The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1891-10-16
THE AGRICULTURAL WORLD.
INTERESTING SUBJECTS FOR
THE INTELLIGENT FARMER.
Something About Artificial. FERTILE
ers--POints Of Good Dairy
CoW--Red Water--Land too
Rich for StraWber-
ries.
Something About Artificial Fertir1z-

| SOI10t1ln8 ABOUT AftlIlClal r 0ftlIIz-
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 notification, 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 a 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 go no
farther in quest of fertilizer. But it is
rare manure heat that has not lost,
in one way or another, some part of
its most important elements. 1t is
amazing, considering how dependent
the farmer is upon 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 a soil that has
been long under cultivation can be
maintained in a high state of fertility
ON barnyard manure alone. Artificial
manures are needed to supply the nee
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 procurable 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 agricultural value
OF the ingredients, has been thorough
ly demonstrated; for many humbugs
and extortions have been exposed by
them, and no purchaser who will keep
himself informed on the subject need
be deceived into buying q worthless
fertilizer" at a high-or any-price.
But in the application of these fer
tilizers the farmer must find out for
himself by experiment what his soil
lacks. Soil analyses are often mis-
leading, and it is much better to ap-
ply different fertilizers to a number of
plots and note their effects. In this
way every farm may become an Eek
pertinent station" to the great ad-
vantage of the owner.
Washing Butter in the Churn.
The churn is stopped when the but
ter is in granules, about the siza of
wheat kernels, and has come to the
top of the buttermilk, shining sweet
and golden through its white covering.
The buttermilk is then drawn off into
pail. which has wire sieve set into
it. When the butter granules begin to
run into the sieve, cold water is
thrown into the churn upon the but
ter, the cover put on and the churn
revolved from one to three times, &C
cording tc the temperature Of the
water, as do not wish to have the
butter gather until it is thoroughly
washed and sailed. Sometimes-not
often-the butter will seem to hang In
the buttermilk, will not rise to the
top, and hardly any buttermilk can
be drawn off; then a pailful of cold
water should be added, the churn re-
volved a few times, and the butter
milk can be drawn off as before. The
butter should not be handled in any
way either with the hand or ladle dur
ingthe washing or sailing, as it cannot
be done without gathering more or
less, and it is very necessary that
each granule should be distinct until
it receives it's seasoning of salt. Sim
ply pour in the water, revolve the
| churn a few times, draw off the water,