The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1909-11-08
MIXING FERTILIZERS

Fertilizers.
The extended use of fertiIizor.
by the farmers makes if im ,,[slS
tive that thorough understann,%%-
ing OF the action of fertilizer ho
obtained, for perhaps as much o oe
one-thlrd of the money sna~4
Tor fertilizer is annually waStnI S
and brings no adequate ret"ru u
owing to this lack of understandI
ing OF the soils Requirements
therefore extreme care should
be exercised by the farmers ~
studying this important suhiont'
| Fertilizer materials can be- oh H.,
tanned through fertilizer dealers
and mixed at home ACCORDING 70
their percentage contents of tho
plant foods, potassium, pboSs
phorlc acid and nitrogen so as 70
give any desired mixture The
mixing can be done immediataiv
before applying, or at any convc,
nlent time, except where nitrate
OF soda is used, in which ease
the preparation should be used
soon after being mixed The
materials should be weighed ont
and heaped together on a clean
floor and thoroughly mixed with
hoes or spades. When a uni
form color has been secured the
mixture may I've considered ready
for application.
The most common commercial
fertilizer used in our district
is the 8-2-2 brand e per cent
phosphoric acid, 2 per cent. nj
trogen and 2 per cent. pot
ASH, but this is rather Door
grade, and on sandy loan soils
better results are usually had
where the potash content is dou-
bic this amount, or even three
times as great in case of deem
sand soils. A mixture analyzing
something like 1885 gives ex,
cellent results on much of the
yellow and dark gray sandy soils
IN our section Of the State.
L have some farmers bulletins
on hand which give the plant
food contents of various fertiliz-
er ingredients. By the aid of
these any farmer would be able
to calculate the proper amount
OF each ingredient to use in or
der to make fertilizer contain
any desired percentage ratio of
phosphoric acid, nitrogen and
potash. Below I give four of
the cotton and corn mixtures:
Mixture No. 1. Acid phosphate
l ,OOO pounds; cotton seed meal
6OO pounds; kainit 400 pounds
Mixture No. 2. Acid phosphate
1900 pounds; fish crap. Zoo
pounds; muriate of potash, 100
pounds.
Mixture No. Acid phosphate,
LOO pounds; muriate of potash
zoo pounds; cotton seed meal
7OO pounds; nitrate of soda 100
pounds.
Mixture NOD. Acid phosphate,
1000 pounds; muriate of potash
lOO pounds; nitrate of soda, loo
pounds; cotton seed meal, 300
pounds; woods mould, or rich
earth, 500 pounds.
The amount to be applied per
acre will depend, of course, on
the character and condition of
the soil. The sander the soil and
tne lower its vegetable matter or
NUNS content, the heavier is the
Application required. The COM
merclal fertilizers are always
more lasting in effect on soils
which have a good humus con-
TENT, and they should be applied
II, IN conjunction with application of
barn yard manure, or crop like
COW peas, vetch, or crimson clo-
yer plowed under in the green or
partly matured stage. Soils that
tehd to run together and compact
ana those that have a sour taste
a are usually benefited by applying
burned lime at the rate Of some,
tnlng ike thirty bushels per acre
aIter a covering of vegetation
mas been plowed under. Nitro
gen Should be largely secured bv
the legumes, such as
crimson clover, cow peas,
soy beans and velvet beans.
Inc Agricultural Department
&C Washington has prenared
books, which impart full infor-
nation to the farmers on this
subject, and on other subjects of
nuch interest to them. These
BOOKS are stored away in Wash
ugton and can not be of service
o the farmers unless they are
distributed among those
I \ are interested in them. |
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