Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1884-03-06
Experiments in Fertilizing Wheat.

II don" IN The lall. III the soil u heavy
ihe ftll application ans wers we'll, but
on light sandy soils an application in
the spring has been found TO he very
beneficial. In order u demonstrate
the value of spring fertilizing, Mr..
Francis Sanderson commenced
series of experiments, the results of
which be publishes in tue American
Farmer. which are important TO all
farmers who make wheat growing a
specially. I'D. ....
The wheat, which was grown on
clay loam soil, was dressed in the fall
with 5000 pounds OF good fertilizer
per acre. The land had previously
produced corn crop. and had been
manured and dressed with lime. In
tue spring, however, a slight applica.
tion OF phosphate of ksinit was ap.
piled. Departing from the above reg.
ular method, in the spring OF 1882
ten acres OF whsA we're dressed with
100 pounds Of phosphate and the
same quantity of kainit, and in one
month marked difference was
noticed on the ten acres 30 treated
lit being Of a darker hue and of
stronger growth. At harvest IL was
found that the wheat that had receiv.
ed the spring application OF fertilizer
was heavier and the heads larger and
longer than on that portion which
had received no spring application
and when this wheat was thrashed it
Was found TO be brighter and heavier,
the yield being tbirtysix bushels Of
measured wheat per acre, weighing
62l pounds per busheI, while tie
wheat grown close by on the same
soil, but without this top dressing,
did not do so well By five bushels.
The fret wheat was sold for seed and
brought Eve cents per busLel more
than the other.
Nos a. to the cost. The applica.
tion Of 200 pounds of fertilizer in
vulved sn .xTnse not only for ma.
tefial lat Tor labor but the extra
yield by this slight application (only
twenty pounds per aete). aud the ex.
ira price paid for the wheat, paid for
all the fertilizer used on the ten acres.
In 1883 abou; 2sj acres were again
put In wheat, 90 acres of which was
corn ground, and acres was potato
and drilled corn ground. This last
being in 6ne tilth and rich no spring
application was given. This was q
mistake. as the straw was not stiff
enough in the joints, anil the wheat
fell down. Had KNIT been applied
such 3 difficulty would have betn
avoided. As it was, few dollars
were saved In fertilizer and many lost
from failure in yield. The twenty
acres of corD-ground wheat, which
dId not look nearly 30 promising, vas
divided into two equal parts, stsked
at each end. On one part 900 pounds
Of nitrate OF soda per acre was used,
and on the other 200 pounds of kahn
It and 100 pounds of phosphate per
acre. The wheat where the soda was
grew faster and ripeDed few days
earlier and the yield was good, pro.
ducihg twenty-eight bushels per acre
of fine, bright wheat. But the part
where the kainit and phosphate we're
applied yielded thirty.two and three
quarter bushels per acre of equally As
good, bright wheat. The clover snd
timothy crop on the Geld was also as
good as could be desired.
The fertilizers should not be ap.
piled too early in the spring, when the
heavy rains occur, - they are very
soluble and may be washed of, nor
should they be applied too late, -
they require quite an amount Of
moisture. April is about the right
time, but the wheat should be dressed
In the spring at whatever time Is most
favorable without regard 70 cost or
risk, as tho increased yield OF grain
and larger quantity OF straw will be
E ore than an equivalent for the ex.
pense incurred.
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~ubscrihg !9F the CxSTHE DrSocH.r.