The Port Gibson reveille. [volume] (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1890-current, 1909-03-04

meal may not be worth more than
half the high-grade; still it is often
sold at practically the same price.
The application of intelligence
to the purchase of cottonseed meal
is the first correct step toward the
economical use of commercial fer
tilizers.
Acid Phosphate.
The PHOSPHORUS of the fertiliz-
ef world comes to us as phosphoric
acid, and it is such that it is as
simulated by plants. Our main
sources of phosphoric acid are the
phosphate mines of Tennessee, the
! Carolinas, and Florida; and hence
it is this form of phosphoric acid
that shall receive our attention
here. This rock phosphate is taken
from the mines, 6nelly ground,
and treated with sulphuric acid to
lender it soluble and available as
plant food. Our fertilizer inspec-
ton laws also require that every
fertilizer purporting to contain
phosphoric acid have plainly mark
ed thereon the percentage con-
tained. Consequently, as is the
case with the cottonseed meal, it is
the faf own fault if he pays a
high pr for low grade acid
phosphate. Sometimes the multi
tude of figure oh the fertilizer
sack viii conuse fhe purchaser,
but it aeed only e ,emembered in
buYing pho that what you
are looking tof the.total available
percentage of pifosphoric acid, and
this You will always find stated.
The reverted has a value, especial
ly where lands are full of bumins or
vegetable matter, but it is the solu-
BILE form that is usually considered
when handling acid phosphate.
Potash Unnecessary.
One of the most recent and val
liable results of the work of the ex-
pertinent stations of the south has
been to demonstrate that potash is
as fertilizer on the
soil of this section. This is espe-
cially true on the type of land that
makes up the southern half of
Mississippi. Granting that 1oo,-
600 tons of fertilizers. each ton
containing $500 worth of potash,
are annually used in this state.
We can see at once where we waste
$2oo,o 900 annually for an ingredi-
ent that our soils and crops do not
need. And if they do not need it,
if it does not increase yields, there
is no sense in applying it.
Home fixing of Fertilizers.
Since it has been pretty conclu-
sively demonstrated that potash is
useless OH most of our soils, it fol-
lows that the man who buys ton
of the SO. called complete fertilizer
is wasting $I.6o or $500 for an
element that his soil does not need.
1t is much better to buy a high
grade of acid phosphate and cotton
seed meal and mix them in the
proper proportion at home. At
present the market value of nitro
gen is 1s cents per pound, and that
of phosphoric acid and potash six
cents per pound. Taking these
values as a basis, we can easily
figure out the saving effected by
mixing fertilizers at home.
l have in mind complete cot
ton and corn fertilizer" manufac-
tured in this state, which is quite
popular. This fertilizer has guar
anteed relative value of $l8. go per
ton. It's guaranteed analysis shows
1t to contain 8 per cent. available
phosphoric acid, I.25 per cent nj.
trogen, and 400 per cent. potash.
Since we do not need this patash
we had better mix acid phosphate
and meal at home in the proportion
and get the desired amounts of nj
trogen and phosphoric acid. High
grade meal anaIyzing 6 per cent.
nitrogen Is probably retailing on
an average at $500 per ton, or
Sr.25 per 100 pounds. High grade
10 per cent, acid phosphate Is cost
ing about 5000 per ton, or 80
cents per hundred pounds,