The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-01-14
Bv HARNiE JORD AN,

bl. The analysis OF thu corn plant Shew~
tha, il needs twice a. much phosphorus
acid as ammonia and from 60 tame a.
much phoSqhoric actA al potash. hone"
fertilizer showing an ANALYSIS Of thc fol-
lowing mix uIr would b.. best FOR corn
generally speaking Phosqhorie acid
per cent, nitrogen. TtE cent, potash. ?
PER cent.
The same variation in the use OF thos"
elements Of plant food wfl be found 10 "a
greater or lesser degree In the different
requirements OF nearly every crop we cut-
tiycte. ana one brand of fertilizer cannot
he profitahly used under all the crops
planted on the farm.
TIE GUARANTEED ANALYSIS.
Some explanation as To the percentage
OF available plant food To te found In The
guaranteed analysis stamped on tho sacks
viii not come amiss al this time, since
that IS the only guide the farmer has 10
the contents and value OF the goods he
intends TO purchase.
The guaranteed analysis OF a fertilizer
as printed on the bag in which the Kuano
is sacked is The open guarantee by the
manufacturer that such fertilizer actually
contains in available plant food the per
eent@gcs thereon named \ complete fer
tilizcr analyzing rs follows:
Phospboric acid tayailable1 10 per cont
Ammonia ...................-.
Potash NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..
means that the manufacturer guarantees
each ton Of such goods to contain 200
pounds OF available phosphoric acid 40
pounds Of ammonia and 40 pounds of pot
ash making the total amount OF plant
food 2S0 pounds per ton OF all the three
elcments combined.
This would leave l.740 pounds Of dead
material in the ton that is. 720 pounds
of dead weight, which contains no cle-
ment of plant food and Is useless 80 far
as the growing crop is concerned, Howcv-
er ii is useful in distributing the $50
pounds over a large area OF land 4 for
tilizer. therefore, which runs low in tho
analysis contains still smaller amounts or
plant food and more of the dead weight
material and is not only cheap in money
value. but is also of little use 10 the aeld
crop. Therefore, the best advice 10 give
and the best to heed is for each farmer to
study closely the guaranteed analysis ass
stamped on the sack. and steer clear OF
the purchase of any fertilizer analyzing
less than - per cent total available plant
food. no matter whether il Is simply
phoSphoric acid alone or phosphoric acid
and potash combined, or q complete fer
tilzer containing all three elements or
plant food. This is IN important matter
and should receive the careful attention
Of every farmer who buys commercial
fertilizers, It makes no difference What
the dealer may say in order 10 sell his
goods. We are spending millions of dol
lars annually for commercial fertilizer
and in Georgia especially il i8 the largest
item Of expense. In the six cotton States
east of he Mississippi we used last year
nearly loo 600 tons Of commercial fer
tilizerS. ST the average cost cf $40 Der
ton. making a total OF about $50 900 600
or the gross revenue derived from the sale
of 900, 600 bales Of cotton. twice the en-
tire cotton crop OF North Carolina. or
this enormous amount Of commercial fer-
tilizers Georgia's share was onc-thiri Of
the whole or 800 600 tons. Now. If Wc
must buy it. let rs make an effort 10 get
better goods 30 that our crops will give
better yields and thereby give Us more
money with which to meet the enormous
obligation.
HARNIE JORDAN.