The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-07-04
FARM,
SnIt a. a Fertilizer.

Every now and then the question
springs up and the discussion pro-
voked takes the round of the agricul-
tural papers. rs salt a fertilizer" and
we find all sorts of answers to the
question ranging from that of the man
who found it decidedly injurious TO
mis- crop" to that of another who
found it to produce the best results
of anything he had ever used"
Doubtless it calls forth from the man
of science or philosopher, who loves
his kind. a groan to contemplate how
many are misled by the rosy state
ments of the fertilizing value of such
materials as salt, lime, landplaster and
the like these statements or claims be-
ing based usually upon the apparent
results of single, isolated tests half of
the time perhaps made more by acct
dent than by design. Farmers in one
section or another are constantly be-
ing urged to buy and apply freely to
their land either salt or lime or land
plaster as definite and reliable enrich
ing materials when neither have any
such quality.
AS to salt Chloride of sodium it con-
tains neither nitrogen. potash nor phos-
phoric acid, the three elements of value
in a fertilizer.
The soda and chlorine of which COM
mon salt is composed is little needed
by any crop we may grow as it has
been clearly demonstrated that nearly
all soil contains as much of these two
elements as are ever needed.
But salt like lime has a certain in
fiuence upon the soil something after
the order of pepsin in the animal econ
omy, not a food in itself but causes
certain substances used as food to be
digested and assimilated. On some
soils it is possible that salt would prove
of some value of this kind, in render
ing soluble the inorganic elements pot
ash and PHOSPHORUS that exist in an
insoluble form usually in large guam
titles on all soil originally very rich.
On loose sandy soil salt would have
very little effect and a farmer should
not be tempted to make any extended
use of il until he had tried it in
small way upon several kinds of crops.
To what extent one would be justified
in using it and simply as digester or
solvent, must depend upon it's cost. At
SO to $12 a ton its use could
hardly be justified. at 50 to "a per ton
or less there may be occasions when
the use of salt can be advised as an
application to old meadows and pas
lures especially. Five to ten hundred
pounds per acre would probably show
a good effect upon any soil that con-
tains a good supply of vegetable mat
ter or humus. 1t should never be plow-
ed in but should be broadcasted after
the crop is planted.
1t frequently happens that farmer
can procure refuse salt at a low figure
and where this is the case it would not
be bad thing for him to test it's value
and adaptibility to his particular soil.
Perchance he might be one of those
who finds it an almost unequalled fer
tilizer."
In making up compost it is always
well to use a hundred or two pounds
to the ton sprnkling the organic mat
ter freely with it as 1t is worked in.
Compost making under shelter has
fallen into a decadence and justly. as it
is found more economical to make 1t
right in the burrows. Where this is
done the salt can be sprinkled over the
organic matter after the latter has been
put into the burrows, first mixing the
salt with any acid phosphate or potash
that Is used in making the compost.