Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1894-02-20
FERTILIZER TALK.

| AtA meeting OF the Boston AAtket
Gardener Association, held January
18th, Mr.. VIM. n. Bowker. Of the bow
her Fertilizer Company, gave talk on
plant growth as Influenced by fertilizers.
"The plant" ssh he, "is living
thing and needs food; the coll IL dead
and serves only 80 . support Tor The
roots Of the plant aud receptacie Tor
plant food. We must feed the plant
wiih such materials a. Its growth de-
mands, u the soll does not slrrady con-
tain them.
Our garden vegetables are nearly all
of them abnormal productions, the re
sult Of high feeding aud repeated se-
lection Of seeds. The cabbage In lis
Wild state produces no head; the hard,
compact head IL the result Of culture
and selection Of seed. The potato In its
Wild state produces tubers about AZ large
u cherries and almost worthless Tor
food. The highly valued snd excellent
tubers nov In our markets are the dlr~ct
result of oug-continued culture and
selection Of secd. II Was his belief that
any Of the present varieties of Negets-
bles could be greatly Improved bs the
judicloas use Of the right Kind of fertil-
ifers.
Another Important item In market
gardening IL esriiness of the crop. a
crop ~ill not come early without being
supplied constantly With all the food "
r,auirvs In q soluble form ready for im-
mediate u.e. For thl. purpose he be-
liev,d that chemical fertilizers have q
great advantage, unless Immense Sppll-
cations of stable manure can be made.
IL wss the opinion of such authority
ss Dr. Go..mann that plenty of suitable
nourishmeut enable. vegetables to out.
grow aud resist diseases cAnsed by fungi
and insects.
Another advantage 81 abundant feed
Ing IL Ia be found In the quality aud
TENDERNESS. Of the vegetable. Especially
!. this tn be noticed In the salad plants,
such a. lettuce aud celery. Turnips aud
heets also, to be tender and pslstshle,
should be quickly grown on rich land.
stable manure IL variable 10 value and
richness, according 10 the food the ani.
mails receive and other causes. \ good
average sample of stable manure con-
talns only about twsnty.thr~e Ia twenty
seven pound. of plant food In q ton ~
$40 pounds. The rest is wsier snd
woody fibr, ~ the straw, valuable Tor
retaining moisture Ia time of drought,
but not plant food. properly so called.
Msuur. u composed of nearly the right
form of plant food Tor producing good
results, snd Vet .ome 10 th. most pro-
grr.siye gardeners d.clarr that th-S csn
pfo.lucr t.,tsr straw h-rti-- frum y
cb-mical fertilizer con',inins plenty ~
puta.h; tobsc,'o la particular rsnnm To-
grosn of -o fine sguslity OF l-.f Tor
~rspp-r- of cigar. by msnar~ slon-, ..
r,n BE- done by the JuiIci"us use ~
irtiliI.r-, aud M. t',hsro grosrr. ~.
,.ry psrihulsr not to u.- mari'i- ~
potash. ~hiCh, bo~.,.r. u . good ~
pllcatian Tor cabhsg-.. A.psrsgu.
sro~.rs think they cen get hitter crop.
a sth fewer weeds to contend With nv
u.ing ch-mis.,l msnur.s. t"tsio gr"s-
-r- In tho ri.h -ail. of Ar"o-iook C"un-
~, ssN The potain+s sr- h~ti-r sui m"r-
.i,und.ni f"r sn application of ton Ter
,,ie ur mote ~ .I'ci'l irrilli,"r.
Another advantage ~ ch"mic.l
m uur-- l. th. 80. " iih ~hi'h They ms'
-. sppli.,i fur . top dr---ing of groS ing
crop. "r gra.., ahile m,nur'. Ia pre-.
,iure ih. bs.t .f'.ci., sh"uld bs plo~ri
,,r n ,rros s,i Int" the l,nd."
Mr. Bo~kcr suggested that expert
m.nt. .hould b. mat. in improving
vegetable. BY our station. by prop-f
f.eiing. Tob,co and corn are ~ell
know to be improved In quality ny judi.
chou. frr,iiug.