Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1914-02-27
Co. cssman on Fer. ilizsrs.

is found that two different firms seen
disposed 20 talk fertilizer.
The Tazewell Supply Compans
G. ''rs 10 represent Swifts Star
fertilizer. Incidentally, they clair
nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium
as the main ingredients in this
brand, but do not tell the source OF
their phosphorus or the amount con-
tanned per 100 lbs. Neither do they
give any facts about quantity of
nitrogen or potassium.
This is probably a 2-S-2 complete
fertilizer. Now, if you compute the
20 lbs. of phophorus, it contains per
ton at even the high price of IL cents
per pound, it will be worth about
SS.4O per ton 10 the Tazewell farmer.
The 2 pounds per hundred of DO
tassium will not amount to anything,
because your lands already carry
about $4,000 pounds of potassium per
acre, and all that is necessary is to
make this available by the decaying
OF some organic matter, such as
clover sods or manure, or an appli-
cation of ground limestone. Neither
will the 2 pounds of nitrogen per
100 pounds amount to anything when
200 pounds of fertilizer is applied per
acre. This will only furnish A pounds
while maximum crop Of corn needs
l4S pounds per acre of nitrogen.
Wheat and oats require about 95
pounds of nitrogen for each crop.
Farmers cannot afford to pay from
10 to 20 cents per pound for nitrogen
to grow ordinary farm crops with.
Now, Mr.. Farmer, when you re-
turn one ton of clover hay to the
land, you place in your lend &C
pounds of nitrogen, and 2 1-2 ton
crop of clover per acre grazed down.
turned down or fed back in the shape
of clover hay, will put 100 pounds
of nitrogen back on the land, which
will be sufficient for large crop
corn or wheat.
This process will be catching nitro
gen from the air. There is $4,000
900 worth of nitrogen over every
acre of your land. Therefore, it
better to grow nitroger
than to buy it at Is to 20 cents pc,
pound. This firm speaks of lime
Is it burned or ground limestone
Do they wish the farmer to apply
it SO that it will make the inexhnus,
ible supply of potassium in the farm
er's soil available, so that their com
plete fertilizer will get credit for
crops? Now, they say
that Virginia lands are deficient in
which is true, but why
pay about $12 in six years for
"Swift's Star" and get AZ pounds of
per acre, when you can
invest $500 per acre at one time
and get $50 pounds of phosphorus per
acres (This is by deducting cost of
sacks.)
Gentlemen, get your phosphorus
in the cheapest form. 1t looks better
to pay.O32 cents per pound than 90
cents or more.
Do not buy potassium when you
have it in abundance. Make your
own available. Do not buy nitrogen
when you can catch it from above
YOU own farm by growing lcgumes.
This is necessary, anyway. Small
amounts of this so called best COM
plete fertilizer will only fertilizc the
pockets of the manufacturer or seller.
Ground limestone is n plant food
and acts in this capacity from the
first rain on. There is calcium and
magnesium in all plants. Some lime
stone carries the element phosphorus.
so that 2 13 tons of it carries as
much phosphoric acid as 200 pounds
of the complete fertilizer 2-8-2 goods.
To keep the farmer ignorant of the
fertilizer cor itituent parts and only
claiming to sell TIE best, will - not
work any longer. Tell the farmers
the analysis. of your fertilizer in ad-
vance of their sending their wagon
for the fertilizer. An up-to- date farm
er will demand this.
Limestone also corrccas acidity of
soils. SO tlat bactcri1 nay and can
thrive on tic roots of legumes, 20
catch nitrogen. A six ten per oc,o
of ground limestone has increased
the crop of corn II buiheic rar acre
for four consecutive yes,g.
years.
Remember, gent:oren, -l.st rod
limestone furnishes I'VE out Of ,ha
four mineral elements n.teriag ince
plant life which are necess ly 10 b.
applied, namely. cal.i'.m nd ~
stun. Finely grocnd phcspiy.a &
nishes phosphorus, and oarhousts o.
line. The other mineral clement .s
potassium, which is in abundant sup
ply in about all Tazewell lands. Then
grow your own nitrogen. This is
about all Of agriculture, as given out
by Ohio Experiment Station and all
others.