The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-02-14

cattle. [ would not pay IA cents a
ton for salt delivered free Of freight
as a
Fertilizer E'O COrn.-"On land de-
fcient in humus, phosphorus and pot
ASH, can l expect to get a fair crop
Of corn with an application Of phos-
phate and potash" Hardly. N
chief demands of the corn crop are
for nitrogen and potash, and always
there is need for phosphoric acid.
You can get nitrogen through the
growing Of crimson clover and peas.
but if you are not improving your soil
with these, YOU will be under the
necessity for spending money for am
monia in the fertilizer and thus add
ing to the cost Of the corn Gro that
you could avoid it you farmed and
increased the organic decay in your
soil.
Sources Of Acid Phosphate
(Which is the cheapest. pulverized
phosphate rOck at $3.50 per ton.
Thomas Stag phosphate at SIS a ton.
or acid phosphate at SIC a ton?" This
will depend on the condition of your
soil. II YOU have a plenty Of Eegeta-
bic decay in the soil. the pulverized
rock will pay well. But as YOU say
potatoes are one Of YOUR crops l
would use the acid phosphate in a
fertilizer Of them. as the pulverized
rock will be rather slow for early pO-
tatoes and the Thomas phosphate. car
rying a large percentage Of lime.
would tend to SWeeten the soil and en-
courage the growth OF the scab fun
gus. Who're n keeps up the supply
of humus-making material in his soil,
the pulverized rock will be the best
source for phosphorus at the prices
named for general farm crops.
Some Tor Fertilizer Inquiries.
will it do to mix Thomas phos-
phate and cuttOnsee meal? [
would hesitate to mix Thomas phos-
phate and any organic nitrogen ma
terial. You can mix bt with nitrate
OF soda without harm, and might mix
it with meal if it is to be
used at once. But 7 had rather not
mix it with the neal il the mixture
is to stand any length Of time as the
lime in this phosphate is free lime
and may damage the meal.
Tell me how to mix bone meal and
Isulphuric acid for cotton You can
buy the acid phosphate better and
cheaper than you can make it on a
small scale. You would need a lead
and acid. and getting the acid on a
small scale, you could not make it
as cheaply as YOU can buy q better
made article.
How shall + use oyster shell lime.
and how much an acre? My land IS
light and sandy Oyster she'll lime,
or any other lime, is not q fertilizer.
If your land is acid and abounds in
vegetable decay. a dressing Of %
bushels of lime. Well slaked, per acre
will be of use. But do not mix pot
ash or any fertilizer with lime. Make
your fertilizer by itself. Lime is val
liable to farmers h farm in a good
rotation and grow plenty Of peas and
l~clover. but lime will never make ptor
vertising lime in The Progressive
Farmer. Consult them as to prices
in car loads.
will it injure young peach trees
to spread rs.cI1 lime if it touches
them? No.
What is the best source Of nitro
gen for corn A good sod Of Grim
son clover on which the farm ma
inure has been spread during the win
ter. If YOU have not that. you should
have it. and in the meantime use
either fish scrap or cottonseed meal.
Have bought some land plaster.
What IS it. and how to use it on my
FARM" Land plaster is sulphatc Of
lime. If the land has q good deal OF
insoluble potash in it. the plaster may
act in releasing it. Otherwise It is
of very little use. except that it may
be mixed with stable nlanNre TO pre-
vent loss Of ammonia. Ia Will not
isweeten an acid soil as lime car
Donate will. If YOU paid over Sc a
ton for it, YOU paid more than it is
worth.
How much plant food is there in 4
200 pound sack of 2-S-2? Twenty
four pounds, or 16 Of phosphoric acid
and 4 Of ammonia and 1 of potash.