The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-04-03
HOW SHALL VIZ DETERMINE
WHAT OUR SOIL REQUIRES
IN A FRRTILIZsR2
An AL Important Question Discussed by
an Authority.

portant question, there are several
points which must be taken into con
sideration. First, the character Of the
soil; second, it's previous treatment;
third, what the crops demonstrate,
which are, or have been growing on
the land; and fourth, what the crops
require which we intend to grow.
No chemical analy sis OF the soil can
be depended upon to tell us what ele
ment Of plant food is most necessary
to make our land productive. For the
element least in evidence, may be the
most available; and the element which
the analysis shows our soil to contain
the most of, may be go locked up anc
Insoluble that the plants are able to ob
tain only small portion of it The
most practical way is o go to the field
with our question, and sel < the an
sWer from soil and plant.
OF course the surest way to get at
this matter is through a series of ex
perimenis where the different elements
of plant food are applied separately
and together, in different combinations
Co different plots of ground.
am aware, however, that most
farmers will not take the trouble to ex
pertinent in this way; also that the
land varies SO greatly On most farms
that one set Of experiments could not
be made to apply to the whole place.
Taking up first, the character of the
soil. For eight years the writer Guilt
waited an orange grove and peach
orchard together with vegetables, on
sandy land in Florida, and we found
that the quantity and quality of our
fruit was increased and improved more
by a liberal application of potash
using it principally in the form Of sui
phate-than from any other clemens
of plant food; although phosphoric
acid was also lie cessary to make good.
firm wood, and nitrogen to stimulate
grow 10 in the spring. On our Georgia
farm we have almost every variety Of
coil from stiff, red clay to light, candy
bottom land, and we 6nd that the rule
holds good here also, and an Increased
use Of potash is necessary on the sandy
and muck bottom land; while our re d
clay uplands seem fairly we'll supplied
with this element, and only moder
crate quar- tity is necessary in fertiIi
zsr. Here an increased use Of phos-
phoric acid and nitrogen gave the best
results.
The previous treatment of the soil is
also very imports mt in forming q cor
rect decisi ion as to what our land re
quires in a fertili1er. Lands which
have been subject to continuous clean
culture for many years like most of the
cotton lands of the South, are very de
ficient in organic matter, and conse
qusntly are lacking in nitrogen. They
may contain large quantities Of the
other elements Of plant food, but these
have become mostly insoluble for want
Of the decaying vegetable matter
which helps to make them available
The first thing necessary on such lands
is to supply humus by some means,
preferably by growing and turning
under COW peas.
On the other hand, if the soil be filled
with organic matter from applications
of stable manure, or otherwise, we
may judge that such soil is fairly well
supplied, unless the plants tell US other
wise, with all the elements Of plant
food. Here we should use an evenly.
balanced fertilizer, and use it heavily,
on some good money crop. For, strange
as it may seem, the richer the land,
the better it will pay to use heavy ap
Olications of commercial fertilize rs
especially il the crop to be grown be
vegetables or berries.
We can tell pretty correctly the
needs of our soil by noting the appear
ance and yield OF growing crops, espe
cially with small grain, like wheat or
oats. If the plants come up with a
good dark green color, and grow off
vigorously, we may know that our soil
contains good supply of nitrogen. II
they look yellow and siekly, it shows
this element of plant food is lacking.
Cow peas and clover will do well with
a small amount of nitrogen, as they
can procure it from the atmosphere.
And where they refuse to Fl ouris b, pot
ash is needed. If our cotton makes
great deal of weed, with but little fruit,
we may know that the supply Of phos
phoric acid in our soil is short. The
same is also true where wheat or corn
makes fine str aw and stalk with but
little grain. Where our Irish potatoes