The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-04-23
Different Soils Require Different Fer
tilizers

A recent bulletin of the Mississippi Ex-
pertinent station says: For soils contain
ing an abundance OF lime, but little phos-
phoric acid is needed, while potash in
some form has always Invariably given
good results. The three forms of potash
fertilizers now most common in the mar
ket are kainit, muriate of potash and
| null ashes. The sta ion has used each of
these continuously, aLd fer ali ordinary
crops there seems to lie but little di err
ence in the value of the same amount of
potash from either. Kainit usually con
talns about Il per cent. of potash, muriaLe
ABOUT 80 and hull ashes about
20. With these proportions, 400
pounds of kainit contains the same
amount OF potash as is found in SO pounds
of muriaJe, or in 240 pounds of hull ashes.
In other words, If the kainit is worth Sl5
per ton, then the muriate will be worth
$3.50, and the huh ashes S25 Which
should De purchased will depend on the
| local selling price of each. 1t should be
noted, however that hull ashes, in addi-
ton TO the 20 per cent. of potash, contains
about per cent of phospr Oric acid
which gives them an additional value of
about 50 per ton for use where phos-
pnoric acid is needed At the prices for
which these materials have been sold for
the last three years hull ashes has been
the cheapest form in which potash could
be purchased, but at present the prices
OF both hull ashes and KANT are increas-
ing, while muriate of potash is sold for
much less than was its price a few years
ago.
Where phosphoric acid is needed, as it
is in inConsderable Quantities on all soils
not rich in lime, and to less degree on
lime soils, acid phosphateis undoubtedly
the cheapest and best form in which it
can be obtained. The fertilizer values of
the different brands of acid phosphate
vary with the amount of water and CT
trate soluble phosphOric acid which they
contain, those having the larger proper
tons of these being the more prompt in
their action, and more expensive to pur-
chase. We have found it more profitable
to use the more soluble forms on early
maturing crops like grain and corn,
while for cotton, which continues to
grow until killed by frost, the less soluble
and less expensive grades have given
equally good results.
When both hull ashes and phosphoric
acid are to be used on the same field, they
should never be applied at the same time
as if mixed while fresh, the ashes render
the phosphoric acid insOluble and unavail-
able for Immediate use by the plant,
though kainit and acid phosphate may be
mixed without injury to the latter.
Potash fertilizers being more easily
soluble than the phosphates, we have
found it better TO apply the phOsphates
from one to two weeks before using the
potash. When large amounts OF tertil-
ilers have been used we have found it
more profitable to apply them broadcast
before planting, but where the applica-
tion is small, 800 pounds or less per acre,
we have found it better to put it in the
running a bull tongue" plow along the
rows before planting. When using both
phosphate and Potash fertilizers, we have
found it better to apply the phosphate be-
fore planting, and the potash at the first
cultivation.
When u soil is rich in humus it is
seldom necessary to make any further
application Of heterogeneous fertilizers, and
as all nlCrogenous fertilizers are very
quickly soluble, and are soon los to the
soil by both teaching and volatilizing
they should never be used until the crop
has made considerable growth. Cotton
seed meal and nitrate of soda are the
best forms in which nitrogen can be pur-
chased and for general use the meal is
preferable. AS heterogeneous fertilizers
have a much greater effect upon the
growth Of the plant than upon the pro-
duction of fruit, they are not needed on
soils which will produce a satisfactory
growth of stalk, but may be used to great
advantage where the plant growth is
weak and small.
In brief: the first essential in fertiliz-
ing land is to secure and maintain an
abundant supply OF humus in all soils by
the use of leguminOus plants; on soils
which are rich IN lime use potash freely
with but little phosphoric acid on soils
which are POOR in lime, use phosphate
fertilizers freely, with but little potash /;
and use heterogeneous fertilizers only where
humus is deficient and plant growth is
weak