Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1891-11-05
TIE AGRICULTURAL WORLD
INTERESTING SUBJECTS FOR
THE INTELLIGENT FARMER.
Something About Artificial Ferttliz-
ers--Points of a Good Dairy
COVETED Water--Land too
Rich for Strawber-
s-,1 rieS.
Something About Artificial Fert,llz-

Something About Artificial FertiIlz-
The elements which generally give
out first in cultivated soils are nitro
gen, phosphoric acid and potash.
When soil begins to show signs OF
unproductiveness, the lack of one or
all OF these constituents is almost uni
versally indicated.
Nitrogen is one of the essential ele-
ments of plant growth, and is most
available as plant food in the form OF
two OF it's compounds, nitric acid and
ammonia. Both of these substances
are produced by the decomposition OF
animal and vegetable matter. They
also exist in small quantities in the
atmosphere, and may be washed down
INTO the soil, where they become, in
one form or another, food for plants.
But the chief supply OF nitric acid is
obtained by the decay OF organic mat
ter through the chemical process
known as nitri6cation, by which the
nitrogen contained in the organic mat
ter is separated from the carbon with
which it is combined and converted
into nitric acid. When thus liberated
the nitric acid combines with certain
bases in the soil and forms nitrates,
such as nitrates of lime or soda or
potash. These nitrates are easily dis
solved and readily absorbed by the
roots of plants. Thus, by the cal
chemy of nature" nitrogen, which
rarely exists in state to be assimi-
lated directly by plants, is trans
formed into available form for their
use.
Phosphoric acid, the second ofthese
essential elements, is not found in a
free state, but always in combination
with such substance as soda, lime, po-
fash, etc. The most common form in
which it is found is phosphate of lime,
of which bones, South Carolina rock
and a green mineral known as apatite,
are largely composed.
Potash is usually applied in the
form of salts, such as carbonate of
potash, chloride of potash, etc. Wood
ashes are especially rich in carbonate
of potash. Another source of supply
is the various potash SALTS chiefly
obtained from Germany. The chloride
or "muriate" of potash is largely used
as a fertilizer in this country.
Well-made barnyard manure con-
tains all the elements OF plant food in
due proportion and if it can be obtain
ed in sufficient quantity and in the
best condition the farmer need 90 no
farther in quest of fertilizer. But it is
a rare manure heat that has not lost,
in one way or another, some part of
its most important elements. It is
amazing, considering how dependent
the farmer is upon a full supply of the
best fertilizer, that so few take the
necessary pains to preserve their
stable manure in the best way.
But it is seldom that soil that has
been long under cultivation can be
maintained in high state of fertility
on barnyard manure alone. Artificial
manures are needed to supply thence
essary nitrogen, potash and phos-
phoric acid, and so it becomes a
question of immense Importance to
the great agricultural industry that
these fertilizers should be what they
profess to be, and sprocurable at a
price no higher than their real value.
The utility of State and national
analyses of these commercial fertili-
zers, showing just what their constit-
uents are, and the aoricnltnral value