Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1912-09-27


ire increased the yield AZ per Gent.
apt to be largely lost in the case of
heavy rains falling on the sandy soils.
However, there are frequently cases
where the use of a light dressing even
of nitrogen salts is profitable. This
would ordinarily be in the growing of
certain special crops that have high
gross; return per acre. 1t is along this
line that there is considerable posi-
bility in the development Of the vari-
GUS forms of nitrogen containing fer
tilizers. The new form of cokeing
oven makes possible the saving Of
practically all of the nitrogen in coal
undergoing the cokeing process and
this by-product is being put on the
market in increasingly large amounts.
The manufacture of nitrogen-contain-
Ing salts by electrolytic methods is
also increasing. A number of plants
for this purpose have been installed
recently in European countries and
one or two in this country. .
Clay soils, are ordinarily abundantly
supplied with, potassium and on &C
count of their. good water-holding ca
| pacity, grasses and other plants which
will add organic matter can be grown
for supplying this substance and con-
sequently nitrogen, and the only direct
| fertilizing element usually needed is
phosphorus, but probably more than
half of the clay loan soils of this
country under crop could be fertilized
with phosphate fertilizers profitably
under present conditions. Heavy clay
soils in the northern part of Wiscon-
sin which have been under crop but a
few years have shown increases in
yield running from Is per cent. to so
per cent. as a result of supplementing
barnyard manure with rock phosphate.
But even on farms where practically
all of the crops grown are fed, there is
a possibility of considerable loss in
| fertility. Only where large amounts
of concentrated feed stuffs are fed is
the supply Of phosphorus maintained.
Probably the greatest loss on such
farms takes place in the teaching Of
barnyard manure and there is certain,
ly a great possibility in the direction
Of conserving fertility by protecting
barnyard manures from teaching and
also from too rapid heating in the
process of composing. 1t is just as
important that thoroughly good prac-
ticable system of housing and haul
Ing the manure ON the farm be worked
out as that the stock be, :. properly
housed and cared for. ! The Iseaof' peat
for bedding, by which it's nitrogen iS
added to that Of the manur0' 1s ahoth-
err method which may add greatly to
the nitrogen in use on the farm. This
material contains in the condition in
from two to three per cent. of nitro
gen or more than clover or alfalfa hay
Z would contain, and twice az much as
barnyard manure: It occurs in enoT-
nous Quantities in. this state and it
only needs a. little encouragement In
it's use to develop the industry to the
extent to which 1t exists in European
countries. 60 ts~~-, !. -s-,, H., -. =
Another matter which ought to be
recognized at once in the developmen emit
Of agriculture is that it, is very
much easier to maintain the fer
tility of soil than it is, to reproduce 1t
after it has once been lost by an ex
halstfYe system Of farming. This ap'
plies particularly to- the sandy soils
but is also true in the case Of the clay
loan soils. Sandy soils frequently
show good producing power for the
first two or three years and no special
I care is given to maintain the fertility
until the farmer suddenly finds thai
his crops have become very much lesl
and it is then very much moro diff
cult to reproduce the fertility than II
would have been to adopt proper meth
DDS at the start.
Those who are planning to use COM
ImerciaI fertilizers should make 1t
lpoint to become. thoroughly Ramiiial
with the different forms of fertilizer'
containing the elements which thej
! desire to add to their soil and with thu
basis ON which the price for the sani
4 ia figured 1t Is customary for the fer
i tilizer manufacturers to prepare mixel
fertilizers containing ali the essent1a
? elements in . varying proportions
These are fecomme ended to. the farme
under trade aameB such as Tobacco
! Special, Potato Special, Corn Special
! etc, thus X Implying that they -hav,
= some particular advantage for thOs
= particular crops. AS previously stated
this is not the case and the farmer
a usually obliged to buy In such nike
q fertilizers elements which he does mo
. need and Isl often obliged to, pay high
a err prices for those he does, want tina
r il he were to buy them in d pure form
i Buying q fertilizer containing !siI
. gle element is to be recommended. j
III will occasionally be desirable to mi
! phosphate and potash fertilizers, br
4 this can be done on the farm to goO
d advantage. !