The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-05-06
Questions Asked and Answered.

In the next issue OF IHE WATCH
MAN please give information in regard
to planting trees "Arbor Day" How
far apart should they be set?-" Sub
scriber," Newbury, Vt.
REPLY.-Unfortuna it is impos-
sible to reply very promptly to queries
for this department, owing partly to the
fact that the agricultural editor is not
very handy to the office of publication,
but more because the matter is set up
may see the proofs. " Subscriber" "
question is rather vague. If he refers
to roadside trees, thirty feet is quite
near enough, and probably forty would
be better, having the trees on each
side opposite the middle of the spaces
between those on the other side If
lawn trees are to be set out, in order to
avoid formality it has been advised to
throw handfuls of small potatoes, or
other things easily found, over the
lawn, and set the trees (not too near)
at some of the spots where they fall.
Especially avoid their falling into rows.
This may seem easy, but it is not.
S. NJ. b., Waitstield, VT, is much in
terested in our remarks about trees,
shrubs and vines" and asks " if the
dewberry is hardy enough for our eli
mate?"
REPLY.-The running blackberry, or
dewberry, is rather less hardy than the
high blackberry, but yet, owing to its
PROSTATE growth, will more often pro-
duce fruit, because more often covered
with snow in winter. 1t does not
grow in Orleans county, so far as we
know, and we are not acquainted with
its natural distribution in Vermont.
In cultivation it gives a good deal of
trouble, because it must be tied up to
stakes to keep it off the ground. The
fruit is generally better than that of
the common kind. Both give trouble
by filling the ground with suckers"
w. l. s., Roxbury, VT. (who also
wants ga reply with the next paper ",
says: &C see by the reported value of
different fertilizers that nearly all fall
short of what they cost, except dry
ground fish. l wish you would tell us
what crops this may be used on sue
cessfully, how much should be used per
acre, ETC."
REPLY.-The following is the analy-
sis of the fertilizer referred to, taken
from the Report of the Connecticut
Experiment Station for 1888:
oU1NNIPIAc FERTILIZER CO.'S DRY GROUND FISH
Nitrogen per cent. SO;
Phosphoric acid, per cent Observation-Disclosures. So:
This fertilizer is both incomplete and
unbalanced, having no potash, and
far too much nitrogen for economical
use. 1t is this excess of the costly
nitrogen which gives it so high valu-
alton, commercially, but its agricul,
tural value can only be developed by a
proper admiXture with other materials.
in sufficient quantities to give it the
needed composition. The Quinnpiac
Company sell Fish and Potash fertil-
izers-two different brands-the an.
alyses of which, in the same report, are
as follows:
Nitrogen, per cent. 25
PhOsphorc acid, per ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 81!
Potash, per So
CROSSED FISHES BRAND.
nitrogen per 40
Phosphorc acid, per cent. s4
Potash, per cent. Al
These two brands differ only in the
Plain Brand having less fish in it, ant
consequently, because of less nitrogen,
showing lower valuation; yet its agri-
cultural value for most farm crops
would be as great as the other. Fol
cabbages, onions, tobacco, and possibly
for small grains, the Crossed Fishes
brand would be preferable. 1t may be
said, in brief, that the dry ground fish
like dried blood, ammonite dried an(
ground meaD, and other similar sub
stances, are rather to be classed as fer
tilizer materials than as fertilizers
They need compromising, to be useC
profitably. All farmers should clearl,
understand that commercial value ant
agricultural value, as regards fertilizers
are quite distinct and often very differ
ent things. The agricultural value de
ponds upon the adaptation of the fertil
izer to the needs of the soil and tn
crop, but commercial value has refer
ence only to composition. If farme
buys these animal substances in dr.
and fine condition, he has strong an,
sufficiently soluble mixture of nitro
genous and phosphate material, bu
too weak in the latter, and entirel
wanting in potash. On soil wher
potash does no good good mixtur
would be one barrel, or bag, of tn
ground fish and an equal weight c
plain superphosphate If the soil
one requiring potash, mix with thes
two or three barrels of unleached ashe
and you have a complete fertilize