Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-10-15
PHOSPHATE FOR WHEAT.

Application of Comm ercial NIanures In
dispensab1e to the Success of the Wheat
Crop.
Surprise has often been expressed al
the remarkable results from applying
200 pounds or even less of commercial.
manures to the acre with wheat The
good effects of such manures are in part
due to the phosphate that they shou.c
contain. No grain crop is more exact
ing in its demands for phosphate thar
wheat. And as phosphate is the least
plentiful. of all mineral plant food
wheat-growing must become more and
more expensive as the natural supplies
in the soil become exhausted. But an,
other reason for the good effects of con-.
mercial manures is that with fertilizer
drills they can be deposited in direct
contact with the seed. A very small
manuring thus goes a great way, as it
gives the plant avigorous start and thus
prepares it to forage for itself to awideI
extent than it could otherwise do. Not
infrequently we find strips left through
the field where phosphate was either
accidentally or as an experimen:
will be so poor as to suggest the
idea that the fertilized rows on
Their side have robbed them of fertil-
ity. Such is very probably the true eN.
PLANTATION. The wheat plant sends its
roots much beyond the seven inches
between the drill rows before the crop
has been a month sown. 1t Is quite
possible that wheat roots may before
harvest extend three feet on either side,
thus occupying the space to the full
width of the drill
1t is in the spring when the good eff.
fl cts of commercial manures sown on
wheat are most fully seen. Wheat will
grow in the fall On any fair land, but 3
little commercial manure is necessary
to enable it t o endure the winter.
think this is due to the fact that the
fertilizer being applied with the seed
causes a mass of tibrous roots to form
near the surface, and thus the plant ii
self-protected against the effects OF
freezing. 1t is possible that any kind
of rich manure that will cause mas
of roots to form about the seed will be
as helpful as the commercial phos-
pilates. have known of excellent re-
suits from drilling mixture of hen
manure with ashes; but the difficulty
with this mixture is in getting it in con-
dition to be easily distributed by the
drill The hen manure. however fine,
is too light to go through the drill
readily, and the ashes must only be
mixed with it just before being applied.
not only to prevent loss of ammonia,
but to prevent the absorption of mois-
ture by the ashes, which in damp
weather will soon convert the mixture
into sticky mass.
AS good a way rs any to use hen
manure with wheat is thoroughly to
mix in compost heaps of cow or stable
manure, and then apply it with the
manure-spreader. In this way this fine
manure may be spread over much
larger surface and more evenly than it
can be with a shovel from a wagon.
And if possible the field should be har-
rowed lightly several times after the
manure is spread, SO as to incorporate
it thoroughly with the surface soil. Il
the ground is moist. every particle OF
manure so applied is more than doubled
in value, as it generates fertility in the
soil itself. Where such top-dressing
has been given, the wheat roots will
naturally keep near the surface, and
this is always accompanied by a spread
ing growth of the plant above ground.
-Wm. j. Foa0ler, IN n. Y. Examiner: