The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1886-07-31
CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS.
Experiments with Various Kinds OF Com
mcrciai Fertilizing Materials.

Experiments with various Kinds OF Com
mcrciai Fertiiizing Materials.
We are always on the watch for some
new means of increasing the fertility of
the soil How to do this to the best adj
vantage is the all-important question.
Every year brings us o certain amount
of new theory and practice and we are
often reminded of the fact that all
changes are not improvements An ef-
fort is now being made to induce the
farmers s.f Long Island to apply ground
limestone as n fertilizer instead of more
expensive materials. Our neighbors
are disposed to experiment with 1t and
learn its true value by experiment.
This is not new idea. Some years
since this substance was extensively adj
vertised and its merits rated very high.
For some time these advertisements have
disappeared. 1t was then claimed by
some writers that this substance was in
soluble, and if put in the ground would
remain there for ages without change.
This same thing is said of the
ground phosphate when not acidulated
1nasmuch as this phosphate is extern
| sively used with or without acid, every
| farmer should know the exact truth of
this matter. The Carolina phosphate is
| ground and sold as q coarse powder,
| and as powder SO fine that it will float
| in the atmosphere (hence called floats,
and also dissolved by sulphuric acid.
Now the facts are. the finer it is the
quicker its action. The acid reduces it
to the finest condition, and hence the
acidulatcd acts sooner than the floats
and the floats sooner than the coarse
powder. Now there is class of men
that sell the acid phosphate, that tell us
the phosphate in other forms is worth
less, us it is perfectly insolublc and will
remain so. They say this phosphate in
its native bed has been in contact with
water for ages and never changed and
never will change until acted upon by
some powerful solvent. Now this same
thing may be said of plaster (sulphate
of lime) which is only ground and
extensively used as fertilizer with
great benefit. There is probably no
rock known but will dissolve when
powdered and applied to the soil. In
England they are grinding granite and
using it in this way, and it may be that
this will yet be one main source of pot
ash, rs it is well known this element
nbounds in granite. How much force
the action of the acids of the soil have in
producing these changes we do not
know; nor do we know how much to
attribute to electrical and magnetic as
well as chemical changes. We do not
know enough on this subject to calcu-
late that we may profitably apply the
phosphates in either form. As to this
lime powder nothing but an experiment
will determine its value, but what we
do know of chemistry and botany teaches
us to put no estimate on II part of its
claims. 1t is claimed that a large per
cent. of it is carbon, and as large por-
ton of the plant is carbon, this
furnishes the food it needs.
stantly taking in carbonic acid
from the air. emitting the oxygen and
retaining its carbon, the natural infer
ence is that the plant gets all the carbon
it needs from the air. Still it is not
certain but that more carbon in the soil
would be benefit. This is often de-
bated in agricultural papers when it is
evident neither party knows and it is
guess work on both sides. 1t seems
that our men of science might per-
mancntly settle such a plain question.
AS to the phosphate, when it is acid
ulated, it requires pound for pound of
phosphate and acid, SO that when we
buy ton of acid phosphate we get but
half a ton of phosphate. If the acid
phosphate acts more quickly its effects
are also gone sooner. Now these floats
are so fine that their action is not slow
and they are so cheap, especially as
compared to standard fertilizer, that
they will generally be found profitable.
The price of standard ferd fertilizers is
too high. and until reduced we must
continue to experiment with chemicals.
Cor. Christian at Work.