Smyrna times., 1904-10-26
THE USE OF FL.,TlLIzERs.
suggestions From the Ohio AgricuI-
turnI Experiment Station.

ing the economical use of manureS ana |
fertilizers as indicated by the investi-
cations of the Ohio experiment station
are: First, the character of the soil.
second, the kind of crop; third. tho |
system of management.
For the clay soils of eastern Ohio
especially those which lie upon and are
largely derived from shales and sand
stones. phosphorus is the element first
required in fertilizer, and until this
IS supplied neither nitrogen nor potas-
sium can be used with economy. PhoS-
phOrus, however will only produce its
full effect when associated with abun.
dant supplies of available nitrogen
and potassium. When, therefore. th,,
land has been depleted of its humus
by exhaustive groupings the use of
phosphorus alone will not produce
maximum crops.
The investigations of the Illinois ex-
pertinent station have shown that on
black, mucky soils, where the supplv
of humus is in excess, potassium NAV
be the controlling factor in crop pro
ductiOn; hence on such soils special at
tention should be given to supplying
this element either in manure or in
potash salts.
The Kind of CrOp.
1t does not appear that within the
range of ordinary farm cropping the
kind OF crop plays as important part
in determining the composition of the
fertilizer as many farmers have been
led to believe. 1t is true that legumi-
nous crops, such as clover, beans. etc.
require less nitrogen than the cereals.
potatoes, etc, and it~appears that corn
and potatoes are abiN to utilize organ
ic nitrogen, such as that of manure or
black soils, to better advantage than
wheat or oats. But the fact that
particular crop may show higher per-
centage of nitrogen or potassium in its
composition than others may simply
mean, as it does in the case of nitrogen
in the leguminOus crops, that it pos
SeSses a superior ability to obtain this
element from natural sources. The at
tempt, therefore, to prescribe spe-
cial fertilizer for a special crop without
reference to the soil and the system of
cropping must be regarded as lacking
a scientific basis.
The System of Management
On all soils the system of manage
ment plays most important part in
the scheme of fertilization. Where
clover grows luXuriantly-and it viii
do so only on soils containing a fair
supply of humus-a good crop of clover
may secure a sufficient supply of nj
trogen for its own use, with enough to
spare for one or two crops of cereals
or potatoes Immediately following
Clover however, cannot be depended
upon to furnish more nitrogen than
this, nor can it make up any deficiency
of phosphorus or potassium. Hence
where clover does its best it may have
the effect of so reducing the supplies of
phosphorus and potassium that one or
both of these must be furnished before
maximum crops can be grown. For
example, ON a tract of land on the
south farm of the experiment station
at Wooster, OH which potatoes, wheat
and clover have been grown in three
year rotation for ten years, the ten
year average yield of wheat has been
twenty-seven bushels per acre without
fertilizers, thirty-three and One-third
bushels with phosphorus only, thirty
three and one-half bushels with phos-
phorus and potassium and thirty-siX
bushels with phosphorus, potassium
and nitrogen.
In this case the increase for phOs-
phorus has given a large profit, but the
further gain from potassium and nitro
TO frrcf fy
their use except in very small quantity.
In a Five Year Rotation.
On the other hand. on the east farm
of this station. in a five year rotation
of corn, oats, wheat, clover and tim
Othy. the land having been exhausted
by many years of cropping with but
little manuring, the ten year average
yield of wheat has been nine bushels
per acre without fertilizers, fifteen and
One-half bushels with phosphorus only,
seventeen and one-half bushels with
phosphorus and potassium and twenty
four bushels with phosphorus, pOtas-
sium and nitrogen.
In this case the complete fertilizer,
carrying phosphorus, potassium and nj
trOgen, has yielded a larger net profit
than any partial fertilizer.
In general it may be assumed that
land which is sufficiently fertile to pro-
duce fifty bushels of corn or twenty
FIVE bushels of wheat per acre may be
held close to the maximum production
by the growth of clover every third
season, with the addition of small
quantity of phosphorus or potassium
one or both, but when the average
yield falls much below these quanti-
ties under three year rotation with
clover then the addition OF nitrogen
to the fertilizer is indicated.
The "BIg Stick Necessary.
IFrom the Louisville Herald
The American people have always