Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-02-12
AGRICULTURAL MATTERS.


Applying Fertilizers as Intervals.
Philadelphia Rscord.
Tbs advantage OF applying fertilizers
Al st~tsd Intervals inRtead OF making
fioi u PIP lcatlou at the time OF sowing
seed ~ aot be sainsaid. II the fertilizer
j. apDii 4 after the land ID piowed, aud
10 nr j .lion be made, the crop not only
Is ~, & greater sxsrtiCn 90 derive plant
TODD bnt the natural result will bs that
rot only will the rAins dissolve aud carry
Il ~ but mlpy OF the substances are
ethtf 0lrpsiled In the mOsphere or be.
o.ms, by cbemiosl aotion, partly inert.
rae pia will thrive better when fed ON
~msls quantities often than on large
qlauunrs less frequently. There Ia
h,milaaifs in that respset between plant
and an animal that Is suTteited st times
Ad srasively I'D at othtrs. The food
must wsTa Ia Within Easy aeceBs, instead
Of gradually Diminishing as the plant
advances ia growth.
ss,ne eApei IN snts made with corn,
"a pg enano at the rate Of 200 pounds per
tore, 10 connection with the same guam
lily OF superpL osphate and kainit, a
flrmer iaet ssason fertilized his corn, for
comparison, by two d tferent methods. On
one acre he applied the mixed fertilizer
a. the tims Of putting in the seed. On
the other plot he applied ons.third at the
time OF seeding, one third when the oroI
waa about three feet in hight and III,
other third after the corn had begun Il
tRseel. Alter each application, excep
the last the oultivAtor was used between
the rows, the corn having been PLANTED
wide enough to admit Of good cultivation
both ways. But little difference II
growth was observed at first though tn
held which had received the three appli
cations gave greener tinge when th
corn was about 20 tassel. 1t also file
out better, grew taller, gave larger pr,
portion Of fodder and yield 20 per GEL
more corn.
Experiments have also been tried wit
fertilizers on oats in somewhat the sam
manner. A Georgia farmer reports to Ii
Southern Cultipator that he used II
pounds of guAno on three separate plot
each receiving that quantity. On Il
first plot he used all the guano At ono
before sowing the seed. On the sscon
plot he used one half the quantity at Il
time Of seeding, and one-half at the tin
the oats were shooting. On the thir
plot he used one-thiId the quantity {
seeding time, one-third at the time
hnOUHDRt anu Ono tnlTu Wnen the OA
were in blossom. The weight Of th
sheaves on the first plot was 100 pound
the second 147, and on the third 1853.
trial upon rich and poor soils the &C
vantage was largely in favor Of tertilizin
poor soils aI intervals. Experiment
were then made on two other plots wit
homemade compost, and the results wei
equally in favor Of the application Of IL
compost at different periods.
As the above experiments were mad
In two different sections, they are MOI
valuable than may bs supposed. II v
can increase the yield OF crops by gsa
ually feeding them instesd OF puttl1g
large quantity only at the lime Of zee
ing the quantity OF fertilizer may
lessened in order to get Only the sveraI
yield, but as that course would be OF j
advantage, the full allo ysnge may
used, relying upon the increased yield
compensation for the extra labor require
which, however, ia not 9rsst We COL
mend the experiments, and trust tn
during the next seEson our readers "
experiment in this direction, as from o
own observations, and the test msde
others, we believe satisfactory and val
able information may be Acanired.