The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1895-11-16
FARMER AND PLANTER.
FEEo,ho THE SOIL.

Since the introduction Of commercial
Fertilizers there has existed In inc
minds of many farmers . doubt as 10
the value of q cord OF stable manures
when compared with the market price |
OF commercial fertilizers, and farmers
differ widely on this subject; while
one believes stable manure to be worth |
eight dollars per cord, another does not
believe it worth half that sum, and
will buy commercial fertilizers in pref.
erence. even when he can by the ma
nure at four dollars per cord.
Why this difference of opinion9 BE-
cause there is a great difference in the
action of commercial fertilizers and
stable manure that is too often over
looked. The moment the farmer COM
mences to use concentrated fertilizers
that moment he has entered upon
work that requires a higher intein'
gence to enable him to use it to the
best advantage than it does to use sta
bic manure. There are SO many var1a-
ttons to be considered in using COM
mercial fertilizers that without intel.
lgent application the result will
be entirely uncertain. In the
first place, commercial fert1tisers
are in a concentrated form and
of which are very quick acting and
others very slow, some OF which are
soluble in water, some are not In the
second pla ce, there is a great differ
ence in the composition of these fer
tilizers; one may be made up with q
large percentage of potash and q small
percentage of nitrogen; another may
have a small percentage of potash and
. largo percentage Of nitrogen, ana
still another may have a large per"
centage of phosplloric acid with a
very small percentage OF either nitro
gen or potash; and, finally q fertilizer
may be made SO as to contain large
percentage of both phosphoric acid
and nitrogen, but both SO locked up
with other materials that the plants
will be able to get but small portions
of them for several years after the Ter
tilizcr has been applied.
Thus it will be seen how important
it is that, whatever fertilizers are to be
applied, in buying them enough intel
ligence should be 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 q
| form to be available for plant.food Mt
| the time they may be wanted by the
growing crop. 1fa crop of Indian corn
is to be grown without anything but
| com mercial fertilizers it would not
| be wise to buy all superph osphate.
because the plant-food in it. being sol
| uble in water. it would be Immediate
| ly available for plant-food and ii
| would form q growth OF leaves and
| stalks in the first part of the season al
the expense of the grain at the last
part; but if ground bone and muriate
of potash be applied, two parts of the
| former to one of the latter. a 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, tn,
| farmer docs not have to exercise S.
much Judgment because the manur'
contains the different elements o
plent-food in fair proportions, ant
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 thu
| crop may need it, providing the sea
son be good one, and a sufficient
quantity Of manure be applied. Blu
| there is another difference between
commercial fertilizers and stable ma
hure that is very often overlooked, We
it is of very great Importance; tina
is, it's action on the soil while in thu
process of decomposition; it gcnerate
large amount of carbonic acid gas
this, or some other substance that il
liberated during the progress of dc
composition, no donbt acts on the sol
to an extent that liberates cons;dera
BILE quantities of plant food that be
lore had been locked up in the soil, 81
that, although cord of manure con
tains nitrogen, phQsphoric acid an
potash worth less than three dollars
the action of the manure on the sol
liEeratcs from it enough more OF tn
elements to ms Ike it worth on man
soils at least. twice three dol
lars; but there are some soil
that have been SO dccompose
that they have become so deficient il
both phosp heric acid and potash tina
whatever may be applied to them bu
little more can be extracted; on sncl
soils concentrated fertilizers can b
applied with more profit than bar
ma
Commercial fertilizers are very use
full and may be applied with advan
tagc to many crops, but, as a rule. tn
J common farmer had better use ther
sparingly, in connection with bar
| manure, until he learns the powers {
different qualities and tho wants {
each particular field to be planted an
crop to be grovn.-Southern Farm.