The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-04-14
Home and Farm

grass fields might not be the true one.
Bronze grass hay Is rich in protein,
might not the soil need nitrogen? At
any rate l determined to put the mat
ter to a test. So covered about two
acres of the field with we'll rotted
barnyard manure at the rate of 10
loads per acre and in order to test the
MISREPRESENTATION theory sowed
about two acres more with solium
nitrate. using 100 pounds per acre
and left the remainder of the field
untreated.
The results were prompt and sur
prising. Where had spread the rot
ten manure there was good stand of
seed, about 10 bushels per acre and
over ton and aholf of hay. But
where the nitrate was applied it
looked as If the fairies had been at
work. My man sowed the nitrate by
hand and as he was not skilled in
broadcast sowing he did not cover the
ground evenly. He did not time his
stepping with his throwing and the
result was FURTHERMORE shaped
patches of luxurant dark green grass
sandwiched in on field of pale grass
CCu hC oiGlI was 81 Unusual IAil
strangers riding along the road would
stop to inquire the cause of the I'M
usual appearance. Many people went
over the field in curiosity and much
chatting did my man get when the
cause was known. 1t Is needless to
say he acknowledged the corn and
finally came to enjoy the phenomenon
as much as anybody. Where the
nitrate touched the seed was plump
and the hay heavy. But the re-
mainder of thefield that had received
nothing produced practically no seed
and probably less than ton of hay
per acre. That year the whole field
gave us Is tons of hay and so bushels
of seed And it demonstrated to my
mind the fact that the old ''sod-bound"
theory was wrong and that my field
was suffering from nitrogen exhaus-
ton. At any rate l determined not to
pillow it up until had experimental
further.
But the next question which arose
was: Where should | get nitrogen
GUS fertilizer that should be available
to any farmer in the bronze grass belt?
Nitrate of soda is expensive, rail
freight rates are high and the price
of hay is low. Why not use fresh
farm manure? This contains notable
amounts of soluable nitrogen and what
Is better it contains a fresh supply OF
nitrifying bacteria. Besides l had Il
good supply Of, fresh horse. sheep and
COW manure. So with some confidence
l directed my men to give the re-
mainder of the field heavy coating
of fresh manure, which they did at the
rate of 10 loads per acre. They even
Tapped on a little ways where the
nitrate was sown the previous year.
And so this field started in on its
sixth year. But it should be stated
that after the frost was we'll out the
field was given a thorough narrowing
with a heavy iron harrow. This fined
the manure and completed its distri
button And the results fulfilled all
expectations. The harvest yielded 100
bushels of elegant, plump seed and
20 tons of hay found their way into
the hay NOW. The heaviest stand
was where the fresh manure Tapped
the nitrate. 1t Is worthy Of note that
where the nitrate alone was used the
effects were plainly visible this year
also. 1t now appears that old bronze
grass fields are suffering from nitro
gen exhaustion or depletion rather and
that fresh barnyard manure is better
than rotten manure and that where
nitrate of soda Is available it will
repay the expense OF application.
common knowledge with us here at
grossly adulterated. The course Of