St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1895-11-30
! FARMER AND PLANTER.
FEEDING THE SOIL
Commercial Fertilizers Vs. Stable MA
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fEEOtNG tHe SOiA-
Commercial Fertilizers Vs. Stable MA
nure.
Since the introduction of commercial
fertilizers, there has existed in the
minds OF many farmers doubt as to
the value of "a cord Of stable manure
when compared with the market price
OF commercial fertilizers. and farmers
differ widely on this subject: while
one believes stable manuKe to lie worth
eight dollars per cord. another does not
believe it worth half that sum. and
Will buy commercial fertilizers i'll pref
ercnce. even when he can by the ma
nure at four dollars per cord.
Why this difference of opinion? Be-
cause there is great difference in the
action OF commercial fertilizers and
stable manure that is tho often over
looked. The moment the farmer CON-
mences to use concentrated fertilizers
that moment he has entered upon
work that requires a higher inteih-
gence to enable him TO use 1t to inc
best advantage than it does to use sta
bic manure. There are so many var'a-
tions to be considered in using COM
mercial fertilizers that without intel
ligent application the result Will
be entirely uncertain. In the
first place. commercial fertilizers
are in a concentrated form ana
are made mp of materials. some
of which are very quick acting and
Others very slow. Some OF which are
soluble in water, some are not In the
second place. there is great differ
cnce in the composition of these fer
tilizers; one may he made mp with a
large percentage of potash and n small
percentage of nitrogen: another may
have a small percentage of potash and
. large percentage uf nitrogen. and
still another may have a large per-
centage Of phosphoric acid with
very small percentage of either nitro
gen or potash: and, finally fertilizer
may be made SO as to contain large
percentage of both phosrhoric acid
and nitrogen, but both so locked up
with other materials that the plants
will he able to get but small portions
of them for several years after the fer
tilizer has been applied.
Thus it will be seen how important
it is that. whatever fertilizers are tn be
applied. in buying them enough intel
ligence should lie used to ascertain not
only whether they contain phosphoric
acid. potash and nitrogen in proper
proportions needed for the particular
crops to be grown. but also to ascer-
tain whether these substances are in u
form to be available for plant-focd at
the time they may be wanted by the
growing crop II a crop of Indian corn
is to be grown without anything but
commercial fertilizers IL would not
be wise to buy all superphosphate.
because the plant-fOod in it. being sol
uble IN water, it would be Immediate
ly available for plant-food and it
would form . growth of leaves and
stalks in the first part of the season Ut
the expense Of the grain at the last
part; but il ground bone and muriatc
OF potash be applied, two parts of the
former to one of the latter. more
equal growth would be obtained, be-
cause the ground bone would slowly
advance the plant-food, and at the time
wanted by the growing grain would be
In good condition to furnish Just what
the crop would need.
When stable manure is applied. the
farmer does not have to exercise SD
much judgment because the manure
contains the different elements of
plant-food In fair proportions, and
while some Of it is Immediately avail
able for plant-food, much Of it is not;
but it advances and furnishes plant
food though the growing season as the
crop may need 1t, providing the sea
sou he good one, and sufficient
quantity Of manure he applied. But
there is another difference between
commercial fertilizers and stable ma
nure that is very often overlooked. vet
it is Of very great Importance; that
is, it's action on the soil while in the
process of decomposition: it generates
large amount Of carbOnic acid gas:
this, or some other substance that Is
liberated during the progress OF de-
composition, nodonbt acts on the soil
to an extent that liberates considera-
ble quantities Of plant food that be-
IOTc uuu OcCu loChcu u III tuc Soit. 81
that, although q cord Of manure con-
tains nitrogen. phosphOric acid and
potash worth less than three dollars.
the action Of the manure on the soil
Iiberates from i. enough more OF the
elements to ms Ne il worth on many
soils at leas; twice three dol
lars: but the.e are some soils
that have b.sen SO decomposed
that they have become so deficient in
both phospheric acid and potash that
whatever may be applied to them but
little more can be extracted; on such
soils concentrated fertilizers can be
applied with more profit than barn
manure.
Commercial fertilizers are very use
full and may be applied with advan-
tage to many crops, but. as rule, the
common farmer had better use them
sparingly, in connection with barn
manure, until he learns the powers o.
different qualities and the wants OF
each particular field to he planted and