The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1891-07-10
Commercial Fertilizers for Potatoes.

perienco in the potato field, and with
commercial fertilizers, the experience
of friend Smith, backed as it is by the
careful experiments of Lawes and Gil
bert, would be likely to throw him of
his base. We have money that is only
BRINGING US 4 or 5 per cent interest,
Wouldn't we like to invest $40 per acre
In such a way that it would bring us
20 bushels Of potatoes back? Our FIRST
experience with fertilizers was quite a
while ago. wien we grew squashes for
market. By manuring heavily we made
some money out of them. | did not
really like this, as we were robbing
part of the farm to oyerfeed small por.
ton. About this time commercial fer
tilizers began to be talked Of. Greg
orgy's book on squashes advised their
use. Many gardeners reported the best
OF results. | thought that if I could
buy the fertilizer for the squashes and
have all my manure for the farm it
would be wise move. l had perfec!
faith 10 what | read on the subject. So
instead of putting big sh6velful Of
manure into each hill and working it
into the soil thoroughly, | put in the
quantity advised of Mapes' manure for
vines. Everything was done according
to directions but we might as we'll
have put in SO much sand. For the
first time our squashes made a poor
start and we lost a snug little sum to
pay US for the change. | was delighted
when putting on the fertilizer, as it was
SO much easier than putting in stable
manure; but pretty sober when the
vines began to grow, or rather did not
grow.
This experiment suficed for time !;
but in after years we tried fertilizers on
potatoes and also on strawberries. We
went at it systematically. SO as to know
whether there was any money in their
use on our farm. These experiments
were not on few hills of potatoes, but
on rows some 60 rods long, passing
through several kinds of soil. We
tried erphosphates, potash or ashes,
bone meal and Mapes' complete manure
for potatoes. costing some $50 a ton,
We tried small quantities and large, up
to S25 worth per acre. l put it on
myself, with the greatest care. accord
ing to directions, and weighed and
measured with all accuracy possible.
We might as well have put the fertiliz
ers all in a heap in the fence corners
better, for it would have saved time,
There was actually no variations be :
tween different rows, The experiment
was duplicated in different fields that
same year. Results all the same, al
though soma of the land was quite
poor. that is some spots that the rows
passed through, and this was purposely
SO arranged. The rows were marked
by stakes at each eud, and the effect
watched on the following crops in the
rotation, the wheat and clover. There
has never been the slightest shade Of
difference in growth Of any crops to in
dictate that the fertilizer did any good.
The above experiments were made in
the days of hand planting. After the
planter came around the manufacturers
felt certain (they were here in person.
that fertilizers put on with their ma
chine (the seed dropped first and then
a little dirt pulled over it, and then the
fertilizer and then balance of Dirt
would pay. l tried it and staked the
rows, for I was anxious to know. Re-
suit the same as before. Again, after
three or four years, 1 thought perhaps
my land would respond to fertilizers, or
at least ! wanted to know if it would.
That there might be no mistake from
use Of old goods | sent directly to the
manufacturers for sample bags, stating
what they were to be used for. and you
can rest assured they sent me the best
goods they made. Great care was taken.
but with the same results as before.
There was no difference whether 200
pounds per acre were used or a 1000
or more. Now am just as certain that
fertilizers pay my friend Smith, as that
they are of no earthly use to me. And
| am certain that it will be hard for
him and some others to understand
why fertilizers will pay them and not
pay me. ] do not understand it, but |
know the facts. 1t has been said that
fertilizers will not pay on rich land. |
haven't any land SO rich that it will not
show decidedly in the potato crop
whore good stable manure is put. If