Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1899-04-25

What kind OF fertilizers, and hov
much to the acre, are questions ths
many are asking, not only at this time,
but all through the season Of plan,
growth. They are more easily asked
than answered. Mr.. Towle Of Frank
lin County, VT, In = recent letter said
that from 100 to 800 pounds per acre
produced marked effect on land In his
section, and that larger quantities
were not needed to obtain profitable
| crops OF grass, corn and small grains
Mr.. Towle is in one OF the beat dairy
counties In the country. But farmers
10 ether places have not vet found IL
necessary 10 purchase any fertilix-r.
found meu In s"m. OF the river val
levs In Ohio whose fields had produced
corn annually for from 80 TO 20 ve,r-
without the application Of fertilizers.
sni they claimed that such spplic,-
tions sonld not pay Some of thes
l'nts are annually overt 'Sed In tn
spring, the water briuging down suffi-
cieut fertility IN keep the lands pro-
duc;ive. suppose drainage OF somr
of the up-riv-r cow-ysrds and hog
pens nay hav. contributed 20 this FER
tiiitv.
Professor Roberts II Cnrn'll. wh" l.
a practical farmer A. well ss teacher
OF the sciences related to agriculture,
shows that frequent and thorough cul-
tivirion of the soil during thu summer
sill enable one 20 grow large crops
With little or no fertilizer except Whist
will be developed In the soil by such
cultivation. he reports Weld OF 300
to 400 bushels OF potatoes per acre.
| once raised at the rate OF over
400 bushels per acre on single square
rod, but the land wss rich with both
manure and fertilizer, the rows were only
eighteen inches apart, and during the
heat OF summer the surface WAS en-
tirely covered with mulch Of hay 10
prevent too much evaporation OF soil
moisture. In regard 10 profit IL was
not crop to be proud OF. But Profess
sor Roberts claims 8 good profit from
his experiments, and says that there IL
fertility enough In those lands 10 pro-
duce similar crops for many years 10
come.
Professor Caldwell, also Of Cornell,
In his lecture In Boston the psst win
ter showed that many farm fields con-
tain plant food 10 ton lots that Is only
waiting the sction OF the elements
under judicious tillsge TO reward the
busbandmsn beautifully, not only
nov, but for generations yet unborn.
Mr.. George Clark. the noted grass
farmer OF Connecticut, uses fertilizers,
but places special emphasis on tillsge
at the time the land Is prepared for
seeding.
have for several years used the by
products OF slsughtering establishments
(blood, meat and bone, dried and
Issued from the station st Amherst
few years ago, gave the results OF
some German experiments In which IL
appeared that raw bone, however fine,
Il of little value AS furnisher OF phos-
phoric acid because so sloY in becom-
ing soluble Ia the soil. | had believed
that by the free use OF tsnkage, the
name by which this fertilizer Ia known,
together with potash, would get nv
land la few years la similar condi-
ton To that which had been heavily
dressed with stable manure for series
Of years, condition thst would enable
me 20 get large crops OF whstever |
might plant. | sm not convinced 10 the
contrary vet.
| have read good deal from men
who advise the application Of just what
rhs crops need according 10 figures or
experiments with small pl,ts 10 find out
Just what soil Ia lacking. have made
such experiments on limited scale. bat
Ia practice have not tried so much 10
fnd out how little fertilizer I could get
along ~ith. as hos much cnuld use st =
profit, keeping the land highly fertile.
value fertile land "a would good bank
account. Business men consider II ~ise
To have liberal deposits in bank, even
though some interest may appear 10 be-
lost. IL nv land cont~ins only just
enough available plsut food 10 carry a
crop through the season under favorable
conditions, what can expect
when those conditions are unfsvorabl-s
We can never wholly control weather
even in glass houses.
Some OF the most successful market
gardeners have been slow 10 use com-
mercisl fertilizers, partly. doubt not,
because of the small quantities formerly
They could not believe
that vest pocket application would
yield ANYTHING but vest pocket crop.
Esrlv catalogues seldom advised more
than few hundred pouads per acre. At
the early prices the temptation TO buy
largely WAS rarely pressing. But as the
and sale OF fertilizers has
attained business basis and miracles
are no longer looked for, gardeners rs
well as farmers are learning their value
and buying accordingly. For many
yesrs have used "a high as q ton of
high grade goods TO the acre. and have
believed IL paid, but must confess to
little surprise in looking over the prizes
for best success In garden accounts offer
ed by the Bowker Company, in which
the terms are that not less than two tons
per acre Of their fertilizer shall be sp-
piled. Still, IL the proportions OF ingre-
dents used Ia the fertilizer are properly
adjusted, | do not think the land will
b. iujured II IL Is not naturally more
fertile than most OF that which | have
worked. There IA AS much difference In
the character of different soils, and often
iu the soils of the same farms, as in the
weather Ia different parts Of the world.
This being the case, the inevitable con-
clusion Is that the questions asked can
only be answered intelligently by the
farmer himself, after careful study OF
his soil, crops and other conditions.
The agricultural colleges and expert
meni stations are doing u great deal to
aid the farmer 10 his work. The stations
are learning the how and why Of things,
and bringing obscure facts into the light
of dav, so that the silent but active forces
OF nature may be clearly comprehended.
The influence Of the moon In agriculture
Ia giving place TO the influence OF mind.
But the stations cannot do IL all, Good
DIR. Sturtevant used TO scold me some
times for giving so much attention In
nv writings TO the ways Of doing things
on the farm. He said what farmers
most need Is 10 BE- set thinking for them
selves. He WAS certainly close stu
dent of principles, especially those which
lie AZ the foundation Of successful sgri-
culture. His farm was truly an expert
menI station. Every well managed farm
l. an experiment station and must ever
be. Farming is profession that no
man can wholly master, nor is IL singu-
lar in this regard, for it is true Of ali
Others. Questions unanswered to-day
will be followed by others to-morrow
equally important The course. how