The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-02-21
No 2


wise Providence has stored up the coal
! in the mountains of Pennsylvania to
furnish fuel for the people of the United
States when their supply Of wood had
become exhausted.
Potash is mined in Sassfurt. Ger
many. These mines-nine in number
are consolidated and form the largest
and almost the only mines of this kind
in the world. The value of potash in
these mines was not known until 1857
(bet ore this time wood ashes were the
only sour CO Of potasb) About this
time came the skilled researches and
discoveries of that great scientist
Liebig. By him and his influence the
secrets OF plant food and plant growth
became known, and it was discovered
that potash was one Of the ingredients
which is both important and necessary
to the sustenance Of plant life. We
are also indebted to this noted scientist
for the four elementary laws which
are the foundation of the best prac-
tices in agriculture to day.
Potash, as we have stated before, is
imported in 224 pound bags and sealed.
When bought the seal unbroken gives
us guarantee that it is pure unless
adulterated at the mine, which is not
probable.
Some years ago our State Chemist,
on snalyzing some chemicals of this
kind, states he found so per cent. to be
common salt.
To make one ton guano for potatoes,
onions, etc we mix the following,
viz: 800 pounds acid phosphate (con-
| tanning IL per cent. acid), 800 pounds
cotton seed meal and 800 pounds each
of nitrate of soda 18 per cent. am
monia) and .muriate potash $50 per cent.
K2O pure potash) COTTON seed meal
fertilizer. It contains per cent. am
monis, II per cent. potash and per
cent. acid phosphate, and IL this analy-
sis be true, it is worth for fertilizer
81 III per hundred pounds. Can be
purchased in open market now for
less than 81 per cwt)
TIE ABOVE formula as given will
make one ton fertilizer containing 6
per cent. ammonia, per cent. acid
phosphate and per cent. potash. This
will cost before mixing $25 so. Ordinari-
ly this will cost from dealers about $35
per ton. In the spring of 81 We ap-
piled guano similar in ingredients to
the above and at the rate Of 1000
pounds to the acre with excellent re-
suits. Put 800 pounds of this fertilizer
on one half acre and planted to pota-
toes on March 55h, aud in just three
months, on June 55h, sold the first load
of potatoes; har vested balance in few
days, all Of which brought $50 so. The
entire cost Of production, including
land rent, wear of tools, labor, etc.,
was S19 so; this left us net profit of
$40 for one crop on one-halt acre.
In 1895 we put 1t acres in tobacco,
the entire cost was $50 so; in about IL
months after we started the crop, it
was put on the market and brought
$40. This was very good average
tobacco for this vicinity. decided
that it was very foolish to grow crop
over theprice Of which had no control
and had no earthly" use for except
for fertilizer, boils, spider bites, etc.
When realized my loss then made
G. ''gour grape" case case Of it and de-
cided that it's benefit to the human
race was very limited indeed, and on
the other hand costing more than our
bread bill. am not as hard on it as
the brother who said to me one day:
"The preacher who chews his long cut
and smokes his fine cigars can't pocket
my Dimes"
However, we think the best method
Of applying fertilizer for potatoes
would be to put 600 to 800 pounds per
acre OF potash mixture containing
about equal per cent. of each potash
and acid on peas 1T bushels per acre
the year before you intend to put land
in potatoes. This has given me excel
lent results. The peas furnish the re-
quired nitrogen for their own growth
and also for succeeding crops. Nitro,
gen, if bought, costs three times as
much as either phosphates or potash.
Hence il is much cheaper to get it
through cowpeas, clover, vetch, etc.
IF, however, necessary for fertilizer to
be applied direct to any crop, the DO.
tato crop, however, will, with good
cultivation. pay we'll. A bushel of DO
tatoes contain only 12 pounds dry mat
ter, and yet bushel of potatoes is