The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-08-24
now TO Use mineral Mnnures.

There Is, says the American Cultivator.
wide diversit, OF opinion among farmers
as to the profit in using commercial fertil-
izers, most of which are mineral This diff
ference in opinion as to value being based
on experience shows that It is mainly a
question of how mineral manures are used.
Those who apply mineral manures TO grow
grain crops without seeding either to
clover or grass, find that while the grain
crop may temporarily be profitable, It leads
to such deterioration of soil fertility that
the land becomes too poor for any profit
able use. But when these mineral fertil-
izers are applied in connection with sta
bic manures, and are made to grow reno
waiting crops the result is not only an i'm
mediate profit in their use. but such in
crease Of fertility that farming becomes
more profitable than before
1t is not at all strange that in the early
history of farming In this country mineral
manures We're little used. On the newly
cleared lands, often burned over as the
wood was cut down, there was for a num-
Der of years an excess Of potash which
made application Of this mineral unneces-
sary. 1t is known that potash on the soll
Is solvent and therefore where the ash
es of the original forest were spread there
was sure to be for number of years
TO make good crops of hay and grain. The
large amount Of vegetable matter that
newly cleared land always contains also
in Its decay filled the soil with carbonic
acid gas. This still further increased the
sOlubility and availability Of what mineral
plant food the soil contained. But as Gull
tivatlon opened the soil to air It decom-
posed the vegetable matter, so that there
was not enough Of II in contact with the
soil to make Its mineral fertility available.
Then came an era of poor crops and the
necessity of resorting TO clover and miner
al fertilizers.
These should always go together. Each
supplements the other. If there had never
been a phosphate or mineral fertilizer pUr-
chased except TO grow clover with It Is
certain that such purchases being made
profitable must largely increase. 1t is a
mistake to suppose that mineral fertiliz-
ers act only as stimulants. They will
indeed enable poor soil to grow grain crops
for a few years, but 1T Is by furnishing
the kind and amount of mineral plant
that the grain crop needs. There can be
no such thing as stimulation in feeding
plants. What we recognize as stimulation
has its effect on nerves, and plants are
destitute of these. The plant can only
be made to grow rapidly by being feG
with nutrition in it's most available form
This is an advantage rather than other
wise to the farmer. The fertility of the
soil unused is so much dead capital II
farmers could always get returns In the
next crop for the plant food they furnish
the business of farming would be mIcn
safer than 1t is. The amount of unpro>
ductlve capital locked up in fertility that
is not available Is enormous on every
farm.
To a considerable extent this cannot be
avoided. Stable manures must decompose
hafr fhafr farffItfxr cop he
with composted manure two and even
three years are required before the effects
of a dressing are exhausted Most OF the
commercial fertilizers are quick acting.
Their value is largely for the first crop.
When these commercial fertilizers are ap-
pded with stable manure, they hasten
the action Of that also p is also fact
that the stable manure makes the COM
mercial fertilizer, especially If mineral,
more permanent than II would otherwise
be. BY itself the mineral fertilizer tends to
revert or become insoluble Combined with
stable manure the mineral continues to
be in condition to be taken up by the
roots of plants
One class Of mineral fertilizer is more
effective than any other, especially where
quick growth is desired. This is nitrate Of
soda, which is now very largely used by
market gardeners for starting early crops
in the spring. Combined with stable ma
nure it hastens its decomposition so that
more of its value can be utilized the same
season. 1t Is too expensive manure TO
be used on ordinary farm crops except in
small amounts to give crops an early start.
We think it can also be used with adVan-
tage whenever clover seed Is sOwn with
grain. 1t is true the clover itself will
secure nitrogen from the air in the soil
through its roots But this does not oc-
cur until the plant has made a considera-
BILE growth The clover needs the nitrate
at first to give It a start 50 that It can
sooner begin its work OF decomposing air
In the soil. All farmers know the great
advantage Of a top dressing OF stable ma
nure In giving clover vigorous start. II
Is reasonable to suppose that nitrates APP
Piled early In the spring, 50 as TO be I'M
medsately effective. will be no less bene-
fetal.