The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-14
Fertilizers.


 We now come to this one of the most important q Hens in connection with potato growing. In the great potato growing states of the north and west where our late or winter supply of pota- toes are grown, this question of fertilizers gives the grower very little concern, for here the land is kept enriched by grow ing grasses and stock and turning every. thing grown on the farm back to the farm in some form of fertilizer In these sections the farmers arc not troubled over the question of commercial fertili- usedzers and here but very little of it is used But in the southern state where early crops of potatoes are being grown for early shipment. the farmers are almost compelled to use some form of chemical fertilizer. ard In all cases where such fertilizers are used int,lligently 1t pays and pays well to rse lhem, often paying as much as 30 per cent. on the in- vestment.
 The use of all commercial fertilizers should follow such preparation of the soil as is here outlined That Is, the commer- cial fertilizer must not be relied upon to do all' the work. Commercial fertilizers will be valuable and available just in proportion to the condition of the soil. Fertilizers are only pl. nt .ood. All plants must have food just the same as animals. and like all animals they must have their food in liquid form. Plants can only take food by the water route so the finer the soil is made the more water twill 1t take up and hold, and the faster will the plant food furnished to the soil be ,ome avail able. and in such form as the plants may readily take it ID. So to apply fertilizers to rough, clody, unbroken soil would only be q waste of time and money A clod of earth Is worth no more on the soil than Is a stone, and fertilizer enclosed in a clod is worth nothing to a crop.
 So the soil must be made fine in order to get good results from the fertilizers used. Barnyard or stable manure is used in connection with the legumes mentioned would give fine results. but tho trouble in this matter is that it is difficult to obtain enough manure to meet the demands Where this form of fertilizer is used 1t should be applied to the soh, spread and plowed under in the fall. It will not be a good plan to use fresh stable manure in the spring at the time of planting. as it causes rough skin. scab and other dis eases So that If the stable manure is used it should be well routed and thoroughly incorporated into the soil, or else If fresh applied In the fall so that it may have time 10 rot and become mix ed into the soil
 
 fertilizer should be saved and used so as to reduce the bill for fertilizers as much as possible The rotation of crops and the use of legumes is the shortest and most economical plan for enriching soils, and as stated the soil must contain A amount of decayed vegetable matter In order to get the greatest amount Of benefit from the chemical fertilizer and to make it avail able on shorter time. when commercial fertilizers are used on soils continually without this organic matter, they become ferent soils, however. have to have diff ferent treatment and the best plan will be for the farmer to make experiments ard find out in this way what clements of fertilizer his various soils need most
 Special Fertilizers.
 Regarding spectial fertilizers, there seems to be some misunderstanding as regards the term thus used: Plant food fertilizers or complete fertilizers are made up of three clements, nitrogen phosphorie acid and potash So that when we speak of complete fertilizers we mean fertilizers containing all three of these elements. Not only this, but these should be 50 well balanced and mix cd to meet the demands of the crops for which they are intended. However, in speaking of a complete or special fertfli- ger, the farmer should not conclude that the special fertilizer Is a complete fertili- ger for If often falls very short of this Some experiments or analysis have been