The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1904-03-24
THE USING OF FERTILIZERS.
An interesting Article on the Subject From the
Southern Cu!tivator.

Southern Cultivator.
We wish to discuss briefly fertilizing,
not fertilizers. We wish to call attention
to the using of fertilizers themselves.
We gather, from our numerous inquiries
upon this subject, that very many do not
fully understand this important part of
farming.
There seems to be an impression that
we use fertilizers for the benefit of the
soil. This is great mistake. They are
intended to help the crop and not the
soil.
Certain elements of plant food are made
soluble and therefore quickly available to
growing plants. We call these fertilizers.
We use them to help make the crops grow
more rapidly and mature earlier.
We use them because they are not soil
food, but plant food.
Now we see at once that fertilizer to
be good must be such that the first plant
will take it up. Hence We use them, so as
to get the quickest returns.
WHY DO WE FERT1LIzE?
Mainly en- account of our ignorance
and laziness. We don't know that the
same ingredient of plant food which we
are buying is already existing in the soil
in abundant supply. Or if we know this
weare not villingto do the work neces-
sary to GET these from the soil.
We find that by scratching the soil three
or four inches and using these bought
helps, we can force fair crop. Hence
we prefer 20 sit about idle all the fall and
winter, and then rely upon the fertilizer
to make the crop.
If we break.the soil deep and pulverize
it very finely, it will supply the same
things we buy. But that means work, and
most of US are lazy.
By continuous bad preparation and bad
cultivation, and the stimulus of fertilizers,
we greatly injure the soil. That is we de-
crease its productive power.
SHALL WE CONTINUE TO USE THEM?
twill pay US to do 80, if We use them
right. Do all We can to get our soil in
productive shape, and then help it out by
judicious use of fertilizers. We should
buy as cheaply as possible. To do this we
must get the ingredients and do our mix
ing, as far as possible. Buy the phos.
phorus and potash and ammonia each in
the cheapest shape.
Then mix with reference to. the crop
we are expecting to use it upon.
Plants all use much the same food and
in very much the same proportion.
Phosphoric acid, potash, and ammonia
are the ingredients the crops need. Some
need more of one, and some more OF
another of these.
As the Southern farmers raise all the
cotton seed, they do not need to buy more
nitrogen. If properly handled, the cotton
seed will supply this element, at least as
much of it as is needed after we have
taken care Of all the animal man1res and
rotting vegetation.
The phosphoric acid and potash we can
not raise. We must work this out of the
soil or buy it,
Deep plowing, rotting of crops, grow.
ing grasses and clovers and peas and cat
,, tie will sooa supply all the elements Of
fertility. Eut until this is done, we mus,
buy acid and kainit or muriate of potash
If we are fertilizing the grain crops
and large number Of truck crops, such
as cabbage and tomatoes, then VIE need
some ammonia.
For all the legumenous crops We need
only acid and potash. For cotton, We
need very small quantity of ammonia.
If the previous crop was peas or clover
or Bermuda grass We do not need any
ammonia for cotton or corn. But if the
land has been badly handled or planted in
ordinary crops We will need some.
In writing to inquire to fertilize it is
not necessary to describe your soil. The
soil is the workshop, and varies toe
much to enable any one to prescribe for it
FORMULAS.
Of course these are merely guides. You
can vary them to suit your circumstances
But they will fit most cases.
For cotton:
Acid phosphate.... ......1200 pounds
C.S. Meal. al................ 500 "
| KANT. .................... 5UU
If you use muriate, 100 lbs. will do.
For corn:
Acid phosphate. 1000 pounds
C.S. Meal. l............... 900 &C
Kainit. -. .............. 400 &C
For grasses, sorghum and all that class
of truck crop:
Acid phosphate. ..........1 1900 pounds
C.S. Meal. l................ 400 &C
kainlt. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 5OO
For melons and fruit:
Acid phosphate. ...........10OO 6