St. Landry democrat., 1889-08-10
How to Discover the Deficiency o
Either of the Four Essential
Elements

Either OF the r our Essential
Elements.
Prof. Vile gives better and more
simple method of discovering the def
cheney of the four elements than by a
chemical analysis of the soil. He inquiries
of the plants what elements are wanting
in the soil thus:
Prepare Ave small plats, like beds in a
garden Mix thoroughly with the soil to
a depth of six inches, the usual percentage
of phosphate of lime, potash, lime and
ammonia, and plant all the plats in wheat.
In plat No. mix all but phosphate of
lime; No 3, all but potash ; plat No. t, all
but lime; plat No. 5, all but ammonia
Keep all of the beds clear of weeds and
grass, and stir the surface often.
Notice the growth of each of the above
all through its growth from germ to ma
turity, and the plants will tell you which
of the four elements is needed.
OTHER PLATs AND OTHER PLANTS.
Prepare five other beds the same as
above and plant corn, Irish or sweet pota-
toes, sugar cane, grasses, etc, and note
results.
These plats may be so many keys to the
soil, to show the farmer what element the
soil needs and what element it does not
need This will enable him to bestow the
proper quantity of fertilizers where they
are most needed, and prevent him from
| throwing away phosphate Of lime, potash,
| lime or ammonia where it is not needed.
DIFFERENT CROPS REQUIRE DIFFERENT
ELEMENTS IN THE SOIL, OR DIFF
FERENT PROPORTIONS.
| Prof. Vile says that every crop has it's
dominant element in the soil, or its favor
| tie element, that is much more important
| than any other.
Thus, heterogeneous matter in abundance
| is important for wheat and all cereals gen
orally, also barley, oats, rye, rape, beets,
hemp, etc.
Potash is the dominant or favorite for
| beans, peas, clover, sanfroin, vetches, lu-
cerne fax, Irish potatoes, etc.
! Phosphate of lime is the favorte of corn,
artichokes, turnips and sugar cane.
Lime is a necessity to all plants, with
! humus in the soil, but does not exercise a
marked effect upon any particular lfant.
DOMINANT AND SUBORDINATE ELEMENTS.
| Prof. Vile thinks that crops may some
times be doubled or largely increased by
| simply increasing the dominent element in
| it often happens that the subordinate ele-
ments may be reduced without any detri-
ment whatever to the crop
vILLE's COMPLETE FERTILIZERS.
Complete Fertilizer No For wheat
and all cereals generally, barley, oats and
| rye; also rape, beets, hemp, etc.
SIM. rnno.nn.t. Of lime mounds Per Ac ss:
Chloride of potassium go )................. 17t
| Sulphate OF ammonia. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 90
| Sulphate of lime. l92
Total pounds OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. SO!
| Complete Fertilizers No. Especially
adapted to beets, but good for other crops.
Per Acre
superphosphate of lime pounds ........... IS.
! Chloride of potassium $50 -l..-.....-....... III
| Sulphate of ammonia .-.,.-...-...-.........- ~
suIrh f Of lime Inn, iand plaster. -. lac
Total pounds. Observation-Disclosures. 1o15
Complete Fertilizer No. 3-For Irish po-
! tatoes, etc.
Per Acre
| Superphosphate of lime, pounds. ...,....... 35s
Sulphate of llme....-.. ..........'.'. ..--'- zoo
Total pounds. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. oot
Complete Fertilizer No. 4-For sugar
| cane, etc.
Per Acre
! Superph0sphate pounds. ....... .....:-..... 80
| Nitrate of potash nitrogen "a pounds)...... 11t
Sulphate of lime. Observation-Disclosures. 80
|
Total pounds Observation-Disclosures. ........... SsC
'9omplete Fertilizer No. 5-For corn and
other crops.
| Per Acre
superphosphate of lime, pounds, 81;
Nitrate of potash. ilt
| Sulphate of lime. 90
Total Dounds 105:
| SOME INSTRUCTIVE FACTS FOR SUGAR