Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-09-03
CULTIVATION OF FRUIT.
Fertilizers for the I1or,ic,,lt,,rist.

In treating upon the subject chosen for dis
cussion to-day, it must be understood that my
remarks refer chiefly to ourold peach-orchard
lands that for ten or fifteen years were con-
tinuously under cultivation, yielding abund-
ant crops, and which, since the extermina ion
OF those orchards, have been replanted to vari-
GUS small fruits, making at least twenty years
OF continuous cropping, while nothing in the
form OF fertilizers e has ever been returned to
the soil. That we may know how and what to
restore to exhausted soil, we must first learn
of what they have been robbed An analysis
OF the peach, apple and pear woods shows
that they contain from So to G2 per cent Of
potash, lime and phosphate of lime-tho con-
stltuont portions being about two thirds lime
| and phosphate of lime to one third potash.
On the well-sett!ed principle that this indicates
the food upon which these tre6Asubsst we
! are in no doubt a, to the fertil zing material
we should return to the soil. Being connected
with others in the purchase of lands and hav-
ing to provide for and take tho infringement
of the whole, was early led to seek advice
of leading horticulturists in sections where
fertil zers have long been in use. My
first adviser was Delaware man, owner of
| 10o-acre peach orchard He advised mo first
to use kalnlt German potash salt GU pounds
| to the acre, sown broadcast when the ground
is bare i'll winter, or before the early spring
rains
| Next he recommended line; Eext bonedust,
OF ground bone. [ believe that agriculturists
clusively, OF nearly 70, Artificial fertilizers,
| which they consider not only cheaper ut the
| start, and more certain to produce crops les
pec;ally in seasons of drought, but also that
| they promote the growth of fruit and are more
abiding in the soil, portions not exhausted the
out change or loss, for future use. We are
using first, kainit-5OO to QUO pounds to the
acre; next, leached ashes-two tons to the acre;
next, thirty to forty bushels of stone-lme to
the acre; next, what stable manure we can find,
striving to avoid the more worthless. This is
as far as we have gone, still do not wish to
be understood that we have come to halt.
| We are reaching out in the direction of what
ever contains phosphoric acid, nitrogen, and
the kindred numerous Phosphates and super
phOsphates of lime his brings lis face to
face with the chemists, and here we propose
to go slow. We shall not, however, abandon
the pursuit until, without the aid of vitriol, we
can dissolve raw bones III al]lalies and render
them fit for USE
| Several methods are practicable, and we Are
| gathering material for home experiment an
other season. Should We succeed, you may
hear more about it; if we fail, we shall go into
| quiet retirement In the meantime we shall
look further in the market for what seems
most fitting to finish the work already under
way.
| Chemists tel us that there is great fraud
practiced in the preparation and sale of fertil-
! fzers They also say that many reliable houses
sell, in the raw or crude state, all the needful
kinds without adulteration. For these reasons
farmers who need large quantities should and
may learn how to compound their own fertil-
izers. There are two classes Of fertilizer man
ufacturers, one dealing in crude or raw ar
| ticles, the other buying these prepared crude
articles and compromising them and selling
! what are known as commercial fertilizers; but
these parties are loath to disclose to small
users any of the secrets Of the art of COM
pounding. In the crude ingredients are to be
| found ali the needed elements that are found
%hen 4 prepared G taI and 1a1 Is Of
value When got out in the fall and allowed to
freeze and then mixed with lime and stable
manure Bones may be dissolved by placing
;ng them with muck as an absorbent-G Hem
,ningeoaY IN Michigan Ho'ticult"'ist