The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1902-06-24
WHERE LAReR QUANTITIES OF CHRMI-
CAL FERTILIZERS ARE USED.
Long Island Methods Described by Mr.. HOl-
lister, Soil Expert.


Outside of the trucking centers of
the South it is probable that Long Is
land is the heaviest purchaser of chem
ical fertilizers in the country. It is
quite common there for a number of
farmers to join together and through
a purchasing agent contract for from
800 to 1000 tons, taking advantage of
all the discounts by paying cash. While
a large amount is purchased on the
above plan, it by no means covers one
half the business. 1t is quite common
for a Long Island farmer to purchase
one or more cars of fertilizer for his
own use and the grade he purchases is
not a cheap or ordinary one; they have
standard or what is better known
down there as the "club fertilizer"
which usually contains 3 to 4 per cent
of nitrogen, 7 per cent. phosphoric
acid and Z per cent potash which is
used mostly for potatoes at the rate
of one ton to the acre.
The headquarters of these clubs are
at Northport, Worthwhile and Southold.
The plan adopted by these clubs has
been to elect a purchasing agent who
acts in connection with a board of di-
rectors who by authority of the club
secure a chemical analysis of the soils
and, on the advice of the experiment
station, select an analysis to meet the
soil conditions and the demands of the
crop to be raised. This same commit
tee then corresponds with the leading
manufacturers of chemical fertilizers.
After securing a satisfactory price it
contracts with one of them to deliver
within the time stated from 100 to 500
or 1000 tons, as the case may be, in
carload lots at the different stations
within the club district. The purchas-
ing agent is usually paid 25 cents to
80 cents per ton for making the pur
chases, looking after the delivery and
making the collection Git is a cash
JIdLSdCJIO4l -IIS 1dIIlSI pays lHC pun
chasing agent for his fertilizer as soon
as it is taken from the carr. The
purchases are usually made in Jan
uary and goods delivered during
March and April, very few in May,
which gets this matter off the minds
T of the farmers early in the season.
At Orient Point, Southold and Mat
tituck where potatoes, caulifower, as
paragus, tomatoes and cabbage seed,
are all extensively planted, we think
the grades of fertilizer in use run
higher than at other points on the Is
land. At Orient they use 4 per cent
ammonia, S per cent phosphOric acid,
and 10 and sometimes u per cent pot
ash; this is used mainly for potatoes
and Brussels Sprouts at the rate of
one ton to the acre, which we under
stand gives splendid results in both
the yield and quality of the crops; at
Southold and Mattituck for tomatoes,
asparagus and caulifower they use
AZ per cent nitrogen, s per cent
phosphoric acid and 7 per cent potash,
in all cases not less than one ton to
the acre, and in the place of mixed
fertilizers quantities of ground rock
and fish scrap are used with kainit and
muriate of potash.
The Long Island farmer is to be
congratulated on his progressive
methods generally. His intelligence
is leading him forward, helping him
to overcome the difficulties attendant
ON the cultivation of thin soils, soils
that eat up humus and wear out very
fast. The reconstruction of his soils
is taking his attention very much at
present and he Is now investigating
what to use for cover crops that will
meet Long Island conditions better
than common clover; crimson clover,
rye or oats and COW peas will be tried.
He also seems fully alive to the needs
of the plants and understands that to
meet these needs he must first have
physical conditions brought about by
the use of yard manure or green crops
ploughed under, which enables him to
use larger quantities of high grade
commercial fertilizer with safety and
profit. +. j. HOLL1STER.