Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1894-09-21
PROFITABLE CROP FEEDING.
Fundamental Principles 1t VIII Pay Every
Reader To Bear In Mind.

Reader To Bear In Nina.
As a rule, it is considered poor policy
10 grow any kind Of crop without
proper feeding. There are cases. how
ever, where the manure supply IS scant
and cannot we'll be replenished. What
shall we do with the amount at our dis
posal? This is problem with many
farmers With view to assist in soly-
ing this problem, T. Greiner has the fol-
lowing to say in his book, Practical
Farm Chemistry"
The same quantity of plant foods
needed for the production OF 30 bushels
of wheat would be sufficient for that OF
l65 bushels Of potatoes or 40 bushels
of corn, 600 bushels Of apples or other
fruits in proportion, or several hundred
bushels of beets or carrots or other veg
etables in proportion. Thus a certain
amount of plant food in the form Of
wheat will give us, say, $25; III the
form of apples, perhaps $3.50; i'll the form
of peaches or Strawberries perhaps $500.
This shows plainly how foolish it would
be TO stint orchard and small fruit patch
|
wheatfield. If we had no fertilizer or
not enough, it will often pay to pur-
chase it for the orchard or strawberry
field, when it would be a matter of
doubt whether we could afford to buy
it for making wheat Of 1t.
Thus in many cases 1T Is with pota-
toes. We might see our way clear to
purchase manure for potato growing and
make it pay, while we could not use II
for wheat production without loss.
Plant foods seldom have greater com
mCrcial value than III the form Of mar
kct garden corps. In this form they car
be expected 20 give Us the highest re-
turns.
Only the florist, the nurseryman anc
the scedgrowor know how TO transform
plant foods into articles Of still greater
commercial value No principle is o
greater importance than this-that ou'
raw materials Of plant food should al
WAYS be used for the manufacture o
those among the crops we grow which
, will bring us the most money.
Another fundamental principle is thi
that the use of complete fertilizers i'll
wolves waste in all cases where tn
soil already contains an abundance o
ono or two Of the chief clements o
: plant food and requires only the sup
= Documentary addition Of the missing ON
a ~ two clements to give u all the re
; suits we could expect from the complet
fertilizer. Another H.nciplc require
the use Of plant foods in most readil
=. available condition for crops that deve
! Oh AID maAuc in short period Thi
: applies especially TO nitrogen and pho'
= phoric acid. Spinach, radishes lettuc
:, and similar crops that come to perte(
ton in a few weeks need soluble foot
r Trees and shrubs can in time utili2
IS plant foods that are not .immediatel
y available. Winter wheat sometimes pre-
f duccs r. good yield on floats as on 81
2 pcrphosphate, etc.
J. OF not less Importance i the observ'
,r tom that a slight excess Of phosphor
N acid tends to hasten tho maturity
10 ally crop. Tor this reason it Is alwa.
- prudent to apply some suporphospha
: 10 a1ous requiring a long season, sue
II as tomatoes. .aeinns, corn etc. As Il
II la.t principle barnyard manure, q
Is though perhaps just what Is want'
o. otherwise, may be Objectionable for &C
re tain crops, such as Strawberries, onion
OF etc.. on account Of the weed seed 1t co
H. tnirl