Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-02-22
#tiseellaneuus &sadins.
COMMERCIAL FERTILIZERS.

COMMERCIAL FERTILIZERS.
What and How to Buy and How T.
Use Them.
Since the prime object in the use o.
all commercial fertilizers is to increase
production, they must be used eithel
to supply plant food directly or to 81
act upon the soil that a larger quantity
Of its nutritive elements will be at thu
| disposal of the plant. In actual prac.
] tice most commercial fertilizers com
bine both effects. All the substances
| required by plants except three-nitro'
gen, phosphoric acid, and potash-are
abundant in most soils.
The chief function Of nitrogen ir
plants is to promote growth. but 1t IL
also Of very great Importance in the
perfection Of fruit. Nitrogen enteri
largely into the composition Of plants
and 1t follows that everything Of vega
table origin is valuable source Of this
substance. When vegetable matter Is
burned, the nitrogen Is released from
its combination and escapes into the
atmosphere and Is lost. The forms
most important to the farmer of the
south in which nitrogen is available are
vegetable matter, the droppinss Of an
imals, cottonseed meal, bone meal, nj
trate of soda, sulphate Of ammonia, and
the products Of the slaughter pen in
what Is known as tankage.
Next in Importance as a plant food
is phosphoric acid. 1t is largely re-
quired by the plant for growth, but is
absolutely essential In the perfection OF
seed and is a great factor in Fastening
the maturity Of crops. The form OF
phosphoric acid most accessible to the
farmer is known as acid phosphate.
Potash Is more directly effective in
promoting fruitage, but 1t is rarely very
deficient in soils, and especially in soils
Of the gulf states. 1t Is found in
abundance in ashes. Commercially II
is most cheaply obtained in the form
of kainit.
Since the elements Of plant food al
ready mentioned are required In DIFF
ferent quantities by different plants
and since the soils vary in their supply.
1t is we'll for the farmer to know what
his soil and plants need before investing
his money in fertilizers. The practical
way for the farmer to determine these
facts is to observe the growth of the
plants on his land. If the plants grow
rapidly and make an abundance Of leaf
and stalk, 1t is evidence Of a good sup
ply of nitrogen. If there is not pro-
portionate amount of fruit, it is sure
indication that the soil needs phosphor-
ic acid. On the other hand, If the plant
has not good color and tends to drop
its fruit before 1t reaches a fair size,
1t indicates that the soil requires pot
ash.
Most Of the soils Of the south are
deficient in both nitrogen and phos-
phoric acid, and some In potash. So
when we buy commercial fertilizers, we
buy them for their content of these
substances. II the farmer has saved
all his manures and has grown cow
peas abundantly, as he should, he will
rarely have to buy nitrogen.
Commercial plant food, called "fertil-
izer," is never sold pure, but in combi-
nation with other substances. The
substances with which 1t is combined
are Of no value to the farmer, but SIM
ply add to the weight. The laws of
nearly all Of the states now require
that on each sack Of commercial fertil-
izer shall be stamped just what plant
food it contains. This composition is
given in percentages, which means that
in hundred pounds Of the fertilizer
there are so many pounds of the par
ticular substances. For example, a
certain fertilizer is offered for sale on
the sack Of which is branded the fol-
lowing: