The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1888-02-16
RALEIGH, N. c., FEBRUARY 10, 1888.

mercial fertilizers, under State author
ity, in South Carolina, have exerted
beneficial effect in restraining the sale
of worthless low grades, by establish
ing certain standards of excellence,
below which no sales are permitted,
and the degraded article SO offered is
condemned. Still, in the very proper
absence of any law to prevent the
right of making special contracts, the
prices obtained for that which comes
up to the standard is most frequently
far beyond it's remunerative value to
the purchaser, especially, where credit
grants it's dictatorial powers to the
vendor. And still, those analyses,
made by the most accurate methods,
by the most skillful chemist afford no
positive assurance of the quality OF
fertilizer SO far as it may relate to the
percentage of soluble super-phosphate
to that of insoluble phosphate of lime
This percentage is an ever varying
quantity. This arises from chemical
changes incident to the conditions
under which the compounds are
usually made. Such changes tax
ing place inherently. The same
changes frequently occur by con-
tact with soils in which lime is
super-abundant. The same uncertainty
holds with still greater force as to
percentages of the volatile nitrogenous
elements, but more particularly to the
most valuable of them all, ammonia,
which was well known to the ancients,
taking it's name from the Temple Of
Jupiter Ammon. These, like other
riches, are very prone to take unto
themselves wings and fly away.
Besides the foregoing, there are
other difficulties and uncertainties
which give us ground to pause and
reflect over the situation. Chemists,
like lawyers and politicians, may some.
times be found onGhe fence or for all
parties in'interest. A species OF union
of Church and State, not always con-
ducive to the best results. AT the
present time it is seldom that one can
get an expression of opinion, even
upon agriculture, in which there is not
in some way or other the warp or bias
of some extraneous interest, moved by
commercial schemes or political as
pirations. Hence, as farmers, we
should accept all evidence in the mat
ter cum qrano sails. The opinions or
certificates of those who make farming
mere collateral for political or per
sonal preferment, should also be sub
iected to as close inspection and analy
sis as the fertilizers of which they
speak.
In the State of South Carolina it is
charged that agriculture is the WARP
and politics the woof Of every organ
lied movement made in the interest Of
, the farmer. Of the truth of this as
, sertion, you, brother farmers, of the
other States may fairly judge from
; the standpoint of your own surround
; ings, for I am sure that we OF the
!. Palmetto, in this respect, differ but
little from our Southern sisters, not
, withstanding the great phosphate in
terest represented by our Seaboarc
, population. I can but express the
opinion that the touch of politics II
/ agriculture brings with it contamlna
!, tion even to the dung-heap. And fo1
. the best and most practical informa
, ton, beyond or aside from persona
experience. in the effects of CONNER
cial fertilizers, I am more indebted tt
those who occupy the shady nook
: and eddy corners of life, than all other
, combined.
Yet it is evident that the majorit.
, of farmers who use commercial fertll
izers, have only an empirical knowl
) edge of the constituent virtues am
, relative value of the compounds whicl
J. they use. This, of itself, is an invita-
, ton, or rather a standing advertise
3 ment for deception. Add to this
4 blind craving for artificial and tal
= fetched humbuggery, which invariabl |
causes neglect of the more valuabi
t domestic resources, and it is by n
j means difficult to discern one OF tn
!. great causes which have led to tn
J. present dependent and precarious COZ
dition of those who rely upon con
t merce for everything.
It is not the purport OF this essay
o depreciate the use of commercial fe
tilizers. when restricted to its leglt
!. mate sphere. Wherever a norm