Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1903-02-14
PURCHASING FERTILIZERS.

| PURCHASING FERTILIZERS.
| Fertilizers will be applied not only
| this spring, but also on crops seeded
later, and even on the wheat in the
Iall, but many farmers procure the
larger portion of their fertilizers at
this season. There are some matters
connected with the purchase of fer
tlllzers which are overlooked by farm
ers, and they are the kind of soil, the
KIND of crop grown on the land the
| previous year, and the proper selec-
ton of the crop for this year. Some
| soils are rich in potash, while others
| are deficient, and the same holds true
with other plant foods. No one can
| inform the farmer what his soil re-
| qu1res, as an analysis of small por-
zion OF field does not always give an
indication of the requirements of the
whole, for which reason the farmer
should endeavor to study his soil and
its requirements, which he can do by
tests on small plots
1t is not unusual for farm or field
to contain available plant food left
vious year, as the fertilizer used may
have contained ingredients not suit
able for the crop grown, and which
were expensive to the farmer because
he purchased something not needed.
Clover should always be one of the
crops used, as it utilities mostly the
| mineral elements, demanding little
or no nitrogen. It also shades the
soil and conduces to the formation of
humus, the roots adding much fertil-
ity to the land when plowed under,
even after hay crop has been re-
moved. 1t is believed by some that
clover requires no fertilizer. Such is
not correct, as clover is greatly bene-
fitted by potash. 1t is also partial to
lime in almost any form, even the
lime in phosphates benefting the
plants. For the grain and potato
crops nitrogen should be used 1t is
the valuable ingredient in nitrate Oh
soda, sulphate of ammonia, blood,
tankage, fish and cottonseed meal, and
is better known to farmers as ''am-
monia," though the real value of am
monia is due to it's nitrogen If farm
yard manure has been applied on the
land much will depend not only upon
the quantity used, but also upon the
manner in which it was preserved, as
it may possess but little value or may
contain much plant food, according
to the substances fed to the animals
which produced it.
When procuring fertilizers their
value is increased when the plant
foods contained are soluble or avail
able. A fertilizer may contain all the
ingredients demanded by the farmer,
but if they are not available for the
plants there will be but little imme-
date benefit derived. Fertilizers are
largely used for giving plants sup
ply of ready-prepared food that they
may make early growth and reach
a stage for better resisting the usual
dry weather of summer, as any loss of
time in the early spring may influence
the yields of the crop. All fertilizers
should be very fine and dry that they
may be easily applied and distributed
and they should be broad-casted and
not used in hills. Success with the
use Of fertilizers depends upon the
rainfall, and there is more liability
of disappointment when the fertilizer
is used in rows or hills than when
broadcasted, as the latter method al
lows more water for dissolving the
plant food than when the fertilizer
Philadelphia Record.