The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-07-10

10 the test, as we experienced an unptS~
ceGented dry spell all through the spring
and early summer months.
Sometimes our best blessings come to
US in disguise, and if we look upon
drought in that light we may learn very
valuable lessons from The effects on our
crops in demonstra ting the value of the
various fertilizers used. The most impor-
tent problem presented 10 the florida
farmer to-day is the cOnserVa lion OF mos
tUre during a drought. The soil may have
been put in excellent condition by pre-
vious preparation. plant food of certain
kind in the shape of fertilizers may have
been supplied. and yet the crop yield fats
far short Of what it ought TO be, because
this plant food was not of the kind that
helped to conserve the natural moisture
of the soil.
Organic fertilizers of all kinds unless
thoroughly decomposed, tend to dry up the
natural soil moisture. because they re
qure SO much moisture to resolve them
into their component soil particles. and
unless there is a sufficient quantity OF TINS
moisture to complete the nitrifcauon ana
decomposition, the roots of the growing
plants will not get the food necessary for
their support, and the consequence viii be
a complete failure.
1t ought to be the aim of every farmer
and tller of the soil to put his land IN
the best shape possible, SO as to be perv-
ious TO water and afford a reservoir for
it, This, in my opinion, can best be done
by a judicous use of potash salts in all
our farming operations, We must GER
tainly have plenty of decayed organic
matter in our soils to give US good crops
This condition may be brought about
either by green manuring, or the liberal
use of barnyard manure, or composts spe-
cially made for the purpose. And 1t IS
in the proper combination Of these with
mineral fertilizers, particularly potash
salts, that we shall be able to stand a
siege of dry weather best.
This year l planted quite tract in Irish
potatoes, and, to see for myself the diff
ferent effects of the different fertilizers.
l plated them and noted results. Where I
had used barnyard manure exclusively
the vines turned yellow when half grown,
and they were not worth harvesting
Where l had used harnyard manure and
acid phosphate, the yield was little bet
ter. but the vines ali died before they were
fully grown. Barnyard manure and GOD
pounds of Kainit per acre gave me the best
looking vines, and held out until fully ripe;
but the quality of The crop was poor. It
should be noted, however, that during all
the very dry weather the soil that had the
KANT in it kept moist, and at no time
was moist soil more than half an inch
from e. surface. The finest quality of
potatoes was where acid phosphate 600
pounds per acre. and muriate of potash
1850 pounds per acre. were used The yield
was also the best, and the potatoes were
more uniform in size.
Other crops fortified with complete fer
tilizers high in potash analysis did far
better than where the potash was deficient
| This was notably so in the case of a to-
mato fertilizer that I used. The toma-
toes came through the drought unscathed
and are to-day yielding their third crop
of tomatoes.
It has been repeatedly said that the ge-
MUS of investigation has turned the meth
DDS of farming upside down in the last
fifty years No doubt this is perfectly
true, and it is the duty of every progress
sive farmer in the land to investigate
things for himself. and after he gets al re-
suits, let others share in the knowledge
| that he has gained We are all given TO
keeping the results of experiments and
! Investigations to ourselves.