The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-04-18
CONCLUDED FROM PAGE II

is most commonly placed on the mar
ket are acid phosphate, dissolved bone,
hone meal and bone black. The cher
point to be borne in mind in supplying
phosphoric acid is to present 1t to the
pIant in an available form, the source
from which it is derived being rather
of secondary Importance.
Potash is supplied through the me-
dunn of potash salts, the most common
of which are sulphate of potash, murl'
ate of potash, magnesia and kaInlt. All
of these forms contain potash in a read
iIv available condition an important
noint to be borne in mind in spplylng
potash is that upon certain plants TO
becco sulphate of potash has been
found to be the most suitable, as it pro.
duces a better quality Of crop.
Before passing to the subject OF
stimulant fertilizers, it might be we'll
to mention that the best way to use the
three forms of plant food referred to Is
to apply the phosphoric acid and pot
ash together some weeks before plant
ing time, and the heterogeneous material
Gin case green manure is not resorted
tor as top dressing after the seed IS
sown. The two first mentioned ele
ments will then have had time to pass
into solution.
A stimulant, or indirect fertil Ter IL
n which does not furnish any actual
plant food, but makes available by Its
action, the nourishment previously ex
listing in the soil. In other words, the
stimulant fertilizers act upon the soil
much in the same manner that alcohol
acts upon the human system, stimulat
ing it without affording epy nourish
ment. The principal stimulant terti
izers used in agriculture are plaster
lime and salt. Plaster is a compound
which contains sulphRte Of lime and Is
frequently though not wisely EN-
ployed. The lime in plaster is not a
very active form and therefore rather
Indifferent in it's action. As most soils
contain sufficient lime to serve as plant
food proper, the real object In making
an application Of this i~ngredien Mt Ls to
correct some physical condition. For
example, a soil may be sour, too heavy
or too light, in any one Of which cases
a dose of lime will be found beneficial
though not in the form of plaster. The
Stacked lime ia more suitable because
il ia stronger in its action. a dose OF
lime about once in five years should be
quite sufficient and will serve its proper
purpose. It is a waste of time and
money to apply salt to the soil.
Farmers sometimes get into a habit
of making applications of these stimu'
liant fertilizers because they get good
results for the first year or two after
using them. The truth Of the matter
is that the continued use Of stimulant
fertilizers will cause the soil to become
exhausted OF its natural supply OF
plant food and the yields will in time
show apropoI tiopate falling off Clover
furnishes an excellent illustration OF
this. for after a number of years oil
cropping, with only plaster as a fertil'
izer, farmers fail to get a "c'tch." In
most cases the cause is due to the de,
pletion of the mineral elements, phos
phoric acid and potash, which the
plaster has released and which has
been removed by the clover.
The Cbject should be in every case tc
build up the fertility of the soil, and
this can be accomplished by the adop
ton of a plan which embodies thor
ough cultivation, suitable rotation (in
Guiding some legume like clover Oh
peas to furnish cheap nitrogen and
judicious application Of phosphoriC
acid aud potash with an %occasiona
dose of Iime.-Geo. Wilson, in Farm
ers' Voice.