Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-02-20
MIXING FERTILIZERS
Demonstration Agent John r. BIal
Gives Pointers on the Subject.

MIXING FERTILIZERS
Demonstration Agent John r. Blair
Gives Pointers on the Subject.
For The Yorkville Enquirer.
The time Of year Is again at hand
for the farmers to buy their fertilizers
and 1t Is the duty Of every farmer to
study his soil conditions in order that
he may be able to buy the kind OF fer
tilizer best suited for his soil. Most
every farmer knows the particular
conditions Of his different soils, as to
the kind Of weed II grows to cotton or
corn Qarge or smalD, the amount Of
fruit 1t puts on, whether or not 1t
trenches or rusts cotton or corn,
whether ii ripens too early or too late,
etc.
II the foregoing conditions are known
by the individual farmer, and they are,
1t Is his duty to use his good judgment
and buy the fertilizer best suited to
his SOIL I am Of the opinion that most Of
the farmers are using Con clear culti-
waited poor light SOLD, too much acid and
not enough ammonia and potash. To
prove my statement, on clean cultivat-
ed lands, we always get plenty Of fruit;
but do not get enough weed and can't
get II to grow long enough and retain
its fruit, health and vigor, thus show
ing that we have a deficient amount Of
plant food, especially ammonia and
potash, to make the plant do its best
growing and at the same time hold its
fruit.
On our heavy, stiff red and black
soils, where we get large weed and
not a great amount Of fruit, in proper
tion to size of stalk, we need a greater
amount Of acid to make fruit and make
the plant come to maturity sooner; but
even on red stiff soils I would advise
the liberal use Of potash, as potash,
like acid, in many cases becomes nom
available and locked up in the soil.
Therefore we have to add an excess Of
potash to supply the needs Of the grow
ing plants.
1t will always be true that we will
have to use an excess Of acid and pot
ash, as we'll as ammonia on our clean
cultivated lands, to get best results,
but at the present cost Of nitrogen or
ammonia is not very likely that we
will use an excess Of ammonia unless
1t be on our rich pea stubble or clover
too. On lands, where our cotton
trenches or rusts, we should use an
ample supply Of ammonia and potash
ard cut down on our acid quantity, the
Z; It that the cotton rusts Is pretty
sure indication that the land Is sour
acid, (sour), 1t Is a pretty sure con-
clusion that the land does not need
very much acid. 1t needs plenty Of
ammonia and potash. The object Of the
ammonia Is to create good quick
growth and the object Of potash Is to
give strength and vigor to the frame
work Of the plan and to develop the
production of good lint and fiber. Phos-
phoric acid regulates the maturity Of
plants and develops the production Of
seeds.
What has been said pertains more
particularly to cotton, but practically
all Of the same conditions may be ap-
piled to corn, except that corn requires
an excess Of ammonia and potash. In
almost every case corn uses about two
pounds Of ammonia and potash to every
pound Of phosphoric acid. The ammonia
however, should not be applied until
the stage Of growth Is reached when
the corn most needs it, say from the
time the stalk is from waist to breast
high. Then the ammonia should be used
In the form Of some quickly available
source. The acid and potash can be
applied before the planting Of the corn.
On our light sandy soils where they
have been continuously planted to cot
ton for years would recommend about
the following formulas for cotton:
1876, 6-3-5, or 8-4-S, depending upon
the judgment Of the individual.
For heavy stiff red lands for cotton
after cotton, I would recommend the
following formulas: 1888, 1892 or
1924, depending upon the judgment
Of the individual
For our rusty, frenchy soils would
recommend the following formulas for
cotton:
S-3-7, 6-S-S or s-2-9, according to the
land and the judgment of the individ-
ual.
Some Of the above formulas cannot
be bought ready mixed; but any of
them can be mixed at home by using
16 per cent acid, cotton seed meal
dried blood, tankage, fishcrop and
kainit or muriate Of potash.
Buying ready mixed fertilizers Of one
grade for the whole farm is very much
like buying patent medicine that is
claimed to be good for every family
Ill. 1t is an absurdity.
To mix 1876 it will take approx
mately the following:
S75 pounds 16 per cent acid.
$50 pounds per cent cotton seed
$50 pounds 4s per cent muriate of
potash.
For 6-3-5 it will take the following
to mix ton:
750 pounds 16 per cent acid.
$50 pounds per cent cotton seed
meal.
300 pounds IL per cent kainit.
100 pounds 48 per cent potash.
For a ton Of 8-4-6 it takes the fol-
lowing:
1000 pounds 16 per cent acid.
600 pounds "a per cent meal.
200 pounds soda or blood.
$50 pounds muriate of potash.
For ton Of 1888:
1880 pounds 16 per cent acid.
400 pounds per cent meal.
230 pounds blood or 200 soda.
120 pounds muriate of potash.
For ton OF 1922:
1880 pounds 16 per cent acid.
500 pounds per cent meal
$50 pounds blood or soda.
100 pounds muriate Of potash.
For one ton Of 1884:
1880 pounds 16 per cent acid.
400 pounds per cent meal.
100 pounds blood or soda
100 pounds muriate Of potash.
For one ton S-3-7, mix:
1000 pounds 16 per cent acid.
500 pounds Z per cent meal
$50 pounds soda.
300 pounds potash, 4S per cent.
so pounds dirt.
For l ton 6-3-S, mix:
$50 pounds IS per cent acid.
$50 pounds per cent meal
100 pounds kainit.
300 pounds potash, 4S per cent
For one ton 9-2-9, mix:
LOO pounds 16 per cent acid
SIS pounds per cent meal
375 pounds muriate Of potash.
Now, brother farmers, l don't claim
to be any Solomon on fertilizers; but
from the fact that 1 have in the past
three years had an opportunity to see
most all Of the different soils Of our
county during the growing period Of
our crops and could see, in many cases
where some changes in fertilizers
would materially help, therefore let us
all study our soil conditions and try to
get as near as possihle what we think