The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-10-21
tBY BRY " TYSON u


The soil should be well plowcd ard
fined. The blowing should not b. deep
unless a sod is turned down Heavy soils
are not TO be plowed deeply but II hard
pan is within easy reach a subsoi plow
should be used For fall grain. the raw
under soil should not be brought to ,hy
surface. The fning, usually . matter Of
enough narrowing to Thoroughly pulyer-
ize the soil. is fully IS important as TIE
plowing. Clayey soils cannot be fined
il wet they will puddle and prevent
the seed from terminating
For fall seeding. Plant food ma
nure, as it is commonly called should
be used with Judgment. All farmers nov
know, or should know. that plant food
consists Of three substances, nitrogen
| potash and phosphoric acid Farnyard
| manure, SO far as plant food IS
| cerned, Is valuable only for the guam
| tity of these three substances ii con
| tains. Fertilizers and agricultural chemi-
| Gals arc very unlike manure in appear
| ance but they contain these plant food
! substances and promote the growth OF
| plants exactly as does farInyard manures.
There are many differences Of opinion
as 10 the proper way of applying manures
! IL the fall. Bulky farmyard manures
| are perhaps best broadcasted on the sur
| face and plowed under. Chemical manures
and commercial fertilizers are best
drilled in with the seed, or broad
casted the fined soil just before
| seeding. The advantages of the latter
forms of plant food are that they are
more readily available to the uses of the
plants, and that they are cheaper to han
+! die. a ton Of good farmyard manure
| contains about 10 pounds of nitrogen, 10
| rounds Of potash and . pounds OF phos-
| phOric acid All of this plant food is in
| soluble fern and soon becomes avail
able. Chemical fertilizers contain per
| ton about five times the plant food Of a
| ton of farmyard manure 1t is therefore
| much cheaper to handle. AS this nanur-
ing generally comes at busy time. the
advantage of using chemical fertilizers
| is often very convenient for this reason
| alone.
The quantity of fertilizers to is
often left wholly to chance the word
Of the fertilizer dealer; the quantity tCo
| is often not considered
| FERTILIZER FOR WHEAT.
From 300 to 900 pounds per acre of a
fertilizer containing the following may he
used Nitrogen ? per cent, actual potash
s per cent, and available phosphoric acid
| g per cent. In lieu of the above the fol-
| lowing materials may he mixed and used ::
! For nitrogen use nitrate of SODA 43 TO
| Sc pounds, sulphate of ammonia 81 10
GS pounds, dried blood, So to 12s pounds.
For phosrhoric acid use acid phosphate
193 to 366 pounds, or dissolved bone. go
to 800 pounds, or bone meal. 228 to 4j6
pounds.
For potash use muriate of potash, 81
to "A pounds, sulphate Of potash 81 10
Il pounds, kainit $50 to 300 pounds
Some Of the necessary nitrogen is eX~
pected to be gained by growing legumes.
but at least half the necessary quantity
should be applied as fertilizer. In many
cases, however, the supply Of nitrogen
is ample without a direct application.
The phosphoric acid is opt to take
insoluble and therefore unavailable forms
in the soil hence about twice much
as the crop really needs is generally
used
Bulletin No G2 of the Maryland FIX
pertinent Station says that the fertilizer
which has been found best for wheat al
that station contains nitrogen per cent
available phosphoric acid per cent, and
potash ~ per cent
In lieu of the foregoing the follCwinG
aterials for a dose of 800 TO 900 pounds
per acre. may be mixed and used:
Fer nitrogen use nitrate OF soda. A.
tc 98 pounds, sulphate of ammonia
80 to 7S pounds, or dried blood Il to l3i
pounds.
For phosphoric acid use acid phosphate
2C6 to 412 pounds or dissolved bone 1St
10 $50 pounds. or bone meal Z3l TO oli
pounds.
For potash use muriate Oh potash Il to
a pounds, or sulphate OF potash - 10 -
pounds or Kainit 18S 10 BIO pounds.
If TIE supply of anv one OF the three
: elements of fertility IN the soil run shor'
the other two will not be further drawn
on. however, large the supply may be
/, Hence great care should Be taken III com
pounding fertilizer materials vita a Vie"
OF procuring . we'll balanced fcrtlilZHr
BRYAN TYSON.