The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1901-05-02
FERTILIZERS FOR GARDENS.

!
Before the farmer applies his fertilizer
he should determine the kind OF crops to
grow. At this season the garden will re-
ceive much attention, and, as the different
vegetables require different proportions
OF foods, knowledge Of what to use for
each crop may save for the farmer many
| dollars. OF course, when the farmer
buys fertilizers the cost is increased. and
it is a direct cash investment, the re-
turns for which depend upon future con-
ditions of weather and treatment given,
but experiments published in Farmers
Bulletin, No. 1874 by the United States
Department of Agriculture demonstrate
that, while the medium amounts OF fer
| tilizers may give profitable yields with
staple crops, the profit from the garden
| may be greatly increased by heavy appli-
cations of expensive fertilizers Nitro
gen, however should be used with a view
to its probable loss, as an excess may not
remain in the soil, while any excess of
phOsphoric acid will remain over for use
during the succeeding season. At the
New Jersey station experiments were
made on rich soil to furnish information
as to the relative usefulness of nitrate
ammonia and organic form of nitrogen
! for crops belonging to that class in which
| rapid and continuous growth are import
ant factors in determining the profits to
be obtained The crops grown were table
beets, tomatoes, muskmelons, sweet corn,
potatoes, sweet potatoes and certain for
age crops. The plots were we'll fortified
with phosphoric acid and potash before
the nitrogen was applied.
With table beets, on very rich SOIL nj
tratc of soda was applied in various
amounts heavy applications of fertilizer
having been also given the previous year
The earlineSs of the crop was greatly
FASTENED by the use of the nitrate For
every dollar invested in nitrate OF soda
for beets there was sufficient earliness
and increase to return three dollars.
| With tomatoes a comparison was made
with nitrate of soda, sulphate OF am
monia and dried blood as sources of nj
trogen Nitrate of soda was used at
the rate of $50 pounds, sulphate OF am
monia, 1870 pounds, and dried blood, 200
pounds per acre. The yield Of tomatoes
was II per cent. greater from nitrate
OF soda than from sulphate OF ammonia,
and OS per cent. greater than that from
dried blood. The net gain from the nj
trate Of soda was $5333 for every dollar
expended, while Sulphatc of ammonia re-
turned 81 20 and dried blood S22. 80 for
every dollar expended The plants that
received nitrate also produced the best
fruit and but little that was inferior. 1t
IS, therefore established that in growing
tomatoes even on the richest soil, pro-
gressiyc farmers will use nitrogen in
he IL.
use OF nitrogen are obtained when the
very soluble nitrate of soda is used.
With muskmelOns the best results were
| also obtained from the use OF nitrate OF
soda as a source Of nitrogen, though
dried blood proved superior to sulphate
/ of ammonia for muskmelons, the sui
| phatc having tendency to produce more
| vine at the expense OF fruit In regard
1 to ''culs it is stated that the percentage
| of them on the nitrate plots were lower
( than on plots treated with other forms of
nitrogen. Dried blood gave the best re-
/ suits with sweet corn, the nitrate being
more liable to be carried beyond the
reach OF the plants early in the season
owing to its solubilty.
1t has been demonstrated in a great
many experiments that plants have their
preferences Of food, and that for a farmer
to attempt to feed all kinds of crops with
only one kind Of food would be to incur
a loss Plants also utilize certain foods
at different stages OF growth Nitrogen
promotes rapid leaf growth, but at ma
turity, when the seed is forming, phos-
phoric acid is essential. When the land
is lacking in any particular element the
farmer must supply it or the crop will
he deficient, according to the deficiency
of the desired element With garden
crops the farmer undertakes TO grow
early plants and as rapidly as possible.
To succeed he must net be too econom-
ical with nitrogen, no matter how rich
his soil may be, for the experiments men
toned above with some crops, show tha
no. only is the cot OF the nitrogen re
turned. but a profit over the expense rs
we'll, with the advantage Of larger yield,
better product and earlier use, which
points Of excellence are very important
! xith all gardcn crops.