The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1913-07-03
FOURTEENTH ARTICLE.
COMMERCIAL FER
TILIZERS.
By EDWARD 3. VOORHEES,, Late Director
Of the New Jersey Agricultural
Experiment Stations.

table crops and Mt the same time 10
maintain and even TO increase the pro.
ductive capacity OF the soil may rightly
he termed good farming" Many
farmers are able to do this. and the
knowledge OF how TO do II has been
acquired through years OF ex.
hce. during which the character
Of Nhe soil, lts adaptablllty for crops
and the methods OF its management
and manuring have been made sub
jects OF careful study. without. however.
any definite and accurate knowledge
concerning manures and their func-
lions In relation to soils and crops.
Experience In an excellent teacher Still
q definite knowledge OF the fundamen-
tai principles may be substituted for
years OF experience in the successful
use Of manures
The fertility OF the soil would re-
main practically unchanged II all the
ingredients removed In the various
farm products were restored to the
land. This IL to a large extent accom-.
plished by feeding the crops grown on
the farm TO animals. carefully saving
the manure and returning II 10 the
soil. and where II Is practicable TO pur-
sue n system OF stock feeding In which
those products Of the farm which are
comparatively poor In fertilizing con
stituents are exchanged In the market
for feeding stuffs OF high fertilizlng
value the loss OF soil fertility may be
reduced to a minimum. or there may
be an actual gain In fertility.
A careful study OF the present condi-
ton Of farming In the United States In
dicates. however. that as rule the
manure produced on the farm Is not
sufficient 10 maintain its fertility and
that the need for artificial supplies is
real, though the amount required may
Ire considerably reduced by careful
management
In the system of so called grain
farming" which has obtained over
large areas Of this country for a long
time and is still prncticed. the live
stock Is often limited 10 number suf
ticient only To the needs OF the farm
for labor and food The grain Is sold.
and the manure Is made up chiefly OF
the natural wastes or unstable ma
terial. such as straw. stalks. etc. The
grain contains proportionately greater
amounts OF nitrogen and mineral con
stituents than these wastes. Hence the
practice continued for a long time re-
suits not only In n deficiency In the soil
Of organic substances containing nitro
gen. but also In an exhaustion OF the
mineral substances. The original char
acter OF the soil and Its treatment
measure the rate OF exhaustion. The
less fertile soils OF the east and south
are rapidly depleted. while the rich
prairies aud river bottoms maintain
their fertility for Il longer period
The continuous cotton and tobacco
growing OF the south aud the wheat
growing OF the west are even more
exhaustive. since here the demands
upon the soil are not changed. Year
after year the same crop Is grown.
and the same kind and proportion of
constituents are required. while even
skJhter returns are made In the way
2'hure than In the system OF farm
just described. Under such con
BINS the decomposition OF the or.
ganic matter In the soil Is accompa.
MED by proportionately greater losses
OF nitrogen Moreover. the land Is left
bare for large part Of the year. and
Its fertility Is thereby still further de
creased. The crops become less album
daut each year. not because the soil Is
entirely exhausted, but because II il so
far exhausted OF those constituents
essential To the special crop grown that
It's production Is no longer profitable.
Changed conditions of farming
which have an important bearing ON
this point. are. FIRST. increased cost OF
labor and lower prices OF many OF the
products OF one crop farming. and.
second. an increasing demand for mar
ket garden products and fruit. For
example In growing wheat the labor
OF preparing the soil. OF sowing and OF
harvesting Is practically the same
whether the yield Is ten bushels per
acre or thirty bushels. and the same Is
true OF number OF other crops: hence
Ah Nh'' VI wv JAtAh tht NOSt VI
labor per bushel Is materially reduced
Mcager crops Of a relatively low value
cannot be produced protitably with
high priced labor Soils of a high de
gres OF fertility are required In order
10 produce large yields OF these crops
The return TO the soil OF only the
wastes OF the farm leads sooner or
l..s a
good the management may be: hence |
the need Of supplies OF plant food from
sources outside the farm In order that |
maximum crops may be produced.
IL has been demonstrated In the case
OF market garden crops that even very
fertile soils contain too little available
food TO insure maximum production.
This Is especially true where rapidity
OF growth. earllness and high quality