Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1912-11-21


plete fertilizer, about $3.50. To re-
place the plant food in a ton OF ma
nure one would have to buy 100 pounds
Of tankage, per cent nitrogen and a
little phosphoric acid and Is pounds
kainit.
On land deficient in humus the ma
nure from which the soluble plant food
has been leached out by rain Is worth
s1.OO per ton. Adding this to the value
Of the plant food in a ton OF manure,
we have a ton of fresh manure worth
$3.50 a ton. This makes ton OF
manure quite valuable, and when a
man keeps a team Of horses and two
COWS in his barn for half a year, and
saves all the manure carefully, at the
end of six months he will have about
twenve tons of manure. worth $40.
Our own State Experiment Station,
Ohio Experiment Station, and Pennsyi
vania Experiment Station have shown
during the last ten years that the &C.
tual value OF ton OF manure, well
cared for, when applied to land on
which a good rotation Of crops Is prac'
ticed, that the actual increase in yield
of crops, on MANFRED over unmanured
land, is as much as $3.50 for every ton
of manure applied. This value per ton
is obtained by the increase in crop
value when eight to ten tons Of ma
nure Is applied per acre. An addi'
tional sum may be considered for the
humus it adds to the soil.
On land that has been properly han
died We may not obtain as high a
value per ton of manure, unless 1t Is
reinforced at a small expense by add
Ing so pounds Of either finely ground
phosphate rock or acid phosphate to
a ton of>manure. Fifty pounds Of acid
phosphate will cost about 40 cents,
and when 1t is mixed thoroughly with
a ton of manure, as it is being loaded
on the wagon, will increase the value
Of the manure S1.00 per ton, this hav.
ing been determined by the Ohio Elk
pertinent Station from the increase In
value OF the crops grown in a rotation
on land receiving this reinforced ma
pure over land receiving ordinary
manure. Therefore, with an expendi.
ture OF 40 cents farmers can make
ESQ per cent on the investment. Why
do they not reinforce the manure made
on their farms? / am glad to say that
many up-to-date farmers, who have
visited the State Experiment Stations
that have been conducting these
manure experiments, have satisfied
themselves OF the truth OF these re-
suits and are now reinforcing ths
manure on their farms with either
rock phosphate or acid phosphate.
Why Is 1t that so small an applica
tion Of acid phosphate to a ton Of
manure gives such good results? II
is because the acid phosphate prevents
the escape Of amonia in the manure
and at the same time adds phosphorio
acid in which plant food the manure
Is deficient, as shown by the figures
given above.
The Agronomy Department Of our
State Experiment Station co-operated
with the Extension Division in con
Quoting several fertilizer tests over
the state. A number OF different fer
tilizing materials and combinations Of
them were used together with manure
and in every case the manure plots
are showing the best results. This
being the case, had not the farmers
better keep more live stock on their
farms, in good sheds, and save all the
manure to apply to their land, rather
than buy so much commercial fertil
izer? Lime the land, grow clover ane
take care OF the manure properly BY
reinforcing it with acid phosphate and
the fertility question is solved as faI
as plant food and humus are con
cerned. /. S. COOK, JR.,
College of Agriculture, West Viz
glnia University.