The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1888-06-07
SALT AS A FERTILIZER,
It's Eject ON Strawberry Plants, Cabba "a
and Clover.

ASo 1SuCCS Ou csE0WUUSEy AsoutvS AAUUSX0
and Clover.
We have often heard the question
asked: ITO what extent is common
salt plant food?"
As early as 1749 an English writer
by the name of Browning declared
that the soil of the whole kingdom
might be made rich by the application
Of salt, but in practice it was found
that in many instances it had no APP.
parent effect as a fertilizer.
The varied results VIC could readily
account for in England. as we are told
by DR.. Madden that near Edinburgh
the rain contains enough common salt
to give GAO pounds per acre In year
The application of salt might be
useless to soil which already contained
such quantity, and yet produce good
results in the interior.
A few years ago salt was recommend
Cd for sowing on wheat and oats to
strengthen and brighten the straw
and make the grain heavier per bushel.
In the fall of 1882 plowed up an old
strawberry patch that was destroyed
by the white grubs, and sowcd three
barrels of Ohio river salt on one-half
acre. and thoroughly narrowed it in tho
soil, expecting to get rid of these pests.
Then ! replanted again to strawberries
that fall. but. alas! the grubs still sur
vived and destroyed one-half the plants
before the next spring. Seeing was
outwitted, then plowed that half acre
with an adjoining acre and half.
then sowed the two acres to oats, and
such crop never saw before or since
rs l had on the half acre that was
sailed. There the oats stood about five
feet high. while on the adjoining acre
and half they were about three and a
half feet, and not nearly SO thick on
the ground. On the one-half acre l
had SCI bushels, and on the adjoining
acre and half 60 bushels.
Then l planted the two acres in pc.
tatoes in the spring of 1884, after treat
ing the whole with a top-dressing of
stable manure during the winter and
blowing it under in the spring. The
whole produced at the rate of 200 bush.
els per acre Of fine potatoes. l re.
peated this in 1885 with same result.
l noticed no difference in either plot.
In the spring of 1886 again plant
ed to Strawberries, and grew one of
the incest plots ! ever saw. Las>
spring the plot bloomcd profusely. but,
on account of the cas-: wind, which we
had just in the blooming time, the
berries were blighted on all the plot
except the one-half acre which had
been treated so lavishly to salt in the
fall Ct 1882.
That was the only difference in the
treatment of the soil since 1882.
While had good crop on the sailed
ground. had none worth picking on
the other.
could produce many similar incl.
dents where used on cabbage and
clover, and l have learned that both
salt and lime produce best results
when the land is full of organic mat
ter. Owing to the diversity of
opinion, would insist on every one
testing salt for himself, and not use it
sparingiy. We admit that salt has
not much fertilizing qualities. To APP
ply it to poor land is merely throwing
i: away. On soils containing plenty
of dccomposed organic matter. its APP
plication will generally prove useful.
1t makes land light and mellow, and
holds moisture in time of drouth. 1t
prevents potato rot, glazes and stiffens
the straw of growing grain. prevents
rust, produces plump grain and im-
proves the quality of pasture. 1t pro-
duccs good results on beets and
turnirs. and makes cabbage head up
solid. Cor. Farm and FIreside.