The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-06-09

PhOsphoric Acid and Potash and the
 Sources From Which They are Ob-
 tafned.
 One of the most important things connected with successful farming ms, of course. the maintenance of soil fer tility. It is an admitted fact that there is nothing that is so generously good, both for immediate results and for feeding the soil with humus, as good barnyard manure from stables in which variety of stock is fed. The great problem is to secure sufficient of this for the many fields of the farm, and because the supply is not equal to the demand chemical fertilizers are used instead of manure. Notwithstanding hundreds of thousands of tons of chem ical fertilizers are bought by farmers every year. there is probably no one thing of which the farmers generally know SC little.
 Dr. Paul Schweitzer, in bulletin No. 63 of the Missouri experiment station, gives the following sensible Advice to Farmers"
 It is well to bear in mind that in the purchase Of a fertilizer, no matter by what name or under what guarantee 1t is sold, the only things of value are the available phosphoric acid, potash and nitrogen-not all the phosphoric acid, potash and nitrogen which the fertilizer may contain, but only those portions of the three substances mentioned which are available to the plants, and that means the portions which are either di- rectIy soluble in water or in such phys ical condition as to be easily absorbed by the roots that come in contact with them. If, therefore, a fertilizer is bought under the claim of containing twelve and one-half per cent of avail able phosphoric acid, then hundred pounds of 1t contains twelve and one half pounds of value, the rest, eighty seven and one-half pounds, being so much dross or useless incumbrance; and if sold under the claim of contain ing three and one-half per cent. of available nitrogen, one and one-haf per cent of ater-soluble potash and eight per cent. of available phosphorfc acid then thirteen pounds in the one hundred pound sack are of value and the rest incumbrance.
 Now it is plain that to rely implicitly on the claim made for any article of commerce by it's manufacturer would be unwise, for, though responsible houses can as a rule be trusted, the lack of supervision would beget care- lessness, and this works without excep- tfon to the detrinent of the buyer. It is for this reason that the state by it's fedtilizer inspection law endeavors to protect the farmer: this law places the responsibility of seeing that the fertili- gers sold in this state are true to the claims made for them upon the direc- tor of the experiment station or his agents They collect twice year-in the fall and in the spring samples of all fertilizers bought by farmers so far as they can be reached, and subject them to a careful chemical analysis, the results of which, along with the claims for them, are published in bulletin for general distribution. Every buyer of fertilizer should receive or call for a copy of this bulletin and compare the analytical statement with the claim made for the article he bought, so as to have a guide in future purchases.
 No regulation of the prices at which fertilizers are sold can, of course, be attempted. Healthy competition will as a rule result in fair charges, yet it Is desirable for every farmer to ascertain for himself whether he actually re- ceives his moneys worth. It may be done with to1erable degree of accura- cy by pricing the pound of available ni trogen at sixteen cents, the pound of available phosphoric acid at four cents and the pound of water-soIuble potash at four and one-half cents. These prices are subject to fiuctuation and have to be revised every year, but they are thought at the present time to be fair to producer and to consumer.
 The two fertilizers previously spoken of will consequently have the following values: The first with twelve and one half per cent of available phosphoric acid, or twelve and one-half pounds of it in one hundded pound sack, will be worth four times twelve and one-half cents, or fifty cents per one hundred pounds, or ten dollars pter on, and the second t1inety-five cents per one hun dred pounds, or nineteen dollars per ton; the calculation is readily made and will serve a good purpose. A number of brands of bone meal are, for exam pie, in the market, and selection has to be made of the number; this is the most difficult case, since, in addition to the value of the ingredients mentioned, the phosphoric acid, listed as insoluble In bone goods, should receive a valuation of two and one-half cents per pound; but by calculating and adding the value to the rest comparison of the differ ent brands can be readily made with the prices at which they are offered and the proper choice made intelligently.
 Potash, phosphoric acid and nitrates in certain amounts are necessary to in- sure satisfactory crops. These sub stances are taken up by the plants largely during the early stages of their growth, which fact has a most irnpor- tant bearing upon the whole question of n1anuring, for it is plain that if the absorption of the largest part of the ash constituents takes places during the early growth and before the full de- velopment of the root system a much larger part, especially of the very es- sential food constituents of the plant, must be present in the soil than merely suffices for single crop. The roots have not penetrated yet and spread