The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-03-24

Nitric acid is the form of oxygen
used by the plant, and nitrogen il
the controlling factor Of all plant
activities.
Phosphoric acid is also a direct
plant food, and besides its actual
combinations in plant tissue, is most
essential as carrier and digestor OF
other elements.
Sulphuric acid is another direct
plant food. 1t has been determined
that many crops use as much or more
sulphuric acid as phosphoric acid
that because of the solubility of the
sulphates of lime, magnesia, etc., the
loss OF these sulphates in the drain
age waters is heavy; and that 'such
systems Of fertilization must be in
augurated as will supply the soil
a sufficient quantity OF
sulphur to meet the losses sustained
by cropping and drainage" (See
Research Bulletin No. IA, Agricultu-
raj Experiment Station, Madison.
Wis.,
would, however. impress upon
the minds Of my readers that these
acids do not occur in the soil as free
acids. They are in neutralized form
-nitrates, phosphates and sulphates
and bear no part Of the soils acid
ity except a. they take bases from
the weaker organic acids. Before
they can reach the plant they must
be dissolved. Soil solutions are ex-
tremely dilute, drainage waters
showing content of about one part
Of total solid matter to 500 gallons
Of water. The concentrated SAP
within the plant averages about one
pound Of total solids to so gallons
Of water. and from this sap the pro.
toplasm selects the different ele.
ments and compounds in quantities
more minute than our imagination
can conceive.
Good W. Evil.
There Is the right environment
for everything. The greater thu
power for good when properly di
rected, the greater the evil that ma!
be done when right conditions d.
not exist. None Of us want to dis
card electricity because of what 4
would do in an uncontrolled state
" insulate the wires and take othel
precautions necessary to eliminate
bacteria which produce it If there b
tho danger, then We reap the goot
without further fuss and worry.
Acids must be neutralized or the!
act against us. Even the highly val
ued nitric acid will kill the yer!
NJ base at hand. Van Slyke says
80 each pound of nitric acit
calls for nearly a pound Of carbonat,
of lime" All other acids are equal!
insistent A great many of thes'
lime compounds are soluble and arr
leached away in the drainage wa
cls. If there Is not large natu-i
basic content the soil gradually be
comes nonbasic ('acid'o and tn
weaker organic ac,i, are left I'm
satisfied.
Trade Talk.
This undisputed condition Of on
soils throughout the State has givel
an opening to INSCRIPTIONS trader
to profit temporarily from tn
worries OF the grower. They fin
him perplexed and, instead Of realiz
Ing that there is no lasting prosper
ity for the fertilizer manufacture
except as the grower prospers. imme
diately play upon his anxieties b.
representing that it is all the "othe
fellows goods"
AS a matter of fact, fertilizer ma
terials have the same tendency t
acidity or alkalinity whether tn
bags bear one manufacturers nam
or another. These effects are full
explained in my book entitled IKE
to Success" It is SUFFICIENT at thi
time to say that commercial formu
las Of whatever make are general
neutral or alkaline in their lastin
effect on the soil. The exception
would be where other advantages of
set the acid tendency which nigh
cccur-f0r instance, the use OF sui
phate Of ammonia az the entir
source Of ammonia in q fruit an
vine formula for citrus trees. Sue
tendency, however. is because Of los
Of base rather than the actual I'D
dition Of any acid factor. for tn
sulphate of lime which Ii formed b
the chemical reaction il very solu
BILE and rapidly teaches away.
The proof Of the above 10 to b