Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1913-05-08
G1RNGR0BND
COMMERCIAL FERTILIZERS TEND
TO STIMULATE CROP YIELDS.
By Prof. C. 3. Hutchinson Of the De-
partment of Aeronomy, Uni
versity Of Missouri.

The use of commercial fertilizers is
becoming more and more common in
Missouri each year. This is due to
the fact that the lands are gradually
being depleted of their fertility by
exhaustive systems of grain farming,
and also to the fact that lands are
constantly increasing in price, When
the pr~oductiveness of lands becomes
SO low that remunerative crops can
no longer be grown, the use of fer
tilizers is ordinarily the first thing
that is adopted to bring better re-
turns. The increasing use of fertil-
izers, therefore, is an index to de-
creasing soil fertility and to increas-
ing land values.
1t should be understood that plant
food in all soils exists in two general
forms-frst, the ~insoluble, which con
stitutes the greater amount; and, Sec
ond. the soluble or available plant
food, which may be absorbed by the
plant roots. A worn soil is one in
which the available plant food has
been reduced so low that plants can
not get sufficient food for proper yields.
The presence of a good amount of or
ganic matter or humus in the soil is
a very important factor in keeping
the proper amount of plant food avail
able. 1t causes the insoluble plant
food to slowly dissolve. With Excess
sive grain cropping, however, the or
ganic matter is burned out and the
Immediately available plant food is
taken from the land by the crops. The
available supply becomes too low for
profitable crop production. 1t is at
this time that the use OF commercial
fertilizers is usually resorted to for
the purpose of supplying enough solu-
BILE plant food for a crop.
Commercial fertilizers are simply
concentrated forms of one or more of
the three plant foods that are COM
monty lacking in all soils. These are
nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.
On worn lands the available supply OF
all three becomes low, although the
soil nay be fairly well supplied with
some of them in an insoluble form.
Complete fertilizers contain all three
of these, and are most commonly used
on worn lands with both corn and
wheat. Such fertilizers are on the
market under the terms grain grow,
ers," corn growers" truck growers
etc.
The most Immediately profitable
method of using fertilizers with corn
on medium to poor land is that of ap
plying from 60 to rs pounds of a com
plete fertilizer. Such a fertilizer
should contain 2 to 3 per cent nitro
gen, s to IL per cent available phos
phoric acid and 2 to 6 per cent potash
This may be applied in the hill OF
drilled in with a fertilizer attachment
to the planter. Steamed bone meal ap
piled at the same rate, especially or
lands low in phosphates, will give
practically the same return. Care
should be taken to avoid applying
quantities much in excess of II
pounds to the acre, for there is dan
ger in a dry season of firing the
corn. This is especially true when
complete fertilizer is used. 1t should
be understood that such a method O
fertilization does not tend to build W
the land. 1t is of only a Temporal,
benefit. Its office is more of a slim
ulant to give the corn a quick, thrift!
growth.
Another method of applying fertil
izers is to distribute with a fertilizei
grain drill ahead of the planter. Ap
piled in this manner, $50 to 20I
pounds of a complete fertilizer on thu
poorer lands usually gives good re
suits. Steamed bone meal will b,
more remuneratjve Oh the good lands
since on such lands phosphorus i
usually the lacking element.
It should be understood that tn
use of fertilizers with any crop is onl,
a temporary %expedient, and that the,
should not be depended upon 70
maintaining the fertility of the sol.
They should be used only in connet
tion with the best system of crop re
tation and manuring that a man ca,
practice. By the addition of manur
the humus content of the soil may b
maintained and favorable condition
supplied for making soluble the plan
food that exists In the soil.
For the man who owns his land an
is planning on a permanent syster
of maintaining the fertility of hi
soil, the use of N supplements
with rock phosphate in a good systeI
of crop rotation will ultimately Civ
greater returns on corn, as well a
ell other crops, than the use Of tn
commercial fertilizers.
NM 4.- H