Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1895-09-14
SOME FARM TOPICS.
INTERESTING INFORMATION Fur
TILLERs OF THE SOIL.
The Experience of Progressive
Farmer In Fertilizers for Grass
Poultry and AgricuIture-keros
for Lice.


About twenty years ago l came into
possession Of a WORKOUT farm upon
which there were no grass, and TO al
appearance there never would be any
as the ground appeared like "blown
sand" and people said | would starve
there on that sand. However, l went
to work to see what could be done
and for two or three years attempted
to renovate Il by the use of stable
manure without much success, as
got very poor catches" or grass. AFTER
these few years | changed my actcs
and commenced using potash ana bone
ON piece of land of about three acres
for various crops, and for about twelve
years used no stable manure. Ihen !
sowed rye and seeded 10 timothy ana
clover and got fair sod, which l
turned under and gave II heavy
dressing of kainit, using nearly ton
to the acre in connection with $40
pounds of bone to the acre, using also
because had III eight loads OF coarse
yard manure to the acre. After good
preparation of the soil ii WAS planted
In cabbage and the result was an eA-
cellent crop The next season the
same field was planted with potatoes,
fertilized with l,400 pounds Of kainlt
and 500 pounds OF ground bone per
acre. The crop of potatoes was good.
After the potatoes were removed the
field was thoroughly cultivated with
a pillow and harrow. making perfect
seed bed, sowed with rye and seeded
with timothy and clover,
No fertilizer was used on the rye
and grass, but very heavy crop Of
rye was obtained and an excellent
catch of grass, and besides the tim
othy and clover great deal OF herd
came in of itself, and for six years
cut each season two heavy crops OF
hay, besides pasturing Ia the fall and
sometimes In the spring although such
practice is not usually considered Ju-
dicious.
In the spring OF 1898 there was Il
very heavy sod which was turned I'M
der, treated In much the same man
ner as six years before, and again set
with cabbage. which gave good crop.
Again the field was planted with pota-
toes In the spring of 1894, which was
fertilized only with potash and bone.
The potatoes promised we'll until cut
short by exceedingly dry weather, and
although the set was full, the tubers
We're small and the yield about half,
that being the fault OF nothing but
drOuth.
After the crop Of potatoes was on,
the ground was. in August. seeded 20
timothy and clover without grain At
this writing the ground is we'll covered
with a rich growth Of timothy and
clover, with the prospect now that this
field will be good for two heavy crops
of hay each season for the next six
years without any further fertiliZing.
| have also another field Of three
acres. which has only once In twenty
years had any other fertilizer but pot.
ash and bone and seventeen years Of
that time il was occupied by peach
trees. Three years before the peach
tees we.. planted he field was over
grown with running blackberry vines
and very poor, After the peach trees
were removed the field was planted
with corn, IN 1880 and 1891 fertilized
with kainit about oue.half ton per
acre., In 1872 II was treated with
400 pounds Of kainit, go pounds Of
bone and $50 pounds Of nitrate Of soda
per acre, with very light dressing Of
horse manure. The result was a very
heavy crop Of the finest cabbage. In
the spring " 1893 this field was plant
ed with potatoes. which were fertil-
lied with sulphnte Of potash, ltn
pounds per acre. The yield was about
200 bushels Of potatoes, which were
harvested In August and the ground
was Immediately prepared SO as To
make q fine seed bed aud sown with
timothy and clover without grain
II fertilizer. The grass made an excel
lent growth, aud the season Of 1871
from this field two heavy
tapS Of hay, Notwithstanding the very
dry weather
1t will be- seen that for the crops
have not depended on
potash alone. but have combined with
i something containing phosphortc
acid, but for grass alone, and especi.
ally on sandy soils, l would venture to
depend entirely on potash. and that in
the form Of kainit.
Now, the question may arise why I
use so much potash and sd little sta.
bic manure. The reason Is this. sta
BILE or yard manure Is far more OK.
pensiye by half at least, takes more
labor to apply. brings in more weeds
and Is no more lasting Again. where
potash has been literally applied. am
almost absolutely sure OF getting n
good crop of grass. The saying Is that
the proof Of the pudding Is in chew
ing the string" so the proof Of the
benefit Of potash to grass is In using
til. VI. White.