The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-09-26
Making Mineral Msnures Paw.

Most, II not all, the mistakes made in
using mineral fertilizers come from regard
ing them as substitutes for rather than as
supplementary to other mauures, saws the
american Cttltiuatcr. This ia esDeciallv
true in grain-growiDg localities. The farmer
VINO found that western and other comDeti-
ton had reduced grain prices below the
paving price for him was obliged to
economic in grain production IL may
| sound strange to say 1t, but 1t is
true that 10 small grain growing economy
was to be found in substituting the new
commercial fertilizers for the old stable
manure made by keeping and fattening
| stock. IL was found by experiment that 200
or 500 pounds of phosphate and potash,
with perhaps trifle Of nitrogen, made as
good grain crops as did large amounts of
stable manure, whose cost was increased
by the labor of dra wing and spreading
upon the land. Often the handling of the
stable manure exceeded the cost of the com-
mercial fertilizer, and the slight expense OF
applying it 60 the land
But while the mineral fertilizer made az
good crops for q few years as did the stable
Ia azure, 1t was indirectly the means Of
robbng the soil 1t induced excessive crop
ping and frequent blowing. Keeping the
land naked, except when covered by grain
crops. vegetable matter in the soil was rap
idly exhausted. AS vegetable matter de-
creased, mineral manures became inert and
failed to produce good results, the soil hard.
enlng so that the roots of crops do not
easily penetrate 1t. The consequence is
seen on many farms thus foolishly managed
that as their owners neighbors say, have
been phosphated until they are too poor to
grow good crops.n To certain extent this
saying is a true one.
To affirm after this, as we do, that the
r Nf ra1 J., II
may seem to some a contradiction of their
own experience. But they have not used
commercial fertilizers as they should IL is
not bad rule to look for money where you
lost it, provided you do it under new and
wiser conditions. In the first place. the
man who lost money using commercial
manure, probably about the time he began
such use began also to keep less stock 1t
does not pay to compete with the west in
stock growing. He could do 1t better In
growing grain. This was mistake No. l.
The second mistake was very like it. Not
having so much stock, there was less use for
clover on the farm. Glover was always
lower in price than timothy. Besides.
timothy seed is cheaper, so that was sown
instead, and usually, in default OF stock to
feed it to, good deal of timothy hay was
sold. The farmer seemed 70 be getting
along swimmingly. Well he might; be was
swimming, or rather floating, down stream,
and that is not at all difficult When the
awakening came capital had been so ex-
hausted that the farm was abandoned for
lack of those who could afford TO work it.
This, IN hundreds of cases, was the origin
OF abandoned farms. The way to restore
them is, we believe, to judiciousy combine
the commercial fertilizers with clover, and
keep as much, and, of course, as good stock
as possible.
Green crops do not pay as they once did,
but even at low prices they pay better with
commercial fertilizers than they possibly
can without. But with the grain must al
ways be sown clover seed, and ali the
manure the place can make must be used as
tcp-dressing on the grain, mainly to make
the clover grow. 1t will depend much on
tho original fertility OF the soil no soon
fertility can be restored. IL the soil is
naturally light and thin, restoration will be
slow. II naturally good it is more likely
than not that considerable fertility remains,
but not in available condition. II is one of
natures means Of preventing shiftless and
skinfinU farmers from robhing her until she
is emit ely naked. But nature responds to
restoration even more readily than he re-
sists depletion. Try to reverse the old proc
ress. Use commercial fertilizers more even
than before, as you can well afford to do
when you use them wisely, and by these
means the abandoned farms may be re-
stored to use and be even more produ tive
than they were in their earlier days Of fruit
fullness