Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-09-02

every year, but they are thought at
the present time to be fair to producer
and consumer.
The two fertilizers previously spoken
of will consequently have the follow
ing values: The first, with 12a per cent
Of available phosphoric acid, or 12a
pounds Of 1t In a 100-pound sack will
be worth four times 12a cents, or so
cents per 100 pounds, or $40 per ton,
and the second 95 cents per 100 pounds,
of $19 per ton; the calculation Is read
lily made and will serve good pur-
pose. A number Of brands Of bone
meal are. for example, 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 valuation Of "a cents
per pound: but by calculating and
adding the value to the rest compar-
ison of the different 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 q most import
ant bearing upon the whole question
Of manuring, for 1t Is plain that II
the absorption Of the largest part of
the ash constituents takes place during
the early growth and before the full
development of the root system a
much larger part, especially Of the very
essential 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 through the whole mass Of cul-
tivated soil. and so the food must, so
to speak. seek the roots rather than
the roots the food, and to do so ef-
fectively it must be present in availa-
BILE form on every particle Of soil. To
stint the plants at this early stage of
growth is fatal to their fullest and best
development and a certain way to an
inferior and short crop.
Nitrogen.
The term available" so often used
In regard to plant food. implies solu-
bility in water, since the roots of
plants can absorb nothing but what
is soluble. Whatever Is insoluble,
including the vast amount of ell
ementary nitrogen in our atmosphere
Is wholly unavailable excepting In the
case Of leguminous plants; likewise
does the available nitrogen In our soil
suffer gradual but continual loss
through surface washing or under
drainage by which the desirable and
costliest Of all plant foods demands
more careful and more intelligent at
tention than the rest.
We know there are virtually but two
classes Of nitrogenous compounds
which. on account Of their insolubility
and experimental proof furnished
thereof, can be taken up and assimi-
lated by the plants; these are ammonia
salts and salts of nitric acid. We also
know by practical trials with our cul-
tivated crops that the latter Is more
effective than the former. There Is no
doubt that the nitrates are preferable
and cheaper than other nitrogen salts
and are in reality the rational source
Of nitrogen for farm crops, unless, In
deed, we supply, as we ought to do,
the necessary nitrogen by a rotation,
in which a leguminous plant, like clo-
yer or alfalfa. takes prominent part.
Besides those mentioned, the markets
supply two other nitrogenous manures
animal, like ground fish, bone, blood,
scraps and various refuse Of our
slaughter and packing houses, and
vegetables, like cotton seed meal and
others-whose nitrogen Is always
speedily available to plants, but must
first pass through series Of changes.
These changes precede In every In
stance the assimilation Of nitrogen, and
since animal substances containing 1t
decompose more readily than vegetable
ones, the former are more valuable to
the farmer for manurial purposes, es-
pecially where quick responses are ex-
pected and demanded. From this
statement, however, horn shavings and
hide and leather scraps are excluded.
as they have scarcely any effect what
ever unless previously submitted to a
chemical treatment.
Potash.
The accessible potash supply for this
state consists of wood ashes and the
products of the potash industry at
Strassfurth, Germany.
The former are limited in amount
and available only in certain places.
and 1t Is difficult to assign to them on
account of the differences in their COM
position any certain value. Where
used, as in the southern part OF the
state, 10 per cent Of potash In un-
Ieached supply reaches US, however,
from Germany under the names OF
kainit, sulphate and muriate. The first
Of these contains 12a per cent of pot
ash and the others about so per cent,
a guarantee being given In every case
by the original seller which can be
accepted as reliable.
Phosphorie Acid.
The sources Of this acid are four In
number-frst bones, either fresh or
steamed or in some form resulting by
the operations of the packing house In
dustry: SECOND, phosphate deposits,
like those Of South Carolina or the keys
of the Caribbean sea; third, accumu-
lations at certain places of fossil,
chiefly excrementitious in character;
fourth Thomas Stag or Stag, q by-pro-