Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1890-09-03
Special Fertilizers.

Bulletin sc, prepared and recently
issued by Prof. e. B. Voorhees,, chemist
of the New Jersey Experiment Station,
gives the formulas of five different mix
lures, with the amount of each material
required to furnish these special fer
tilizers. No. is for wheat, oats, rye,
and corn; No. 2 for potatoes and roots;
No. 8 for garden produce; No. 4 for fruit
trees, and No. 5 for clovers, peas, and
beans. Of course the exact amounts of
these different fertilizing ingredients
will vary with different characters of
soil, to be determined in making the
field trials, but they will be adapted to
the average.
To make 1000 pounds of the wheat
fertilizer, 100 pounds Of nitrate of soda
may be taken, 100 of dried blood, $50 of
muriate of potash, 600 of comeback
superphosphates, and 80 Of sulphate of
ammonia; these materials contain 40
pounds of nitrogen, IS of potash, and
96 of phosphoric acid. The mixture to
be applied at the rate of 400 pounds to
the acre.
For potatoes and roots nearly the
same materials are to be used, but in
such quantities as will give 81 pounds of
nitrogen, GA of phosphoric acid, and 102
of potash-4OO to the acre. Nearly the
same is given for garden produce-600
to the acre.
For fruit trees the constituents vary
considerably from the preceding, the
materials being 200 pounds of ground
bones, 300 of muriate of potash and $50
each of nitrate of soda and comeback
superphosphate; supplying AZ pounds
$50 of potash, to be applied 500 pounds
10 no ri fn Vt 10 n
contain only phosphoric acid and
potash, so pounds of the former and
120 Of the latter, obtained from 500
pounds Of comeback superphosphate,
$50 of kainit and $50 Of muriate Of pot
ash.
A leading object in thus buying the
raw materials is to. secure a definite
knowledge of the character of those
used, and the saving of cost where
farmers can unite and purchase them
by the carload.
On account of the varying character Of
soils, it may be we'll for those who are
willing and able to go into the expert
ments, to purchase and apply single
elements, and observe or weigh and
measure the results. Such results would
enable the farmer to decide whether
the given amounts in the special mix
IuI % SIOuiel US VI
No increase in the crop for any one
separately, would show that it was not
needed. In purchasing the materials,
which may be bought direct from
leading dealers, they should in all cases
be accompanied by guaranteed COM
position. The bulletin very properly
suggests the Importance of having the
materials thoroughly intermixed.
The bulletin gives the latest trade
values of the three ingredients of ferti-
lizer, A. cents pound for muriate of
potash and kainit, 6 to 8 cents for phos-
phoric acid, and Il cents for nitrogen in
ammonia salts, or in ground fish; but
only s cents if in horn shavings, hair
and coarse fish scrap. Nitrate of soda
contains 16per cent, sulphate of ammo
MIA 20 per cent, and dried blood Ia per
cent. of nitrogen. Bone-black super
phosphate contains Is per cent of phos-
phoric acid, muriate potash contains so
per cent, and kainit 125 per cent. of
potash A knowledge of these amounts
will enable the purchaser to estimate
the quantities of these three fertilizing
ingredients he is receiving.