The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-03-22

4 subscriber writes Us. II want yOu t.
give a formula for the best corn fertilizer
We DO not know that we can give one which
will be al all reliable Is the best Tor all soils
As we have explained elsewhere. 50 much de
pcuds upon the soil upon which the crop Is e.
he raised TINT no formula can he relied upon
10 produce the best results everywhere. Moth
ing hut experiments with the particular SOL
can determine what Is best m each case. II
only the point a. 10 what plant food Is most
LARGELY abstucted from the soil by acorn crop
Is taken into account. then. seeing that an
average crop takes from the soil Ia pounds Of
potash, 90 pounds of phosph0ric and 1915
pounds of nitrogen. the best fertilizer 10
use is one with high percentage Of potash.
This is strongly confirmed by expert
ments made in Kentucky the year
before last, where IL was conclusvey
shown that only the fertilizers having high
percentage of potash apprerlably affected the
yield Neither the phosphoric acid nor the
nitrogen combinations appeared 10 have any
effect This however. may nave been largely
due 10 the nature of the soil Oh which the crop
was raised. In Illinois. again. where perhaps
the most exhaustive series Of experiments on
corn growing ever made have been carried ont
the results were declared 70 be uniayorable %
every kind of fertilizer M every possible com
binati1n The soil and climate there appeared
to be Of themselves all that were necessary go
produce maximum crop. and no fertilizers
appreciably increased the Weld These eX-
periments were conducted Oh soil full OF
Luuus and decaycd vegetable matter
derived from barn-yard manure. With
land in this condition or iairly fer
tile. and On such land only should
corn be grown We would advise the Use Of
fertilizer. with high percentage of potash
and "A medium percentage OF ammonia. HIS
may not seem 10 conform strictly 10 the re-
quiremcnts Of the plant. a, evidence by the
alo,o statement ne TO lis abstraction of Diuuf-
food. for there Il IS seen 20 Withdraw Il large
amount of nitrogen. but experiments have. O.
our mind, cOnclusively shown that this large
percentage of nitrogen can be assmllated by
the plant itself either directly from the aimO-
sphere or as Is more probably the case. los
similar action in the formation ofrOot nodules
- that found 10 exist IN clover growing We
are satisfied that IL is a waste of money TO buy
fertilizers with high percentage Of ammonia
(and these are much the most costly for
corn growing Our formula for pro-
ducng heavy corn crop on land Of
average fertility would be 20 apply as
early As convenient "a dressing OF from 500
To- 900 bushels Of good barn-yaTd mn
nure per acre. and nj planting time 10 sow
broadcast 500 pounds of KANT andjOO pounds
Of half acid phi, sphate and half nav bone
and them lust when tic corn had commenced
10 grow. TO sow down the rows about 100
pounds per acre Of nitrate o. soda % stlinulaie
IL T. vigorous growth. 50 that it could rapidly
take hold with its root growth of potash and
phosphate i'm the soil We know Of a cs-e
where an excellent crop was raised IN land
which was full Of vegetable matter derived
from the barn ward manure and green tallows
and 70 which ~ planting time, mixture OF
hen manure and plaster was applied IN the
nil. nj the rate of a good handful 10 each hill
this being lightly mixed with the soil OF the
hill before dropping the seed.-Birmingham
NeWS