The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-04-10

this precious compound. but it is only
4 part of the fraud and it is not neces-
sary 10 repeat them here. Let us see
what the miXtiae is worth. In the
first place there is .Acid phosphate, a
good source OF soluble phosphoric
acid. Next a little nitrate of soda, q
very valuable and soluble form OF
nitrogen The lime Now the effect
of the lime viii be to at once carbon
a,c and drive off he nitrogen in the
nitrate of soda and in the sulphate of
ammonia. and then also the lime viii
have q tendency 10 revert the soluble
phOSphoric acid in the acid phosphate
and render it less available to plants.
Then there is added % pounds OF salt,
which is Of no use whatever as 1t fer
tiliZer. And yet there are plenty OF
farmers NWho say they cannot afford
to take q paper. out they will pay this
man $500 for his secret mixture that
is so contriNed as TO make them lose q
great part Of that which is valuable in
it. This is the class of men who say
that the Experiment Station is OF no
use. who Will not read the bulletins
published for their benefit and sent
free to every farmer in the State who
asks for them. One of this kind APP
piled TO the Station recently to give
him his supply of garden seeds, and
when told that the Station did not
distribute garden seeds. said that he
was in favor then of the LeGislat ure
abolishing the whole thing, imagin-
ing, as many do. that the State sup
ports the Station, while it does not
cost the State cent, but is supported
by the General Government for the
benefit Of the farmers of North Caro-
lima. But it is not intended to pau
peI'iZe the farmers by giving them
seeds that they can purchase from
any Seedman. but to study and inyes-
1igate all the problems that confront
the farmer and gardener and to help
them by advice and Dy publishing the
results of their experiments in bul-
letins for the farmers to read. Hardly
4 day passes that we do not get let
ter asking fer free seeds from people
who would ScOrn to stand on the
street corner and beg. but who can
not see that it is something in the
same line. vt times. in our work we
grow some seeds that may prove of
value in the State aud which are not
easily attainable in the trade. These
we gladly send out so long as they
last, but this is only an occasional
thing. and the station has no fund to
buy common garden seed to give
away. The Department of Agricul-
ture al Washington is compelled by
Congressman to do TOO much of that
thing. The sooner it is all stopped
the better. There is no more reason
why the Government should send out
common garden seeds free than that
they should send mules and blows
free. We hope. therefore. that the
free seed humbug Will soon be entire
~ abolished. And it would be if farm
ers everywhere would refuse to be
treated as paupers.
! y Caldwell county friend wants. as
hundreds OF others do. q fertilizer
mixture for corn We have, time and
again. said that we have never found
any complete fertilizer mixture that
would pay its cost on the corn crop.
/ on can get more corn. but if YOU will
. leave out strip without the fertilizer
and compare it with the rest. YOU will
lind. ] think. that the increase has
not paid the cost. | have also said
time aud again, that the regular APP
plication of some fertilizer to every
! farm crop is not farming. but simply
gambling or the chances.
What our farmers need TO learn is
{. that rOtatlNe cropping, in which there
Is clover sod for the corn. on which
the home made accumulation Of ma
nure IS applied during the winter is
tie best preparation for the corn crop.
and the best preparation for the ma
ue pile IS to grow plenty Of peas, clov-
er and corn to feed Il lot Of cattle and
make manure as our friend whose let
ter we quoted above is doing When
q man gets to figuring what he is to
dO With his manure there is hope for
that man and his farm. In a three
year rotation OF corn, wheat and clov.
er. which can easily he adopted II,
Caldwell. there VIII be no need Of any
fertilizer more than once in three
years on each field. and the place tc
put it in that sort Of 4 rotation is on
th| wheat crop and then only acid
phosphate on Caldwell county land
You Will find the following as good as
amy for your corn. and we would like
YOU TO leave out part as we have
said. and see whether the fertilizer
has paid YOU or not:
Acid phospate 1000 pounds. Cottor
. seed meal 600 pounds and lnuriate O.
potash 400 pounds TO make ton
Use 800 pounds per acre broadcast. I
i it pays we Will be surprised.