The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-09-10

One trouble in using wood ashes for
potash, is that the per cent of potash
is so small that If we were to use enough
of 1t to produce the desired results. we
might make our soils too porous, light or
leechy. This would be true in light, sandy
soils. but on soils with heavy, stiff clay
subsoil, large quantities of wood ashes
may be safely used. Liberal quantities
of potash are needed and should be used
in fruit growing, and especially SO for
all fruit trees.
Many soils, especially the heavy. red
clay soils. contain more or less potash,
provided by nature.
Potash, like nitrogen, Is volatile and
should be used at such a stage of the
growth in plants as will give best re-
suits and prevent loss. This would be
true, especially where commercial or mu-
riate of potash is used. Wood ashes would
be slower in their action than the muriate
of potash.
PhosphorIc Acid.
The office of phosphoric acid in hortieul-
ture is to aid the assimilation of the other
plant foods 1t also helps to hasten the
maturity of the fruit and produces and
perfeots the seed In all fruits.
There are two principal sources of phos-
phoric acid, namely, bone and rock phos-
pilates. OF these, the rock phosphate is
the cheapest source. A prevailing Inn
preston exists that er-phosphate,
as that made from bones. It has been
sthat made from bones. 1t has been
shown by many experiments that this
idea is entirely without foundation. What
the plants want is soluble phospheric acid
and 1t makes little or no difference from
what source II is derived.
The largest deposits of rock phosphates
are found in South Carolina, Florida and
Tennessee Rock and bone phosphates are
not as volatile as nitrogen and potash. so
may be applied to the soil without fear of
loss. This applies particularly to untreat-
ed rock and raw bone phosphates. How
ever, when rock phosphates are treated
with sulphurlc acid. they become quickly
available and this is also true of the bone
phosphates.
Steamed bone meal is now being large
ly used, and 1t, too, is quickly available
or we may state it this way, that when
these phosphates are so treated, the acid
phosphate becomes soluble in water.
One of the best plans for using phos-
pilates where the soil is In good physi-
cal condition would be to use from four
to eight hundred pounds per acre of
what Is called floats, which is the phos-
phate rock ground as It comes from the
beds. These floats gradually disintegrate,
becoming available as needed.
Ground raw bones may be used the same
way, but where the soil has beeen robbed
OF all plant foods and immediate action is
needed. 1t Will be best to use the steamed
bone meeal or the rock phosphate that has
been treated with sulphuric acid.
Barnyard or Stable Manures.
Stable manure contains all three of the
elements of plant foods mentioned above,
but 1t is in small quantities and often 1t
is impossible to procure enough of this
natural fertilizer to produce the results
desired. However, the fact still remains
that If we could get enough of this barn
yard manure and use it in connection with
our legimes in a well regulated rotation
of crops, this system of fertilizing our
soils would furnish US all the plant foods
needed for all our crops,
Lime.
While lime has never been considered
direct fertilizer vet it has a fine me-
chanical effect upon the soil and often lib
crates or sets to action the plant foods
that are dormant in the soil. Lime has a
direct influence on soils binding loose,
leeohy soils and in making tight or heavy
soils loose. Lime also has a direct in
fluence in correcting the acidlty in the
soil
All bearing apple orchards should have
at least one ton of air-slacked lime per
acre, broadcasted every three years There
are many soils that are so sour that they
will never produce fine apples until COR
rected of this acidity, which can best be
done by the combined use of tile drainage
and lime.
While I am not able to give a formula
here that would suit all conditions, yet
the various formulas given will meet the
requirements of most soils for apple grow
ing or other fruits as well.
Compost.
Stable and barnyard manure and other
decaying vegetable matter contains am
monia, though only in small quantities
Decaylng vegetable matter produces hu-
mus in the soil and should be kept from
exposure to the weather and in the early
spring put on the land and worked in.
To make compost, spread out the man.
ure and cover it with acid phosphate, then
put layer of manure and another layer
of acid phosphate and so on until the
in each layer of acid phosphate will supply
potash. The acid phosphate not only aids
in the decomposition of the manure but
tends to hold the ammonia, thus prevent
ing its escape. In carting the compost
cut through the pile, thus mixing the lay
ers for distribution on the land.
In the preparation of soils FOR trees use
from 20 to so tons of stable manure per
acre. After the trees begin to bear use
either of the following formulas each year
as trees in bearing draw from the soil an
nually for two crops, the one the yield of
fruit and the other the tree growth of
new wood and leaves.
A careful study of the fruit, food and
leaf growth of an acre of apple trees (35
trees) shows an annual demand of fer
tilizer as follows:
Nitrogen, 81 pounds.
Potash, 95 pounds.
Phosphoric acid, 26 pounds.
From this we are able to give rome
idea of what fertilizers are needed for
bearing orchards.
Formula No. 1-Use from 600 to 1000
pounds per acre of a fertilizer containing:
Nitrogen, per cent; actual potash, per
cent; available phosphoric acid, per
cent.
Formula No. 2-When a complete fertil-
izer is to be used without manure, for
an acre of bearing apple trees, use per
acre from 100 to 200 pounds nitrate of
Soda 200 to 800 pounds muriate of potash,
800 to 700 pounds acid phosphate.
Formula No. 3-Use annually per acre
a top dressing of from 400 to 800 pounds
of a fertilizer containing: Nitrogen, 2 per
cent; phosphoric acid, per cent; potash.
~ per cent Phis can be obtained from
either of the following mixtures.
No. 1-50 to 100 pounds nitrate of Soda
200 to 400 pounds dissolved bone, 100 to 200
pounds muriate of potash
No. 2-110 to 220 pounds cotton seed meal
1870 to $50 pounds acid phosphate, 100 to 200
pounds sulphate Of potash.
No. $50 to 100 pounds dried blood. 300
to 600 pounds bone meal, 10 OTTO 200 pounds
sulphate of potash.
Volumes have been and could be written