The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-01-26
NTpnfIuV

kz1ESsEaRE5g glad to have you
w. +. sinssey. give me formula
for an average fertilizer for corn made
up OF cotton-seed menl. acid phosphate
and kainit." If you have a good stand
OF grass. you cannot expect 1t to grow
much till spring opens and I would
| simply let 1T alone till the now growth
starts In spring. Then mix 800 pounds
or acid phosphate and Atty pounds OF
nitrate of soda and use this on an
acre as top dressing. Now IL you
have read what I have been writing
about corn. you will find that I have
said moro than once that 1t is not
profitable to depend on a complete fer
tilMer mixture for corn-that Is, one
that contains nitrogen-as II costs
much more to grow corn with q COM
plcte fertilizer than 1t does to have
sod OF crimson clover to turn under
Tor 1t. 1 was In Maryland corn field
last year, where ninety eight and one
hair bushels were harvested per acre
ana nothing was used on the field but
n growth OF crimson clover with lit
| tic limo narrowed In after turning the
sod This was on land where twenty-
I hve bushels an acre was formerly n
fair crop. With n good complete fer
tilizer you can greatly increase the
corn crop. 1t Is true but IL you Will
do as I have done and compare the
! crops with that on the same sort of
land without tho fertilizer. you will
find that you have paid a very good
| price for the increase. Now you can
mako very good average Fertilizer
for corn by mixing 1900 pounds of acid
! phosphate. 600 pounds of oottonseed
meal and 200 pounds of tho muriate of
potash to make a ton. Four hundred
pounds Of this, hnlf in tho hill and half
! broadcast. Will increase the crop. Now
/ II you VIII leave out acre without
the FERTILIZER and compare tho results
think you will find that. at tho pres
ent price Of cottonseed meal, you have
paid a very good price for all the in
crease In the corn crop. Especially Is
/ this true when you could have gotten
moro nitrogen per acre with crop OF
crimson clover and would have had the
organic decay to further improve the
mechanical texture and moIsture-re-
/ tanning character Of your soil Then
you cannot afford. even If your land
really needs the potash. to use kainit
ns the source for potash. for you will
/ have 10 freight about 500 pounds OF
kainit to give you the potash contained
in tho 200 pounds OF muriate, and the
kninit would cost you over So. while the
zoo pounds OF muriate will not cost
over $3.50 at the outside. Then you
are In the Piedmont country, and with
the getting Of organic decay into yonr
soil and an occasional lining you will
never need to buy potash for corn In
fact. IL you farm right, the only ferti-
lizer you need to buy Is some carrier
of phosphorus, either acid phosphate.
basic Stag or. with soil we'll stocked
with humus the pulverized phosphat to
rock. which you could get delivered
for SO or 81 ton
/ Compare this with an expenditure
for 400 pounds OF n complete fertilizer.
ana you will see what am trying to
Impress. Millions of dollars arc vast
n
which could be saved II they farmed
their land instead of speculating In
fertilizers. Commercial fertilizers are
mn Important aid in good farming 81
1udiciously used, but the spending of
hard-earned money for what your soil
/ may not need, and what you can get
In abundance by n proper rotation of
crops and tho use OF tho legumes. Is
not good farming.
Go Slow.
Do not be carried away with what
seems now TO be perfect craze for
lining. Mako sure that your land
needs lime. and do not imagine that
you can make poor land rich by lining
It, You cannot do 1t. Lime IS very
useful as a means for making the soil
favorable to the growth of legume
crops. but the needs of soils for limo
vary greatly. The red clays OF our
Piedmont section. which arc formed
from the decomposition of the rocks,
often have moro lime In them than
many Of the so-called limestone soils.
that are simply sedimentary on top OF
lime rocks and not formed from them.
Test your soil for acidity and IL 1t Is
acid. use lime. and then IL the lining
has good effect do not jump to the
conclusion that all you have to do is
to keep on lining, for this by no
means follows Lining once In si,;
years will keep land sweet, and In the
meantime use every effort to increase
tho organic decay In the SOIL and you
will find lime a great help. But. as I
have said, no amount Of lining will
make poor land rich.
InoculntinE with Other Plants.
"Please tell us some time soon what
!