The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-11-06

In manuring it depends greatly
upon the condition of the soil and
partly on the crop grown as to what
fertilizer or combination of fertih-
ers to apply. If there is a sufficiency
in the soil and in available form of
the fertilizer applied there will be no
increase of the crop, but if there is a
deficiency in that one element alone,
its application in however small a
quantity will result in large gain
in the crop.
This is one reason of the wide diff
ference in results in using chemical
manures. and also causes waste in
quantity applied and consequently
increased cost. Frequently half a
ton is used when much less quantity
would produce as good, if not better,
results. Sometimes a fertilizer is
applied, which, coming in contact
with another element in the soil,
neutralizes it and the fertilizer is
rendered valueless, and its cost lost
by ignorance in regard to the action
Of the chemicals.
Farmers who are interested in
growing crops cheaply and success
fully (and what farmer is nOt?) should
apply soil tests to their land that
they may know what their soil needs
most, and, with proper application,
what crops would be most profitable
to grow on the soil. Soil tests will
show that some lands not now favor
able to large crops of corn can be
made 50 at a trifling expense; and
the same inregard to wheat, the land
can be made to produce a larger crop
and more profitable if it is known
what the soil lacks.
Soil tests furnish this information
and every one interested in agricul-
ture may learn of his own knowledge
and under his own eye what his soil
needs and what his crop wants. Until
farmers know what their soils lack
and what the effects of the constitu-
ents used for their growth separately
and combined, rational system of
manuring is impossible.
a soil cannot be cultivated under
~tandingly until it has been rigidly
subjected to such examination as will
tell Us, as nearly as any examination
can tell it, what is necessary to rem
der it fertile The mode of cultiva-
ton, the salts already contained in
the earth, but especially the period,
mode and form in which a manure is
applied, all combine in influencing its
results.
A chemical analysis gives only
what the soil contains at the moment
Of examination and not the quantity
in which these constituents may be
available to the plant during growth
but if it is desired to know whether
ID soil is already provided with nitro
gcnous matter, it is sufficient to SOW
"a handful of wheat upon small
square of ground which has been
manured with mineral substances
only. Without the aid of nitrogen
Gus matter the mineral matter has
scarcely any effect upon wheat.
Therefore, if the small square of
ground gives a rapid and healthy
vegetation and good crop, it shows
that the earth had a sufficient sup
ply of nitrogen, for the mineral ma
nures contain no nitrogen. On the
other hand, to ascertain whether soil
contains a sufficiency of the mineral
manure phosphate of lime and an
alkai, potash or soda) manure plants
with nitrOgenOus substances only, .
planting one with corn and another
with potatoes. The great influence
that phosphate of lime has on
cotton, corn, sugar cane, and sOr-
ghum, and the alkalies on pOta-
toes and tobacco, is we'll known; .
therefore, if the corn or cotton
hourishes we may be sure that the
land has enough phosphate of lime, /
and if the potatoes flourish the land .
does not lack alkalies.
Thus two experiments requiring
but Il small plot of ground and try
ing these different crops are suffi-
cient to obtain the indications neces-
sary to judicious system of culture.
The varied yield of these crops COM
pared with that from land manured
with nitrrgenous and mineral sub
stances combined will measure the
richness of the soil.