The Springdale news., 1889-12-13
SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL.
Using Fertilizers,

The importance of this subject was brought to mind in way long to be re- membered, by the statement of Prof. Scovell, that the probable purchase of fertilizers by Kentucky farmers amounts to S'00,090 year, and that probably three-fourths of the amount is wasted. lie explained that by wasted he meant that the farmers, as a mass, do not know nsat they need, and de not care what they get. One may need nitrogen and he buys potash another may need phos- phate and he buys ammonia, and still another may need but single mex pensive ingredient to add to his soil to make it rich, and he buys a complete fertilizer at consider able cost No matter what the mistake made. if the farmer be close observer, he will be dissatisfied and con demn commercial fertilizers as a whole. Experiments made at the Station this season demonstrated that better results were obtained where the needed ele- ment only was applied than where complete fertilizer, sometimes at ten times the cost was used. ItwiH be seen
 
 mercial fertilizers contain such and such elements that soils require. Gen erally iirst-class goods will contain all that is needed to make very. poor land yield fair crops. Now, if land is in this condition. the owner can't make much of a mistake, no matter what he ap- plies. But a field may be so much worn that it fails to produce paying crops, and yet be rich in certain elements.
 1t takes just so many elements to make soil rich, but they must all be con tained in it. If all but one are there, although some may be in great abun- dance, crops will fail. If the needed oac is supplied all will be we'll.
 But the difficulty farmers labor under is to know which is the needed element. All can not expect to have their soils analysed by the State, and the next best that can he expected is the results of the Experiment stations. These, to be effective, should be located in the differ ent geological formations of the State. Next great good may come from the dis eassions and lectures at the Farmers In stitutes, which, it is contemplated. will he held in every district in the State. But, after all. farmer must make his own experiments, ba sed oa the best in- formation he can gain. Let him ascer- tain as nearly as possible what his soil needs apply this, leaving spaces where nothing is added. He may try in the small way many of the known fertiliz- ing elements and use extensively only such as prove beneficial.
 Another way farmer may err in the use of commercial fertilizers: He may choose what the greater part of his soil needs and set his drill the same for the whole field. Thus will he apply to fertile fence row the same he does to the worn and yellow hillside It may not be needed at all on one and be too small an amount to practically benefit the other, while the average portion of the land will be materially helped.
 In this day the use of fertilizers has become necessity. Farmers can not raise poor crops and sell at present prices. The labor is the same on poor or good crop.
 Glover Is. in most instances soV- reign remedy for poor land, but clover will often fail unless the land is given some good mineral stimulant.
 We trust the work of our Experiment Station the teachings of the Institutes and the farmers own good sense will guide them so that the three-fourths of S700, 900 now wasted, may be distributed among them. They need it, God knows, and need it badly.-Farmers, Home Journal.