Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1899-03-03
FARM AND GARDEN.
MATTERS OF INTEREST TO
ACRiCULTURISTS
Some Up-to-Date Hints About Gull
tivation of the Soil and Yields
Observation-Disclosures vIticulture and
Horticulture
Do commercla, Fert ilzer. PAY.

to grow crop at all it pays to use
commercial fertilizers on it, provided
the soil is not already rich enough,
or we lack the necessary animal ma
nures for fertilizing the piece. In
other words, it does not pay to work
poor soil. 1t requires no thought to
say that 1t does not pay to use fer
tilizers on potatoes when the crop sells
for ten cents per bushel, but we can
not tell when we plant piece to po-
tatoes, what those potatoes will bring.
II we knew sometimes it would be well
not to plant them at all. But as we
do not know it is best to plant enough
for home use any way and these ought
to be well fertilized that the tubers
will be large and smooth and the crop
worth the labor of planting and caring
for. Even though we could sometimes
buy potatoes in the market as low as
1t costs to produce them it is best not
to run the risk and anyway potatoes
grown at home are better because not
exposed and bruised so much by
handling. Keeping the thought
In mind that farmers rarely credit ma
nure made on the farm with any par
t1cular value, we notice that when they
apply this kind of manure to a piece
OF land they put it on very literally.
Now it is no uncommon thing to see
40 loads of manure drawn on to an
acre OF land for the corn crop. Now
this manure cannot be made and ap
piled to the land provided it is rich
grain fed manure for less than 50 per
load. This costs the farmer in reality
$50 for fertilizing the acre. Now what
farmer would think of applying $50
worth OF commercial fertilizers to an
acre OF land for the corn crop Does
he would be bountifully repaid with
good crop, in fact, a more satisfac-
tory crop than that produced from the
acre fed with animal manure. This is
not said to encourage farmers not to
iced grains and make more manures,
but to show them that they should
consider that any manure is worth just
what it actually benefits crop .
A good rule to go by in figuring
whether it will pay to use commercial
fertilizers is to first see whether the
crop is worth, even though it be a
good one, the cost of fertilizers. OF
course in this calculation it is fair to
estimate the value to other crops to
follow and the permanent value rem
dered the soil. 1t is quite safe to say
that the crops of potatoes, small fruits
and buckwheat are always better and
repay any expense incurred in the pur-
chase Of commercial fertilizers. The
use of rs to 100 lbs of commercial
mixed fertilizers on an acre of buck
wheat will increase the growth of
straw so that the reaper will pick it
all up when the crop is cut and in
crease the crop of grain four-fold.
When used on any crop, a well mixed
commercial fertilizer containing
good proportion of potash will increase
the grain yield wonderfully. This is
especially true when used in conjunc-
ton with animal manures. A
common mistake OF farmers is that
they are purchasing the poorer grades
OF fertilizers instead of the higher
grades Manufacturers are putting
these out in large quantities i'll the
present time and this is result of
the demand for something cheap. AS
the filling of cheap fertilizers is
worth no more than the earth
around our farms, 1 do not see where
farmers gain in paying freight and
sacking expenses on something that
can be gotten for the asking at home.
Farmers should buy the higher
grades of fertilizers only and no
matter what agents OF others tell
you a ton of actual value $40 fertil-
izer Is more profitable for you to buy
than two tons of fertilizer that has an
actual value of 500 per ton. Do not
be deceived. Study the analysis close
ly and buy the higher grades.
A Leaf-Hopper Destructive to Wheat.
The wheat fields in the vicinity of
Columbus during the last summer were
swarming with small leaf-hoppers, the
most conspicuous species being the |
Hurtful Leaf-hopper (Deltocephalus |
writes Prof Osborn in the |
Student, published at the |
Ohio Agricultural College This spe-
cies has been recognized as a destruc-
tive form since the time of its first de- 1
when its character was in /
1icated in its name, but it is not given /
The attention which its power for in
Jury would seem to deserve. The adult
insect, the form now most abundant.
s about three-sixteenths of an inch
ong, the color grayish, with brownish
markings and six black dots-two on
he front of the head. two on the