The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-07-23
HOME MIXING OF FERTILIZERS
How to Secure for Different Soils the
Stimulants Which are Needed by
Them.

| Twelve years or experience, ObSerVa-
tion and advocation Of it, that there
are today host of intelligent and
progressive farmers who will agree
with me in part; if not in whole as to
the Home Mixing of Fertilizers" as
adapted to different soils, and to diff
ferent crops, by the farmers. Manu-
facturers Of Fertilizers, and their
agents, do not sell ingredients, nor do
not offer them; Of course there are ex-
ceptions, some 1 know; but they are
sold for cash or its equivalent. Ready
made goods are sold on credit, and
promiscuously. hence the enormous
use Of them. The manufacturers of
them or their agents talk a great deal
about blended goods, equally balanced
goods, mechanical condition, etc. G
have done it myselD but you will find
a lot of Inconsistencies exist in all of
this, and l think Clemson College will
bear me out in, my views.
If your grocer were to tell you it
would aid your digestion to let him
mix, blend, and in the process half
cook your flour, rice, grts, ETC., that
it would best suit you, and all mem
bers of your family, sick or well,
strong and weak, large and small, you
! would laugh at him, and probably
think it a reflection on your wife.
Yet / must say we are doing this very
thing now in a measure. Think of
the blended coffees, blended teas, the
half cooked and "predigested" brands
of cereals, such as Oat meal corn
flakes, puddings, cakes, etc. We buy
mixed goods. Most of the fertilizers
| sold in this State come under this
head, and the farmers have for years
used one and the same mixture year
after year, for corn, cotton, peas, po-
tatoes, oats, etc. And on the same
land the same fertilizer, on sandy as
on clay lands, and with no regard az
to the sources from which ammonia
phosphoric acid or potash were de-
rived.
Now we will take up the sources
from which these valuable and nee
essary ingredients are derived:
Ammonia sourcs: Nitrate Of soda,
sulphate of ammonia, dried blood,
| cotton seed meal, fish scrap and tank
age Of different kinds. Intelligent truck
farmers around Norfolk, Va, have
told me they do not wish a mixture
where nitrate is used for ammonia,
as it is too quick and does not last
long enough, but prefer fish scrap or
blood, because they both have a BIZ
product Of lime. The other sources
are all good, especially cotton seed
meal, phOsphoric acid, acid phos-
phate, basic Stag or Thomas phosphate
and bone meal.
Acid phosphate, IL to 16 per cent
of phosphOric acid. All Of this is high
Fly available for the immediate crops
and it is the chief source. Used in
this State in the manufacturing of
fertilizers. Dissolved animal bone, 20
to 80 per cent of phosphoric acid
Two-thirds Of this is available for the
first crop, under fair conditions, the
rest for succeeding crops. Very lit
tie bone is now treated with sulphuric
acid. unlike phosphate rock to OBJ
foit noiA .,1.
to 20 per cent Of phosphate acid. This
is a product of the Bessemer Steel
Works and is very useful, especially
on some lands, as it contains a good
deal of lime.
Potash, the most important Of all
ingredients has five sources from
which it is derived
1st Muriate Of potash, SO per cent
Of actual potash.
End. Manure salts. 20 per cent of
actual potash.
3rd. Kainit, 12.4 per cent Of actual
potash.
The above sources are all impreg-
mated with clOride, which to a certain
extent may prove injurious to GER
tain crops. like tobacco, potatoes and
beets. But the potash in all are high
ly available and valuable a d, on ac-
count of being cheaper than other
sources, are preferable for ordinary
mixtures, except where there is not
a special reason for avoiding clorde,
as in the tobacco crop.
4th. Sulphate of potash, 4S per
cent Of actual potash. Contains no
clOride and is highly and at once
available, being especially good for
Tobacco.
5th. Sulphate of potash, Magnesia
! 20 per cent actual potash The