The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1895-01-17

then mix with the dirt. Moisten with
water lightly and mix thoroughly. Put
in heap in dry place. Three weeks
before needed pulverize thoroughly and
scatter in guano distributor. Good
muck is best for the body Of the guano,
but any earth that is free from gravel
will answer.
The above is very high grade fertl-
izer. Lessen the quantity if you wish
lower grade. This formula will cost
less than $500"
This is evidently gotten up by some
one ignorant of the laws of chemistry,
and not familiar with the materials
named in the formula. To explain this
a short description may be necessary.
Ammonia is gas, and if put into
fertilizer without an acid to fix it, only
a small portion of it will remain If
sulphate Of ammonia is intended, the
lime will take up the sulphuric anhyd-
ride of the Sulphate and drive out the
Ammonia. Pure phosphoric acid is too
expensive an article to use in a fertili-
ger. This is probably intended for acid
phosphate of lime, or ''acid phosphate"
as it is usually called.
Nitrate of potassium and salt petre
are the same thing. Sulphur is not a
plant food. 1t may be added as an in
secticide. Potash. like phosphoric acid,
is too expensive and also too caustic to
use in an uncombined fQgm. Kainit or
muriate of potash was probably ir&end-
ed. If in every ton the constructor Of
the formula wished to secure: pounds
ammonia, you could use 30 pounds sui
plate of ammonia; 9 pounds phosphoric
acid, you could use 20 pounds phosphate
acid; Is pounds nitrate of potassium,
you could use Is pounds nitrate of po-
tassium; 10 pounds potash, you could
use so pounds kainit; so pounds lime,
you could use 100 pounds carbonate of
lime; 100 pounds ashes, you could use
100 pounds ashes; dirt q. S. to make
ton, you could use 1865 pounds dirt
enough to make TOM
The formula is cheap simply because
it is SO weak. Put up as suggested, so
that you will not lose the virtues of part
of it, the formula will only give you
goods with
Ammonia, 1-2 of per cent.
Phosphorio acid, Is of per cent.
Potash, 2 per cent.
Lime, 1-2 per cent.
1t lie incorrectly called a guano and
high grade fertilizer by the seller of the
formula. 1t is simply a compost.
The suggestion to use good muck in
place of the dirt is good one. If you
will write what material you have ac-
| cessible or wish to use, formula can
be readily constructed for their success
full use
To purchase such formula as the one
you send is waste of money The de-
partment of agriculture is always glad
to furnish formulas free OF cost for any
| intelligent line of fertilization. There
are q number of ammoniates which can
be used, and their selection depends
both upon the ease of securing them
and the crop for which they are in.
tended The following are the most
frequently used: Cottonseed meal,
blood, tankage, sulphate Of ammonia,
nitrate of soda and fishscrap. Phos.
phoric acid is usually furnished by acid
phosphate, and potash by kainit or mu.
| riate of potash
The compost heap becomes more and
more valuable and profitable as acces-
sible fertiliZing material is best taken
advantage of. This will vary upon
each farm according to the conditions
surrounding it, and convenient local
material which can be rendered avail
able as plant food
1t is we'll to remember that a cheap
fertilizer may prove to be very profit
| able experiment. or very improbable
one, depending largely upon whether
you have obtained lot of actual plant
food cheaply or whether you have So
cured a material which seems low priced
when its weight is considered, but ID
yet very high priced when its small con-
tent of plant food is estimated.
Respectfully,
GEORGE +. PAYNE,
State Chemist.