Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1900-01-09
F~ERTiLiZiNG E
Complete Fertilizer Versus Acid
Phosphate and CIover.

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Complete Fertilixer Versus Acid
@ Phosphate and Cloyes.
The marked effect ON the growth8of
the wheat plant which Is usually OBJ
served after the application Of fertiliz-
ers carrying soluble phosphoric acid,
such as acid phosphate OF dissolved
Tboneblack. together with the low price
at which plain acid phosphates can be
bought, as compared with Fertilizers
containing nitrogen and potash, have
led many farmers to the use of this
material alone, believing that they can
supply sufficient nitrogen by growing
clover and that potash is not needed.
On these points the field tests Of the
Ohio experiment station are beginning
to offer useful suggestions.
Since 1893 the station has conducted
two series of experiments on the light.
somewhat sandy clay soil Of itsEeentral
farm at Wooster. In these experiments
fertilizers of various composition have
been used on crops grown in rotation.
the rotation consistingi In the one series
Of corn, oats and wheat one year each,
followed by clover and timothy two
years, and in the other OF potatoes,
wheat and clover n year each. Since
1896 both these tests have been dupli-
Gated on 1.-The heavy, white clay Of the
northeastern substation in Cuyahoga
county. In every cas- the substitution
of tankage for part Of the acid phos-
phate has produced a large gain in the
Increase of the wheat crop, the average
being a gain per acre of 3.7S bushels
for the complete fertilizer over the
acid phosphate alone.
AT SIS per ton for acid phosphate,
E$19 for tankage and 21a cents per
pound for muriate of potash, these be-
ing the prices actually paid for the fer
I~tilizers used in these experiments, in
GLIDING freight, we have reaped in the
average 3.7S bushels increase ofserop
for 65 cents additional cost This, how
ever, is only part Of the gain, as the
corn and oats crops. preceding the
wheat, are showing a large gain in Ia
yor of the complete fertilizer. as do
also the hay crops following.
It appears, therefore, that the clover
is not furnishing sufficient nitrogen to
meet the demands Of a full r and
that it is more economical to use q fer
tilizer containing a small percentage
of nitrogen (ammonia), even though the
cost be somewhat increased, than to
use one which carries only phosphoric
acid.
Keeping the Land Covered.
Notification, or the forming Of solute
nitrates, goes on most rapidly in latter
part Of summer and during autumn.
Unfortunately it is during the same
period that the growth Of summe
plants declines and they absorb less
and less of these soluble n~itrates. The
result is that these valuable nitrates
are very apt to be leached out of the
soil and be lost. To counterfeit this
great loss all land possible should be
covered with some crop which will
grow through autumn, winter and
spring, absorb these solub.e nitrates
and hold them for the future crops.
Fall sown small grains. grasses and
clover will do this, but land intended
for corn and cotton the next year is
too often left bare. This should never
be, when it can be avoided. These
summer crops very generally need APP
Eplicatiens of nitrogen. Now these a
be given by seeding down the land in
crimson or German clover and turning
it under In early spring. Such a crop
will preserve from waste the soluble
nitrates developed in the soil in late
summer and autumn and also add the
nitrogen which it appropriates from
the atmosphere. 1t is a case of killing
two birds with one stone, says South
ern C%ultivator.