The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-02-23
N,.roqen-Furnishing Materials.


Nitrogen-Furnishing Materials.
Nitrogen. as is well known, is the most
.ostlv element that enters into manure. 1t
= rsnslly the most valuable and profitable
.Is,oent that can be applied to worn soils.
+ &c also the most easily exhausted or
tasted element. especially on light, sandy
.oil The mineral elements, potash and
.bosnboric acid, are much less liable to be
ioscbed out of such soil than nitrogen is,
and it is never advisable to apply at any
one time more nitrogen than is needed for
tba immediate use Of the crop. 1t
snonld be applied to land rather in broken
5oses than in ''heroic" doses, and as regu-
lar orsctice it should be applied on the sur
face rather than put deep in the soil. 1t de-
ronds good deal upon the material used to
supply nitrogen whether it is proper for
onv crop to put it much below the surface.
r. NAV be permissible sometimes where bone
meal is used to supply it where 1T would be
altogether wrong if nitrate soda or sulphate
81 ammonia or dried blood were used for
the nurpose. In these materials the nitrogen
&c in shape where fermentation Tor rotting)
10 NOT needed to render the nitrogen availa-
HE for plant use. Stable manure, ground
hon. AID cotton seed and the like need to
undergo the process of fermentation or rot
ting before the nitrogen in them can be
made fully available (soluble) for the use of
the plant.
Farmers are oftentimes confused with the
terms nitrogen and ammonia, and they are
nnzzled when these terms are interchange
bly,.
In speaking of fertilizers it is more proper
to use the term nitrogen, as it is an elemen-
tary substance, while ammonia is com
mound substance. Where three parts of
HYDROGEN goes, one of the elements of
water is combined with one part, by
volume, of nitrogen, ammonia Is produced.
About 1872 pounds of nitrogen is equal to
twenty pounds of ammonia. In other
words, 14.l7 Of ammonia Is nitrogen. The
nitrogen of all organic substances must first
be converted into ammonia or nitrate &C d
before it can be utilized by plants.
The chief sources from which nitrogen is
obtained for agricultural purposes are the
following:
20 per cent. nitrogen.
Nitrate of soda, containing about 10 per
cent. of nitrogen.
Dried blood, averaging u to 10 per cent.
nitrogen.
Cotton seed meal, containing about per
nitrogen.
ECastor pomice, containing about per
cent. nitragen.
Fish scrap, about per cent. nitrogen.
Tankage, about 6 per cent
Stable manure, about one-half of l per
cent.
Besides these substance pure, finely
ground bone yields 81 TO ~ per cent nitro
gen, but bone is valued still more for the
phosphoric acid.
Nitrate of potash is another material rich
in nitrogen, but the great demand that ex-
lists for 1t for the purpose OF making gun
powder renders it too costly for use as fer
tilizer. 1t contains about 13 per cent nitro
gen.
Cotton seed meal, or the seed, is The chief
source of nitrogen in the south.
Though a good article of stable manure
contains only about 10 pounds of nitrogen
in the ton it is still, considering the price, a
valuable source of nitrogen; but there is
hardly farmer who makes enough Of it to
supply fraction Of the nitrogen that he can
use to advantage.
One other source of nitrogen in the
south exists in our field peas, good crop of
which given to the soil restores a considers a.
bic quantity of nitrogen tot
Soils that have grown crop of Bermuda
or johnson grass for a number of years ac-
cumulate good supply of nitrogen. Land
that IS kept shaded, especially during the
heat OF summer, increases greatly its supply
Of available nitrogen, but simply through
the influence of shade on nitrification. By
this process no additional nitrogen is added
TO the soil, but merely converts what is al
ready IN it into form available for imme-
date use.