Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1914-04-29

III OF Wett-F eFllitzSo Land.
as an extra, this is the cheapest way
of keeping a farm in condition But
l am no advocate for feeding bullocks
at loss In hopes OF being recouped by
the manurial residuum AS carriage
of heavy manure is usually too costly.
| see no way of keeping a farm in its
highest and most profitable condition
without the use of artificials.
AS the return seems more immedf
ate from arabic land. too often the
meadows are mown to a state of abb
ject poverty and the pastures beg
CARED by ceaseless removal of milk
and flesh. with nothing taken back.
When the enhanced value of pasture
land from the judicious use of artifl-
Gals is more understood, they will
be applied in larger quantities. Heavy
dressings of farmyard dung are always
a mistake. There is never anything
like enough to go round. and some
other part of the farm has to suffer.
1t should be borne in mind that a
load of dung from a covered yard is
equal to two that have been exposed
to rain or moved to cause excessive
fermentation, resulting in the loss of
ammonia. To give such a heavy dress
ing OF farm dung IS 10 satisfy the
wants Of any and all crops is to put
great deal on that the plants do not
require.
The Problems.
set the practical farmer is first to find
which his soil needs, and then the
cheapest form in which he can make
it up. Analysis Of average samples
Of soil by an agricultural chemist will
detect the presence Of injurious sub
stances such as sulphate of iron: will
also show If the land is deficient in
lime. phosphoric acid, and such essen
tials. / once heard chemist say at
the close of a lecture on foodstuffs
that, after all, bullock was tine best
analyst. So actual tests of the re-
quirements OF the soil made on the
farm are of greatest value. II is so
simple, it may be done by the farm
er himself in d few spare hours. and
the interest in watching the results
adds very largely TO the pleasures of
country life. The cost is SO little
as not to be worth serious considera-
ton. A plot eleven yards by four, or
eight yards by FIVE and one-half is,
roughly, a one hundred and twelfth
part of an acre. This is a most con-
venient size, for every pound of fer
tilizer applied TO the plot is eauiva-
lent to one hundredweight per acre.
Generally speaking. nitrogen is APP
piled cheaper by nitrate of soda than
from any other source, especially on
strong soils. whilst sulphate of am
monia is often within reach. The
cheapest sources Of phosphoric acid
are usually superphosphate and basic
Stag, with dissolved bone. raw bone
meal, and some of the guanos coming
next. 1t is possible at all times to
get good value In manures made from
all kinds of animal and fish waste, but
they are extremely valuable, and
those who are not sufficiently up in
the subject to compare the cost per
unit with such chemical manures as
are quoted on every market mad per-
haps better leave them alone. At the
same time. know plenty of practical
market gardeners who use fish guano.
year after year. but there is the dan
ger that it may contain too much
oil. and so be very slow In ac-
ton. Potash is supplied by kainite,
sulphate OF potash, and muriate of
potash, and although kainite is sup
posed TO suit pasture and the others
arabic land. yet the chief difference "a
in the quality, ordinary commercial po-
tassium salts containing about:
Kainite, 1919 per cent. sulphate about
so per cent. and muriate of potash
about up to 50 per cent, on which
basis their comparative values can be
gagged