Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1914-01-27

Il OSEass oAAos Ae.
Fertilizer Problem Not So Simple.
A CHEMICAL IN ONE SOIL Is FOOD, IN
ANOTHER POISON.
The question of the chemical reaction
of the soil, in so far as concerns its aka.
Unity or its acidity, 10 coming to be rtc
lognized as one of the most important
facturs in plant production. The reac-
tion and conditions accompanying 1t not
only have an Immediate effect on plant
growth, but also on the organisms in the
soil which are involved IN Transforming
the heterogeneous ingredients OF fertil-
izers into available plant food.
II is now well known that many plants
take on certain elements far in excess Of
their requirements, provided they are
present in available form in the soil, and
often with no advantage to the crop, in
so far as concerns it's nutritive value for
man or for farm animals.
Ii is now recognized that certain
classes of soils may be positively injured
if large applications of nitrate of soda
are used on them successfully, whereas
other kinds of soils may be greatly bene-
fited for long series Of years by It's
continued use. IL is also true that on
certain soils the first heavy application
of sulphate of ammonia may prove in
furious, whereas on others difficulty of
this kind will not arise for three or four
| years, and on still other soils it may be
/ used for several years, or almost indeti-
nitely, with the most beneficial results.
Soils that have been injured by the
use Of nitrate of soda may, for example,
be brought into proper condition again
by applying sulphate OF ammonia or acid
phosphate, or combination OF the two.
| On the other hand, certain acid soils
which have been injured by the frequent
application of sulpbste of ammonia may
be greatly benefited by the subsequent
EN- ploy ment of nitrate of soda.
LINING PROBLEM COMPLICATED
II appears from recent experiments
that the question of lining is no longer
as simple as il once seemed. In some
cases where there is an excess of magne-
sia in the soil, the application of lime is
said to be helpful by preventing a physi-
ologically toxic action of the maguesia
within the plant. On the other hand, II
lime is present in great abundance and
magnesia is lacking, the latter may IN
turn prove true specific.
The conditions which are still ideally
adapted to the best growth of redtop,
Rhode Island bent and certain fescues,
may be such as to practically prevent
the growth OF timothy and clover. For
these reasons II is coming to be recog-
nized more and more that the soils on
which fertilizers are to be used should
be tested aud lined, IL necessary, in or
der to insure full return for the invest
meut in fertilizers, for this is impossible
| in many cases where the land is excess
lively sour.
MORE ATTENTION TO GRASS CULTURE
Farmers of New England are but just
awakening to the fact that enormous
quantities of hay are being brought in
| from other states, which might be pro-
ducsd at home at a handsome profit. No
better grass lands exist anywhere than
can be found among the neglected, idle
lands of New England, and with proper
preparation, good seeding, lining and
fertilization, every acre of such soil,
| which is not excessively dry, may be
made to produce from three to six tons
II
hay per acre annually.
Ii has been shown recently by Director
Lipman of the New Jersey station, and
further substantiated by Prof. Lyon and
his co-workers at Cornell, that the legu-
minous crop when growing in mixed
i culture with nonlegumes appears TO
gather atmospheric nitrogen and pass
over a part of it in the same season to
these plants which cannot assimilate 1t
directly from the soil Furthermore, it
has been shown by the writer in expert
ments covering about 20 years al the
Rhode Island station, that the average
crop of timothy and redtop hay Is about
half ton greater following clover and
grass than following grass, when the
time since the last seeding was Identical.
The fertilization of grass land de-
mands first of all the exercise OF good
Judgment, for il rarely pays to spend
money in topdressing areas which are 30
badly run out that timothy and redtop
have practically disappeared and where
the land is occupied by Rhode Island
bent grass, Kentucky blue grass, sweet
scented vernal grass and other grasses of
similar small size. Formerly the
Iitem of interes. on these long period in
yestments in slowly available phosphor-
4 ic acid was too commonly neglected. In
the case of autumn seeding, on reason
ably rich soil, which has been generous
| ly fertilized for the spring crop, no fer
| rilizer whatever will be required the
| first season. On the other hand, il the
/ land is poor or has been heavily crop
/ ped aud has had little OF no fertilization,
a small amount of complete fertilizer
containing readily available ingredients
should be applied just before the seed is
sown. The New England farmer who
has very limited pasturage, large herd
of cattle, and who runs short OF forage
in The spring, may frequently find IL
profitable to top-dress his pastures early
in the spring.
Another practical point for the farm
ers of certain parts of New England to
consider more carefully Is the growing
of more corn. 1t is o crop which re-
spends readily to fertilizers and which
lis easily grown. For the fullest success
/ with Indian corn it is important TO con-
sider the past fertilization of the soil
and the crops which have preceded. On
land where grass has been grown con
tinuously for some years and where an-
nual liberal top dressing OF fertiiizer
have been used, less fertilizer will be
needed for the corn which follows, and
furthermore, the proportions and kinds
of the fertilizer ingredients should be
quite different from those best adapted
to badly exhausted land which has
thin sod. Some fertilizer companies are
now giving special attention to these
M att srs iu order to better meet the ne
cessities of their patrons.
The importance Of the effect OF certain
crops on those which follow and OF Sc
Ilectiug fertilizers with reference to the
previous cropping, is well illustrated oy
experiments made by the writer and oy
IS. c. Damon at the Rhode Island sta
tion. In one casa with identical fertili-
zation, there was difference Of from l
foot TO 10 inches in the height OF the in'
dian corn, depending upon whether
Swedish turuips or carrots had prec d.
ed.
In another case oats followed potatoes
ON one side of series of AZ plots ana
they followed mangel-wurzels on the
\ Tha fark;lix ation nf kh6 two