Daily Kennebec journal., 1904-01-21
How to Get the Largest He'
turns from Your Land.
Applying Phosphates.

The following is from clipping from
Die Phosphat lndustrie, weekly pdpei
uublished in Holland and devoted az
most entirely 10 this most important
plant food:
"C;round phosphate Of lime may De
administered TO the soil III any
quantity, as, i'll consequence
neutral nature, there is no rIsk vi
employing it even to excess. '"s
.,rnlus merely resolving itself INTO 4
provision for the future IN iac.' =
even advantageous to distribute III oiiH
I,,,n,. m. ouantity required for two
years or 50. for this method distinctly
,ee;s,s assimilation. Five hundred
Kilograms per hectare, every otNer
y..or NAV be taken to represent II
regular average mixture; when apply
ing the phosphate to poor soli loi .''e
Gr.+ time. however. 900 to 1000 kilo-
grams per hectare Is Advisable IL IL II
,.eired to leave q residue i'll the SOIL.
IL should be remembered tnat Wheii
using natural phosphate the one great
essential is to blend it with the soil as
thoroughly as possible. In order 70
facilitate it's spreading. dry substances
NAV be added to the phosphates, such
as dried soil, ashes, gypsum, but TINS Is
not strictly necessary. as Il lle. a
good plan. also. is to mingle it With tn:
little removed from the stables in the
nroportion Of one kilogram of phos-
,,hate for each head of cattle.
"In alkaline soiIs-viZ.: i'll calcareous
soil or that wanting in organic
detritus-the latter method is prefer
able. II no manure is at hand it is Il
good thing to add TO the phosphate halt
or even it's whole weight in the form oi
sypsum. In this way the spreading
and the absorption of the phosphatc
are facilitated, and the gypsum ltSeii
serves in its turn as fertiliZer, lof
s,Iphates, as a rule, are not 1ouhd lii
.alcareous soil.
SHOULD the soil be of an acid nature
viz: consisting of clay, silica, slate
CLAW. granitic soil, rich in Organic
matter or marshy-the phosphate may
safely be allowed to follow its own
bent. for one may be sure of its beng
assimilated without delay, and OF us
Welding prompt results. AS soon as
the acidity is annihiated the wec"5
which thrive thereby disappear as 4
natural consequence.
The soil water charged with carDohic
acid. the action of soil bacteria and Of
the growing plant roots prepare the
finely ground phosphate for plant food,
rs il is needed, and without waste.
BESIDES, there is no detrimental effect
from strong mineral acids. 1t is the
method that nature has always
pursued. We may have methods of our
own. but natures methods Will be
found best in the long run. and We can
not afford to ignore her teachings.
If the farmer who saves his manure
would scatter in the stalls each day II
few pounds Of ground rock phosphate,
he would have the cheapest, best, ana
most lasting fertilizer Obtainable. The
phosphate would absorb and save tn"
moisture-the best part of the manur':
while the lime would neutralize the
acid of the soil, the nitrifying fermeatS
OF the manure and soil would free the
pbosphoric acid. This would be a most
economical mcthOd-nO loss. but Il gam
Mt every turn. OF course, for a large
lcreage the manure is not as practical.
hut the phosphate may be drilled.
sowcd from an end gate seeder or by
hand. and goes eXcellently with oats
and clover as IL preparation for corn;
the more organic matter in the soil tn"
better; it will prevent acidity.
If YOU cannot buy a carload YOU and
your ncighbors can.-c colman's Rural
World