Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1901-06-12
Tcriiiiznrs In the Spring.

Fertilizers In tho Spring.
The season for the application OF
fertilizers is at hand, and much de-
pends upon the judgment of the farm
er in selecting the kinds required. No
farmer who Is unacquainted with the
requirements of crops or the nature
uf fertilizers should attempt to pur-
chase for himself without the advice
of some experienced person or through
consultation with some reliable dealer
or manufacturer. Manufacturers who
have regulations TO sustain will gladly
advise each and every farmer In regard
to purchases, as 1t does nc. pay the
manufacturer if the farmer buys some
particular brand that Is unsuitable for
the crop to be grown. 1t is possible
that there are persons who will sell
the farmer anything that she demands,
whether adapted for the purpose de-
sired or not, If a sale can be made,
but such persons do not engage In a
legitimate business, and injure their
trade as we'll as create distrust of fer
tllizers; but the manufacturers OF fer-
tilizers have been placed under strict
laws that protect the farmers. every
purchaser having the privilege OF for
.wardinS aamples to the state chemist
for his examination. Dealers are~usu-
ally we'll known in their communities,
and their trade depends upon the pat
ronage of the farmers. At the present
time the farmer is safe in buying fer
tilizers of any reliable party, as he Will
receive just what he orders; but the
main point in the procurement OF Ter;
tilizers is that large number OF
farmers do not know what they want
for rnefr 1ann ana crops ls1s' 1gs
difficulty that must be met by the man
ufacturer as we'll as the farmer.
The fact that the real substances de-
sired by farmers are not expressed or
understood is serious drawback. For
instance, farmer will order a ton OF
nitrate Of soda. He really desires to
purchase nitrogen, the soda possess
ing little or no value for his purpose.
AS nitrate of soda contains about 10
percent of nitrogen. ton of 1000 IDS.
will contain 32O pounds of nitrogen. A
ton of sulphate of potash will contain
about 1000 pounds of pure potash. IL
the ingredients of the fertilizers are 20
be equal then one ton of sulphate OF
potash will balance little more than
three tons of nitrate of soda. In the
use of these materials, however, there
can be no fixed proportions for all
kinds of crops, as some crops Will take
more potash than others. some prefer
an abundance Of nitrogen, and some
will demand a greater supply of phos-
phoric acid. These complications"
and formulas" are very puzzling to
inexperienced farmers, and the manu-
facturer is compelled to make various
brands in order to supply proper plant
foods for the several crops. The farm
er who simply orders phosphate" or
"guano" is at disadvantage, as guano
is but little used at the present day,
while phosphate" applies to only a
single ingredient of fertilizer, and 1t
may be the very article which he does
not so largely require. A great many
farmers refuse to purchase fertilizers
because they have heretofore used
them with unsatisfactory results; but
tbe cause of failure is usually due to
the farmers not buying the proper
kinds.
The difference between phosphate"
and "superphosphate" is that the lat
ter has been acidulated. That is, 100
pounds of bone or rock has been treat
ed with about 100 pounds Of sulphuric
acid. which renders the phosporic
acid soluble 1t will be seen, there
fore, that 100 pounds of superphos-
phate contains only about so pounds
of sulphuric acid Chemically
combined with the lime Of
the bone or rock). but the price Of
the acid is included. hence the
purchaser receives only one-half Of
the phosphate. The sulphuric acid is
of no value to the farmer, but it serves
to make more valuable the phosphoric
acid Of the phosphate (bone or rock),
the original phosphate being In an In
soluble and inert condition. The un-
acidulated phosphate IS of no use to
the farmer as plant food until 1t has
slowly given off its particles In the
soil, which may require several years.
Some farmers purchase the raw mate
rials and mix them in the proportions
required. Such work requires the use
of acid and must be done in a man
ner to have the ingredients intimately
mixed. This cannot be done properly
with a shovel and sand screen, as fire.
quently suggested by enthusiastic writ
ers, for the reason that the materials
are not always fine, some being lumpy,
while the moisture of the atmosphere
must also be considered. At the fac
tories expensive and heavy machinery
must be employed and mechanical mix
ers work the substances together for
hours. If such did not happen, the In
gradients in the bags would not be
uniform and the analyses would vary.
In fact, with all the improved appli-
ances used, it is very difficult to mix
the quantities for two bags exactly
alike However, if farmers prefer to
mix the raw materials they must de-
eide to use the best, employ expert
enced laborers and be willing to de-
vote much labor to the work.-Phiia-
delphia Record