The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1885-10-17
PHOSPHATE FOR WHEAT.

Application of Commercial Manures In
dIspensable TO the Success of the Wheat |
Crop.
Surprise has often been expressed at |
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 should
contain. No grain crop is more exact
ing in its demands for phosphate than
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 wider
extent than it could otherwise do. Not
infrequently we find strips left through
the field where phosphate was either
accidentally or as an experiment
shut off. Invariably these strips
will be so poor as to suggest the
idea that the fortified rows on
either side have robbed them of fertil-
ity. Such is very probably the true ex-
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.
II is in the spring when the good eff
fects of commercial manures sown on
wheat are most fully seen. Wheat will
grow in the fall on any fair land, but a
little commercial manure is necessary
to enable it t endure the winter. |
think this is due to the fact that the
fertilizer being applied with the seed
causes mass of fibrouS roots to form
near the surface, and thus the plant is
self-protected against the effects of
freezing. 1t is possible that any kind
of rich manure that will cause mass
of roots to form about the seed will be
as helpful as the commercial phos-
pilates, / have known of excellent re-
suits from drilling a 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
| nd hn ochn nulN he
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 q way as any to use her
manure with wheat is thoroughly t.
mix in compost heaps of COW or stable
manure, and then apply it with thu
manure-spreader. In this way this tin'
manure may be spread over mucl
larger surface and more evenly than
can be with shovel from q wagon
And if possible the field should be har
rowed lightly several times after tn
: manure is spread, so as to incorporat
it thoroughly with the surface soil.
! the ground is moist, every particle G
.. manure so applied is more than double
. in value. as it generates fertility in tn
. soil itself. Where such top-dressin
: has been given, the wheat roots wi
naturally Keep near the surface, an
this is always accompanied by q spread
ing growth of the plant above ground
. Nm. j. FoWler, IN N. Y. Examiner