Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1914-11-18
AS TO 1918 FERTILIZERS.
it is Thought that Nitrates and Phos-
pilates will be Cheaper.
(Abbeville Press and Banner

(Abbeville Press and BannerD
There are a few facts relative to
9he use of fertilizers that should be
in possession of every farmer.
The general and more or less er-
roneous idea prevails that specially
prepared guanos tend to build up the
soil while the use of nitrate of soda
as ammonia tends to rob the soil.
The fact is that neither Of these
contributes materially to the soil, ex-
cept in returning humus, and neither
robs the soil. II anything, the nitrate
of soda possesses one advantage over
other ingredients, in that it tends to
release natural potash in the soil to
a greater degree than any of the am
moniates, which Of itself is of value,
owing to the scarcity Of potash. A
large stalk, full of foliage, raised
from nitrate OF soda, returns as much
humus to the soil as stalk from
guanos with any other base of am
monia.
Nitrate of soda sold this last year
for $50 per ton. Germany in the
past has used more Of this fertilizer
than any other country, and now her
ports are closed to it owing to the
war. Practically the entire supply
of nitrate Of soda comes from Chilli
and other South American countries
of Pacific coast. These are brought
thousands of miles nearer to our
market by reason of the Panama
Canal. 1t is fair to assume, there
fore, that, with the greatly decreased
demand for soda by foreign countries,
and with water rates on a very much
shortened route for shipping, soda
will sell in this country next spring
for about $35 per ton, or little more
than half its price last spring.
Acid phosphate, an essential of all
plant life, will likewise be cheaper,
as it is produced almost entirely in
this country and will find no market
in Europe
sary ingredients or plant life for
which this country will go begging,
and there is a fact about it that is
more important than any mentioned.
Red lands do not need potash. The
ordinary red lands plowed to a
depth of eight inches, contain and
will yield natural potash sufficient
for crops on ten times the area. This
IS net true Of sandy or buck-shot
lands, which, if a scarcity Of potash
is to continue for long, will have to
be treated by turning under legumi-
nous crops grown. This not only
furnishes large quantities of potash
and some ammonia, but prepares the
soil for better results from the other
two ingredients Of fertilizer applied.
reasonable conclusion from these
conditions, then, would seem to be to
use phosphoric acid literally in SOW
ing grain and next spring in prepar-
ing for summer crops. Then later
buy nitrate Of soda as the base Of
ammonia.
Soda runs about II per cent am
monia, and a ton is equivalent to
more than four tons Of high grade
guano as to this ingredient. On red
lands only the soda and phosphoric
acid, comparatively cheap ingredi-
ent, are necessary to make a complete
guano, and will give as good results
IS th" most expensive guanOs.
We should not leave our readers to
conclude that these remarks are
based on individual experience or
experimentation, for in that case
they would perhaps carry little
weight The fact is, our information
was obtained in a conversation with
the director Of agriculture Of Glenn
sen College, and every statement
made here as to the results Of certain
fertilizers on certain soils is the re-
sult Of careful experimentation by
the department.
inVlgoratlng to the Pale and SlcItIy