg III the
bone, Us for wheat.
Win. +. Hays said that in 1852 he had used South
Carolina rock for corn aud left some unfertilized
The latter produced the best corn. Last season
he used bone dust and dissolved bone and the
difference was decidedly in favor of their usc.--
A farmer should not look altogether to the corn
crop. If he raises more corn he can keep more
cattle.
his yews. The last season he had raised barrels
more corn per acre where he used Oriole and Dia-
mond State phosphate than wherche used no fer
tliZcr.
Thos A. IIays said Mess $. Rogers and John
Moores views suited him.
Benjumn Silver, Jr, was Of the opinion that II
would pay to fortize land that would produce IA
barrelsof corn. Land that is plowed up and not
fertilzed must go back. If no increase is seen in
the corn crop from the fertilizer the land is LEFT
in better condition for succeeding crops. He tries
to alternate fertilizers, applying bone one year
aud phosphate the next he had seen s better rim I'M
III lie plants his com and sows the fertilizer at the
same time with an Empire wheat drill 1t has III
tubes and eight inch spaces. by driving in the
wheel track the corn rows are lett i0inches apart
Gle believed it would even pay n farmer more
than per cent to 20 In debt for fertilizers for his
Geo Il. Silver said If he had farm that was
paid for and would grow all over IL IA barrels OF
corn to the acre, he would apply little bone
every time he plowed for corn. IL not paid for OF
portions of il would not raise such crop he
would save the bone for the poorer portions. The
UrSt applicotiOuS
land has been brought to certain state of fertil
ity much less returns are seen Tor the amount OF
fertilizer put on. In first blowing sod II is impor
tant to put the fertilizer on then rather than al
the second blowing. BY the second year the croI
time has rotted and become fertilizer. He would
rather apply fertilizer heavily to wheat than t.
corn, as II Is less liable to be carried on by wash
as well as of crops, except of stable manur,
and bope which are always profitable. Bone II
sometimes too long in giving q return, but phos
phate gives u return with the first crop. He woul,
rather apply phosphate to the corn than to pu
on bone to remain in the soil for the followin,
VIM. n. Sawyersad he had never had the goo'
fortune to test ground that would raise from
he had that kind of land he would apply fertz
ers and try to raise 20 barrels. An application o
say 200 lbs. of bone per acre in the row woul,
probably improve the quality of the corn.
II. b. Twining said a neighbor Of his; Mr.. VIM
Warner, had laid of four strips Of land for corn
applying respectively 500 900, 500 and 1000 lbs
of bone to the acre, but could see no difference II
the crop. After the second crop he went to
chemist, who told him that the 500 lbs. to the acr
had supplied all the bone phosphate tho lam
needed for the crop, and the remainder did IL
good. Land must be fed for every crop. FroT
400 to 600 lbs is enough per acre. The best result
he had eyer had was from top-dressing grass wit
Estrela guano He had moved six successiv
crops of hay from one field to which he had az
piled it.
David McMenamn said IL was with crops an
vegetables as with animal life. A sufficient mei
may be enough. He had heard nothing abou
liquid manure. About every farm large quaint
ties of 1t are constantly dripping away. IL th
were preserved in water tight pits, straw place
in them and there decomposed the product woul