The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1911-08-24
CO % USE Of FERTILIZERS
Adaptation to Soil Highly important
End to Be Attained a
Prime Factor.
professor M. F. Miller, College of
Agriculture, University of
Missouri.)

Ihe sui. fOT small grain, IeTtl
izer grain drill must be used for bes
results. Where they are applied in
hill or drill, as for corn, a special DE-
vice must be used on the planter
best results are secured. They ca
be broadcasted either by hand or 9th
erwise, but this, with the exception
OF certain cheap phosphates, as rocl
phosphate, is not desirable. 1t will
pay every man who makes practice
OF using fertilizers to provide prope
implements for their distribution.
On badly worn lands the most re
munerative fertilizer application fol
wheat will usually be one Of the com
plete fertilizers, containing from one
and half to two and a half per cent
nitrogen, and from eight to twelve
per cent available phosphoric acid
and from two to three per cent pot
ASH applied with fertilizer drill at
the rate of 100 to $50 pounds per acre
at the time the wheat is sown.
On lands that have been fairly well
kept up in humus by crop rotation,
manuring and legume growing, the
application of 1925 to $50 pounds of a
good grade of steamed bone meal will
be better practice. Such bone meal
will contain approximately one and
quarter per cent nitrogen, and from
twenty-eight to thirty per cent phos-
phoric acid, about half Of which is
available. The raw bone meal will
also give good results, but it contains
from two and half to four per cent
nitrogen, which is more than one can
afford to apply if the nitrogen has
been maintained by proper systems OF
farming.
The use of $50 to 200 pounds Of acid
on such lands will also be
very remunerative. This acid phos-
phate contains from fourteen to six
teen per cent phosphoric acid, prac-
tically all of which is available. Its
cost is around $500 ton, while the
steamed bone costs about $500 and
the raw bone about $500. The acid
phosphate has tendency to cause
the land to become sour with contin-
led use, and especially on lands
where lime is already beginning to
oe needed, its long continued use is
lot so desirable as that of the bone
meals. The bone meals also have a
more lasting effect, due to the large
mount of PHOSPHORUS which they
contain in more or less insoluble
orm, and their use is to be recon-
nended in preference to the acid
phosphate.
These general recommendation re-
arding wheat fertilization will apply
D most of the lands of medium to
DOR fertility in Missouri where wheat
j grown. ,
For fertilizing corn, the most i'm {
lediate profits will come from apply
lg 90 to IS pounds of complete fer {
llzer containing one and half to {
70 and half per cent nitrogen, &
ght to twelve per cent available a
losphoric acid, and two to three per
mt potash, in the hill or drill with a I
'rtilizer attachment to the corn t.
anter. This refers to medium to f.
'or land. Steamed bone meal ap-
led at the same rate especially on Il
nds low in phosphates will give t;
actically the same return Care tt
lst be taken to avoid applying guam S!
les much in excess of rs pounds, b.
Ice in dry season particularly
ere is danger Of firing" the corn m
lis is especially true with the com. a
etc fertilizer. 1t must be under Ill
'od that such a method of fertilizing pl
es not tend to build up the land.
office Is more on the order of a OF
mulant to give the corn a quick, tn
fifty growth, and it can not be re- m
ated year after year without ulti-
tie injury. be
Another method of using fertilizers In
corn is to distribute it with fer. sl
Ger grain drill ahead of the planter. ed
is method gives particularly valu- mi
e returns on very poor land, but is
so remunerative on land of me- pu
m fertility. The fertilizer to use in ba
) case will vary with the charac- he
and thinness Of the land. But for tat
thinnest lands, $50 to 200 pounds me
a complete fertilizer such as has VIII
n recommended for wheat, or on liq
ds somewhat better, the same
)unt of steamed bone meal is to tw
recommended. On lands of me- pro
n fertility such an application is air
SO remunerative to the corn itself, to
ough where the bone is used, the ten
efits to crops following is impor- gro
:. On certain of the level prairie
Is and thin uplands where phos- in
tes are especially deficient, this be
ication of bone meal is quite re- pla
erative. mo
he use Of raw rock phosphate has nile
quite generally recommended in enc
Of the states east and south for
effect on all crops where
soil is particularly low in phos-
us. Its present use in Missouri, q
over, is somewhat limited. This ron,
phate ia an insoluble form of D
phorous, but where very finely ,on
nd and annliod in copp oct}or rr,,%h