The midland journal., 1908-09-25
FERTILIZER.

mark, MADE a mistake IN SoTecl-
ing my fertilizer" my fertilizer is
not giving satisfaction for money ex-
pended" etc. One farmer said that
he had bought a special preparation
for potatoes and also superphos-
phate or dissolved bone as it is call
ed That the cheaper goods seemed
to give as good result as the high
priced goods. Another said that he
had fertilized part of his corn field
and left part not fertilized and that
he could not see any difference in
the growth of his corn.
The season evidently has much to
do with the crop growth. After we
have gone to the expense of buying
fertilizer and putting in the crop 1t
the season is unfavorable we may
fail to get good crop, but well pre-
pared and well fertilized soils stand
much better show to bring good
crops than soils that have been badly
managed. Usually the few pounds
of nitrogen and of potash put in high
priced fertilizers do not pay the ex-
ira cost over the phosphoric acid
which they displace. In most soils
there is lack of phosphoric acid and
there may be lack of potash and of
nitrogen, but the amounts of potash
and of nitrogen found in the so-called
complete fertilizers often do not make
much of showing over the common
dissolved bone.
Stable manure carefully saved and
so1 H. aaF IN.
Gus crops may in great measure do
away with the purchase OF nitrogen
and potash. Chemists are able to
find large quantities OF all the ele-
ments of fertility in the soil and the
question of fertile soils may be solved
largely by methods of rendering inert
fertility available rather than de-
pending upon purchasing commercial
fertilizers from year to year. Any
vegetable matter decaying in the soil
will help to render plant food already
in the soil available besides adding
the plant food contained in the wege-
table matter to the SOIL Stable ma
nure and the roots and stubble OF
legumes and in fact all farm crops
add humus to the soil and also plant
food while commercial fertilizer only
adds plant food. Epitomist.
DON'T oVERFEED THE TURKEYS.
The following very good advice tell
ing of the i'll effects of overfeeding
turkeys we re-publish from the Rural
World:
How often one hears the complaint
from turkey raisers that their young
birds droop and die, the chief sym
ptoms seeming lassitude manifested
in disinclination or disability to keep
up with the head ones Of the flock
when on the range; the droppings
are light colored, often yellow and
watery The trouble in Indigestion
caused by overfeeding, which soon af-
fects the liver; then inflammation OF
that organ follows and the bird is
done for.
To prevent this ailment feed less.
Turkeys on free range need but
little feeding, except at night-just
enough then to tempt them to come
to roost. and supply what they could
not pick up during the day. Nature
made turkeys great wonders, and they
are feeding nearly all day long, and
besides, it is unnatural for turkeys
to submit to heavy feeding while
growing bone and muscle Reserve
the heavy feeding for later on in the
fall, when they have reached their
maturity and you wish to fatten them
for market. In the raising of all
kinds of poultry we must learn not
to conflict with natures arrangement,
or we will be unsuccessful.
All you need to do for them is to
supply them with plenty of fresh
water and sharp grit, leaving the
heavy feeding until later in the fall.
Intelligent rearing of turkeys de-
mands the use of brains, and they
cannot be raised Without intelligent
management any more than a herd
of cattle or flock of sheep. Years
ago there was much prejudice against
the rearing of turkeys on the ground
that they were delicate and hard to
raise. Much by the aid of poultry
shows, fairs and improved poultry
methods in general, until today are
grown Dy nearly every farmer. Yet
with all this vast supply from year
to year, the demand far exceeds the
supply. Turkey growing has become
more of pleasure than burden.
DANGEROUS INSECT ENEMY.
The peach borer or white grub.
which bores holes through and under
the bark of the roots of peach trees,
weakens and often kills trees and may
be considered one of the greatest
enemies the peach has to contend
with. This insect changes from
worm to fly in August or Septem-
ber AT that time the worm comes
to the surface of the ground, con-
structing cocoon an inch in length.
which is attached to the base of the