The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-06-07
FERTILIZERS.
Comparative Value of Barn Manures,
Green Manures and Commercial
Fertilizers.

The Missouri station has been testing,
for three years. the use of commercial
fertilizers on wheat, in comparison with
barn manures and green manuring. The
manures and fertilizers were all applied
in the fall of 1898. and none have been
applied since and the effects of the
commercial fertilizers the third year after
their application are a little remarkable
Thirty-three tons barn manure per acre
gave an increase of nine bushels the first
year. five the second. and 1872 the third
total ISL.
A mixture of $50 pounds nitrate of soda.
$50 pounds muriate of potash. and $50
bounds dissolved comeback gave an in
crease of ii bushels the first year, loss
gain of eight and one-hGlf the third
net total gain. IS bushels per acre.
Doubling the quantity of this fertilizer
per acre gave total increase of .
bushels for the three years. and three
times the first dose gave a total increase
OF 80 bushels for the three years.
A mixture OF 80 pounds nitrate of soda,
150 of muriate Of potash and 400 pounds
of raw bone meal gave an increase of Is
bushels the first year. four and one-half
4 econd and l41s the third-S4 Doub-
ling this dose on another plat gave
total increase of 20 bushels per acre for
the three years over plats not fortified.
Fifty bushels Of lime per acre gave no
increase over unfertilized plats. No APP
plication of a single ingredient proved
profitable nor did any mixture of only
two.
The best commercial fertilizer for wheat
in that soil seems to be q complete mix
ture of all three elements in which the
phosphate has the slowly soluble form
of bone meal
But experiments at the station Indicate
that. save IN exceptional cases. the best
and cheapest means of renewing and pre-
serving the fertility of Missouri farms.
IS the careful saving and applying of
animal manures and blowing under crops
of COW peas and clover. Cow peas are
advised for the extreme southern part
of the state only. and crimson clover
seems TO be limited to that section also
by climatic conditions. The Whippoor-
VIII variety is best adapted to that lati-
tude.
The common idea that renovating crops
must be turned under while green. is a
gross error. The contrary is true. The
term green manuring IS unfortunate
The Delaware station found that the
fertiiizing value of crop of red clover
roots and tops. at different stages of its
five inches high, S2l.9t: May y. plants
y inches high. S5i.6i: May "a, plants in
bloom, sizes; May 81. plants fully ma
tured 1885
sExcent in cases where the land is very
poor and in need of immediate applica-
ton OF humus and fertilizer. ii Is more
economical TO pasture off such crops. or
cut and feed them and apply the result
ing manure The great advantage of
the COW pea is il will make a heavy
growth on land too poor 10 produce red
clover.
For fertilizing purposes. ten tons Of
average barn yard manure are worth
roots, $3.50: an acre of red clover. tops
and roots, 1854: on acre of crimson
clover, tops and roots. S'7.6o.
The superiority of barn manure and
renovating crops over commercial fer
tilizers. lies mostly in the large quantities
of vegetable matter. called humus. which
much Importance as are nitrogen, phos-
phOric acid and potash. Humus l0osens
up stiff clays. compacts loose sands. and
makes all soils catch and hold moisture
and heat-two OF the most necessary
things to thrifty plant growth.
The fertilizing value Of animal manures
depends much on the kind and age of the
animal, and on the kind of food given. {
Young growing animals store in their !
bodies more of the fertilizing elements OF
their food than mature animals. and milk
cows convert much of theirs into milk /
Growing animals and milk cows give back /
in their manure only one-half to three J
fourths OF the fertilizing elements of the /
food eaten; while fattening and work I
animals give back nine-tenths or more
Poultry manure is most valua bile. sheep |
manure next. horse manure third. hog |
manure fourth. and that from cattle |
fifth. Manure from sheep. poultry and 1
horses is liable to lose much of its nitro {
gen in the form of ammonia by ferment-
ing. strong odor tells when this is I
taking place. A remedy is close tramping /
viii often arrest such loss But do not I
apply enough to leach and run off. I
Manure should always be sheltered from 4
sun and rain.
The fertilizing elements in a ton of I
feed stuffs are worth. for the various /
feeds, as follows: Cotton seed meal. s26: I
linSeed meal. S19 70. gluten meal. $i5.35. I
wheat bran. 81, 50: red clover hay. $50; !
alfalfa hay. $50: wheat $50: oats. $50:
corn meal. $50: timothy hay. $50; wheat !
straw. S2.45; skim milk. 81; corn ensilege.
81 30: turnips. S1.05
Taking the average number of pounds
of solids and liquid manure produced in
fsfr-r
etc. and multiplying these by the num-
Der of these animals returned 10 the as
SCISSOR. and figuring out the market value
of the nitrogen, phosphoric acid and
potash contained in them all. II is found
that the farm manures Of the Cnited
States are worth o-rer t=ro billions Of dol
lars year. and those in the state of
Missouri are woi IN at least Sl51.no0 600
Il is safe TO say that fully one-half of
the total is lost by wastage- This is an