Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1891-03-12

ammonia or nitric acid or oganic
nitrogen, phosphoric acid and pot
lash. the other elements which enter
into the composition Of plants, such
as iron. lime. soda, mlgnesia, etc,
are in such small percentages, and
arc generally Ia sufficient supply IN
all soils, that they DO not enter into
tho composition Of fertilizers. To
some extent the supply Of nitrogen
is obtained from the atmosphere sur
rounding US. Every rain that tails
is washing it cut of The air and brings
it to the earth. Snow 10 more po-
tent in It's influence than. rain, how
pure the air after a heavy fall Of
snow! There is no smoke loft in it
all is precipitated to the earth and
becomes fixed therein. Every
pound Of coal burned, every log or
brush heap burned, every decaying
body or matter gives forth nitrogen
70 be returned 70 US by rain and
snow fall Phosphoric acid is in
large supply in all lands whose un-
dcrlying rocks contain iossils; wher.
over limestone rock is found il is
more or less iossiliicrous; the Upper
and Lower Siiurian limestone in
many places is mass Of fossils; III
the subcarbonferous limestone they
are less in number, yet abundant
These fossils are composed largely
Of phosphate Of lime; and in their
decomposition are constantly giving
10 the soil phosphoric acid. They
contain the same manurial element
as the celebrated fossil.ierous rock
near Charleston, $. &. which has
entered aigely into commerce.
! These rocks are very hard, but the
GLOW processes OF nature are at work
Day and night 10 loosen the bond
which confines them in a latent form
and sets the phosphoric acid free to
become the food OF plants. Potash
is in large supply in our soils. bu;
80 largely combined with other mat,
ter that it is not IN . torn to be ap-
proptated by plants.
As it enters largely into the con
stitution of oil plants one Of two
things has to be done IN successful
farming TO furnish the necessary
, potash to the growing plant, either
to apply the potash directly az 1
fertilizer TO the soil. or TO apply t
/, the land some article, such as sui
phate OF lime (land plaster, to liber
ate the potash from Its combination
and set it free. The former course !
to be preferrd, as itadds an additions
, supply Of this indispensable minera
element to the soil, as no plant tia
lproducea all ash when burned can b
grown without potash. The experI
ments made at the State College tn
4 pas; season demonstrate beyon
, lqaestion that potash Is the articl
lmost needed 70 make the worn So
. Of Fayette county productive, 1.-THE
|. things increased production, but tn
effect OF the potash was surprising
- It's affect was fr above that OF BARI
- yard manure, land plaster, ammoni,
, lphosphoric acid, and other thing
both separate and combined. l.
- effect might be different on ditfei
y, ent character Of soil, where potas
!, I'm combination with phosphoric acld
% or with phosphoric acid and amm'
- MIA, may be necessary. Exper
4 ments, well directed, will alone te
~ what any given character OF soil ma
!, need to make il productive; whit
.,Imay suit one class of soil in a coul
, ~ may not suit a different on,
Analysis of soil have been misleat
ing; actual application Of fertili
~ ers, in various forms and combln
u tons, will alone solve the interestlr
," problem. One soil may have enoug
potash and phosphoric acid and
:" deficient in ammonia, another ina
~ have this and lack phospboric auC
y another may have sufficient of the
~ and be wanting in lime, as probab
" all the Hat cold lands at the foot
y" the knob are. As rule, all Il
lands in the State have full su
y ply of all the other principles wh''
10 enter in such small proportion in
!" the constitution OF plants. v
~ know that there is always enouI
~ of iron everywhere, and it is oft,
- in such excess as to be injurious.
' Tnen if the views above set for
~ be true, why can not the farmers
:. each county in the State--l mes
" wide awake, progressive farmers
~ form Farmers Clubs" and undo
"' take these experiments! knC
'" that the director Prof. ScovelD
IA the Experiment Station at the Sta
,ss College will cheeriully give them
ie; the acid they need. a very lar
be sum Of money is being expend
re yearly by farmers for commerce
w fertilizers, the constitutions OF whic
:, under the present law, they Ct
know accurately: but do they knc
mi that their land required this or I'll