The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-03-16
THE USING OF FERTILIZERS.
An Interesting Article on the Subject
from the Southern Cultivator.


themselves.
We gather, from our numerous in
quires 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
aud not the soil.
Certain element 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 rapid
ly 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, should use them, so as to get the
quickest returns.
WHY DO WE FERTILIZE?
Mainly on account Of our ignorance
and iazjness. We don't know that
the same ingredient Of plant food
which we are buying, already exists
in the soil in abundant supply. Or if
we know this we are not willing to do
the work necessary to get these from
the soil.
We ind that by scratching the soil
three or four inches aud using these
bought helps, we can force fair crop.
Hence we prefer to sit about idle all
the fail and winter. and then rely up
on the fertilizer to make the crop.
II we break the soil deep and pull
verize 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, ve greatly injure the soil
That is we decrease its productive
power.
SHALL WE CONTINUE TO USE THEM?
1t will pay us to do so, if we use
them right. Do all we can to get ou]
soil in productive shape, and ther
help it out by judicious use of fertili
Zers. We should buy as cheaply a:
possible. TO do this we must get the
ingredients and do our mixing, as fal
as possible. Buy the phosphorus ant
potash and ammonia each in thf
chea pest shape.
Then mix with reference to the crol
We are expecting to use it upon.
Plants all use much the same foot
and in very much the same proper
ticn.
Phosphoric acid, potash, ammoni;
are the ingredients the crops need
Some need more of one, and som'
more Of another Of these.
AS the Southern farmers raise al
the cotton seed, they do not need tt
buy more nitrogen. If properl.
handled, the cotton seed will suppl.
this element, at least as much of i
as is needed after we have taken care
of all the animal manureS and rottins
, vegetation.
The phospl1oric acid and potash WI
can not raise. We must work thi!
out Of the soil or buy it.
| Deep ploWing, rotting Of crops
growing grasses and clovers and pea
and cattle will soon supply all th
elements of feUility. But until thi
i is done, we must buy acid and kaini
or muriate of potash.
If we are fertilizing the grain crops
. and a large number Of truck crops
such as cabbage and tomatoes, the
we need some ammonia.
For all Of the legamenous crops W
need only acid and potash. For cot
ton, we need very small quantity 0
Of ammonia.
If the previous crop was peas
clover or Bermuda grass we do no
need any ammonia for cotton OF corn
But if the land has been badly hand
led or planted in ordinary crops "
will need some.
In writing to inquire to fertilize
is not necessary to describe your soil
The soil is the workshop, and varie
too much to enable any one to pre-
scribe for it.
FORMULAS.
OF course these are merely guides
You can vary them to suit your Cir
cumStances. But they will tit mos