The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1904-09-09

TO spare for one or two crops OF cereal.
or potatoes Immediately following
Glover, however, cannot be depended
upon to furnish more nitrogen thar
this, nor can 1t make up any deficienc,
of phosphorus of potassium. Hence
where clover does its best it may havt
the effect of so reducing the supplies o
phosphorus and potassium that one o
both of these must be furnished be
fore maximum crops can be grown
For example, on a tract of land on The
South Farm of the Experiment Station
at Wooster, on which potatoes, wheat
and clover have been grown in a g.
year rotation for 10 years, the 10-yeai
average yield of wheat has been:
q bushels per acre without fertiliz.
ers:
33 1-3 bushels with phosphorus only:
33 1-2 bushels with phosphorus, po-
tassium, and
36 bushels with phosphorus, potas
sium and nitrogen.
In this case the increase for phos-
phorus has given large profit, but the
further gain from potassium and nitro
gen has not been sufficient to justify
their use, except in very small guam
! tity.
On the other hand, on the East
Farm OF this Station, in 5-year rota.
tion of corn, oats, wheat, clover and
timothy, the land having been exhaust
ed by many years Of cropping with but
little manuring, the 10-year average of
wheat has been:
8 bushels per acre without fertiliz-
ers,
Is 1-2 bushels with phosphorus only,
II 1-2 bushels with phosphorus and
potassium, and
"a bushels with phosphorus, potas.
SUM 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, 1t may be assumed that
land which is sufficiently fertile to pro-
duce rs bushels of wheat per acre may
be held close to the maximum produc.
ton by the growth of clover every
third season, with the addition of n
small quantity of phosphorus or po-
tassium, one or both: but when the
average yield falls much below these
quantities, under 3-year rotation with
clover then the addition of nitrogen to
fertilizer is indicated.
For soils which have been depleted
by exhaustive cropping the following
system of management is suggested:
O Apply stable manure to land in
tended for corn, using it at the rate of
8 to 10 tons per acre. If possible. let
the manure be taken directly from the
stable to the field. and If it has been
busted during accumulation with acid
phosphate or raw phosphate rock
tfoats) its effectiveness will be great
ly increased for most soils.
(2) A crop Of wheat or oats may
follow corn treated as above, without
further manuring or fertilizing, and
If clover be seeded with this crop, the
clover sod to be manured is grown
and planted to corn (or potatoes) thus
establishing a rotation in which clover
is grown every third season in alter
nation with a manured and cultivated
crop, the best conditions of fertility
recovery will have been provided and
gradual increase in productiveness
may be expected.
(S) II second crop of small grain
be grown (as wheat after oats) it will
be necessary to manure again or else
use complete fertilizer If the max
imum yield is obtained. The proper
tion Of ammonia, however, need not
exceed two or three per cent. Glover
should be sown with this crop.
(4) If, for any reason, third crop
of grain be grown before clover comes
into the rotation it should receive a
fertilizer containing to per cent
ammonia, applied at the rate of 800
to 400 pounds per acre. Such cropping
Is likely to prove less profitable than
where clover is more frequently
grown.
(5) When clover fails to prosper
on land that has been literally man
ured or fertilized, making fair stand.
perhaps, but showing weak growth
after the wheat has been taken OF and
finally dying out altogether in spots
the use of lime is indicated. Present
indications are that lime will produce
more clover when applied to a crop
preceding the wheat by one or two
seasons than when applied to the crop
with which the clover is sown. No
definite quantity Of lime can he stated
for all conditions. but It is safe to use
ton to the acre.
(6) II farmers present system OF
management does not provide SUFFICIENT
stable manure to carry out this plan
then 1t is time to readjust that system;
for the Ohio farmer who undertakes to
bring Up an exhausted soil to profit
sble state of productiveness through
the use of commercial fertilizers alone
will generally find that the margin be-