The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-05-10
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danger that the substance may be
leached from the soil, especially sandy
soils, before the plant has had time to
make use of it.
Other substances used to supply
nitrogen in manures are ground bones
and tankage. Tankage is q product OF
slaughter houses, and is a mixture of
flesh, bones, blood, etc. 1t is likely to
vary greatly in composition. The
availability Of the nitrogen and phos-
phoric acid which it contains, as we'll
as that in pure bones, depends largely
upoh the fneness to which they r
ground. Unless very finely ground,
the elements of fertility become avail
able only slowly.
In stating the results Of analyses Of
fertilizers, nitrogen is sometimes indi
Gated as pure nitrogen and sometimes
as ammonia. Every IL pounds of am
monia contains IA pounds of nitrogen.
One of the chief sources Of phospho
ric acid for manures in this country
are the rock phosphates Of the south
east United States-Florida, South
Carolina, Tennessee, etc. These rocks
may be used when simply ground to a
fine powder, when the phosphoric acid
ia present in such condition that it be
ONE soluble only by 9 of acids.
They may be used also as acid phos-
phate or superphosphate, in which a
greater part of the phosphoric acid has
been converted into O condition in
which it is soluble in water. This
change is brought about by acting on
the finely ground bone or on rock
phosphate with sulphuric acid. The
phosphoric acid soluble in water be-
comes insoluble in water 500 after it
is applied to the soil. Before doing so,
however, it becomes much more thor
oughly distributed in the soil than it
could by being applied in the insoluble
condition. It all superphosphates a grea-
ter orless proportion Of the phosphoric
acid exists in q condition intermediate
between that which is soluble in water
and that which is soluble only in acids.
When in this condition it is called re-
Verted phosphoric acid, or citrate solu
BILE phosphoric acid. It o becomes
soluble in water after it is applied to
the soil; hence the soluble and reverted
phosphoric acids are often grouped TO-
gether as available" phosphoric acid.
The. insoluble phosphoric acid is
often termed bone phosphate, calcium
phosphate Dr. phosphate of lime, by
manufacturers of fertilizers, but all of
these terms are used for purposes Of
deception. 1t takes two and q quarter
pounds Of this form to equal one pound
OF phosporic acid.
Aside from phosphate rock, fertilizer
factories derive phosphoric acid from
bone ash, bone black, ground bones,
tankage and cotton seed hull ashes.
These ashes are also rich in potash,
containing % to 25 pounds potash in
every 100 pounds Of ashes. Common
hardwood ashes contain 5 or 6 pounds
% or 6 per cent } potash in every leo
pounds of ashes, and 2 per cent. of
phosphoric acid q pounds per 100.
Such ashes are more than half lime.
But most of the potash used in the
manufacture of commercial fertiljze rs
comes from the potash mines in Ger
many in the form of muriate, sulphate
or kainit. The sulphate Of potash is
most costly, but is best for potatoes
and tobacco. The muriate is the cheap,
est form. Kainst contains only about
10 pounds Of potash in each 100, hence
requires the handling of heavy mate.
rial to get a little potash; but its salts
and gypsum 7 thought to be fatal to
many insects.
Generally the farmer should haul
out his barn manure as fast as it il
made and apply it to his most badly
worn soil. Then if more fertilizers are
needed, buy acid phosphate and muri
ate OF potash and-apply these to a crop
of clover, cowpeas, Canada peas, vel
vet beans, vetches or some other leg
luminous (pod bearing) crop. If such
crop makes good hay (and most OF
them do), cut it with a high stubble,
thus leaving the roots and ftubble tc
enrich the land with nitrogen and
humus. Otherwise, turn the whole
crop under.
It is important to have the field GOV.
cred during late fall, winter and early
spring with vetches, crimson clover,
rye or barley, to prevent rains and
now waters from teaching the soluble
nitrogen and phosphoric acid out of the
soil.
Follow a judicious system of rotation
in whic meas and cln- g. will often