The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1906-09-28
CROP HINTS

In a recent bulletin of the New
Hampshire experiment station, the au-
thor, professor Morse, thus briefly sets
forth certain important facts which
should always be clearly kept In mind
in using commercial fertilizers.
1t should always De borne in mind
that the success of a crop depends on
four other conditions besides that OF
the fertilizer used to feed it. All farm
crops require certain average amounts
of heat, light, air and water in order
to develop an average growth. and just
the right amounts of each for the larg-
est possible yield. Thus, weather con-
ditions may favor or hinder a crop to
such ar extent that the fertilizer has
apparently nc effect, and these facts
have led more than one to the conclus-
ion that fertilizers We're useless. Fertil-
izers canno make good a lack of sun
shine or rain, but they can help the
sunshine and the rain do their best;
therefore when the weather Is favor
able. they lessen the loss.
h condition of the soil in It's reia-
ton to aar and water, is of the greatest
Importance in the profitable use OF
commercial fertilizers. When soil is
too wet. it allows too little air to reach
the roots of plants, simply because the
water crowds it out. In average sea-
sons, some soils are too wet II 9TH
ers are too dry, for the following rea-
sons: A crop Of three tons of hay or
one of Is tons of silage corn per acre,
would result in the removal from the
soil of about 800 tons. of water. To
supply this water, there would need tQ
be between Z and s inches of rainfall
during the growing season OF each crop.
At Durham, the average rainfall in
April, May and Jun is 9.5 inches. and
during May. June. July and August
1913. If this rain We're uniformly dis
trihuted, it would be fully enough for
r,~o &C md n 1itf1o too much fnr corn
AS it is not, both crops need the soil in
such condition, that it Will hold enough
water at all times for their need, While
allowing the surplus to drain away.
On soils of average texture. the re-
quisite moisture conditions can be
maintained by tillage, and if needed,
by drainage on low levels; but with ex-
treme types as l.eavy clay loans, or
light sandy loan, there Is needed more
thorough treatment, by increasing the
amount of vegetable matter, since
there is no more effective way OF maxi
ing over a soil in it's relation to water
and air than this.
In using commercial fertilizers as q
source of the food elements needed by
crops, it should be remembered that
there is little positive evidence that.
they can make 1t over the soil in it's
relation to water, hence they always do
their best work and are most profitabl0
on soils which are in good average con-
dition neither too heavy and wet. nov
too light and dry. Furthermore, tho
continuous growth of annual crops.
whether hoed or broadcast, adds no
vegetable matter to the soil, except in
the roots and stubble, and it is colnInonf
to find that the first crop of corn on,
sod land, with commercial fertilizers.
is superior to that of the second year,
undoubtedly because the vegetable
matter OF the old turf helped maintain
a. satisfactory moisture condition the,
first year, n was largely destroyed
before the second ear;
The most economical use of COM,
mercial fertilizers is only reached whens
they are applied in rotations in which,
the soil is maintained in good moisturel
condition by the use of barnyard ma:
nure or the vegetable matter FROM
crops grown for the purpose.
Although n food elements in al
commercial fertilizer form but one of.
the several conditions needed for the,
best development of the crop, it is i'm
portant that these clements should bel
suited to the demands of the crop at.
every stage of it's growth, else the
product will not be as large as the
other conditions would permit. 1t is
the most common practice to use this
class of fertilizers with the annual
crops, and there are good reasons for
such practice as shown by fertilizer
experiments.
Annual crops, whether oats, corn.
potatoes or vegetables, require that
their food clements shall be ready to-
hand as their growth makes new de-
mands. The commercial fertilizer.
then, should be able to furnish avail
able foe elements throughout the
growing season, and in the prope pro-
portion required by the crop.
A study of the chemistry of plant
growth shows very clearly that there
must be present a continuous supply
nf nvoi1nI 1o 11it,,nunyp which r-.,,irno
that some shall be in the inorganic and
some in organic form.
The more quickly the crop is to be
grown in the spring the more organic
nitrogen will be needed, since it is
sooner ready for the plants than. or
ganic forms. Soluble p%hosphoric acid
produces results more quickly and thor
oughly than the other forms, and q
we'll made fertilizer should have at
least half of it's available p%hosphoric
acid in the soluble form. All crops re-
rnove from the soil much more potash
than ~phosphoric aciu and although the
soil may furnish s.me of it, without
the positive evidence Of field expert
ments to that effect fertilizer should
have at least as much potash as it has
soluble ph%osphoric acid. Commercial
fertilizers may be advantageously used
in top-dressing grass, and for such q
purpose 1t should ave a high per-
centage Of nitrogen, of which nearly
siI SnOulO De inorganic. Inc phOSphOric
acid should be nearly all soluble, in
order to be of marked benefit, and the
fertilizer should be applied in the early
spring While the soil is thoroughly
moist.
Finally, in the purchase of fertilizers.
it should be borne in mind that it costs
just as much to mix, bag, freight and
handle a ton Of low grade fertilizer as
one of high grade. BY purchasing a
half ton Of the highest grade goods
n buys more and better nitrogen. as
much potash, m enough %phosphoric
acid to balance them, for less money
than he would pay for a ton of low
grade goods, because he saves nalf the
cost of the above different items.
HAVE AN OBJECT in VIEW.
That many farmers do not have a
definite object in view, but breed their
mares big and little to the same horse
which happens to be most convenient
without considering that the results
of such breeding will be a medium be-
tween sire and dam rather than a re-
production of either. To get a perfect
draft horse both sire and dam must
be perfect. The same rule is true if
O are after roadsters.