Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1914-05-21


Since the marked increase in the
yield of alfalfa here were attributed
to the element phosphorus in the SUI
perphosphate, the writer determined
to purchase phosphorus in the cheap
est form. Hence ground phosphate
rock, which contains 33 per cent
phosphorus, was purchased and used
| in our fertilizer experiments, by it.
self and also in combination with
stable manure. These alfalfa plots
thus treated have shown absolutely
no increase in yield over the check
plots receiving nothing.
These results indicated that the
marked increases obtained from the
use of superphosphate were possibly
not due to the element phosphorus
| in the superphosphate. Since ground
phosphate rock does not contain sui
phur, but superphosphate and gypsum
do contain sulphur, the writer con-
cluded that probably these increases
in the yield of alfalfa were due to
the element sulphur. Experiments
were started to determine this point.
A portion of a field was selected
where the alfalfa had been giving un-
satisfactory yields for years. This
field was carefully plotted. Two
plots were fertilized with ground sui
phur, one plot with iron sulphate,
one plot with superphosphate, and
two plots with ground phosphate
rock. Che * plots receiving no fer
tilizer were lett alongside the fertil-
lied plots for comparison. The plots
receiving the ground phosphate rock
gave no increase in yield over the
unfertilzed plots. The unfertilized
plots yielded practically the same
amounts as in previous years.
The plots receiving ground sui
phur, iron sulphate and superphos-
phate, at the rate of 800 pounds per
acre, produced an increase of more
than 100 per cent over the unfertil-
lied plots. 1t will be noted from this
that each of these three plots re-
ceived in the material applied the
element sulphur. The ground sui
phur contains practically nothing but
sulphur; the iron sulphate contains
only sulphur, iron and oxygen, while
the superphosphate contains sulphur,
phosphorus and lime
These results show that the ele-
ment sulphur when applied by itself
gave equally as good results as the
superphosphate. They also show that
combination of sulphur and iron
gave as good results as superphos-
phate.
1t is clear from this that the ele-
ment sulphur is of considerable i'm
portance as fertilizer for alfalfa on
some soils in this valley. 1t is prob
able that the marked increases in
yield OF alfalfa where gypsum has
been used is due to the sulphur that
it contains. 1t is possible that this is
| also true of the superphosphate.
These results indicate that the ele
ment sulphur may be of far more i'm
portance as a fertilizer on some soils
than has been supposed heretofore.
For example, sulphur, so far as the
writer knows, has never before been
recommended as a fertilizer. Be-
cause most plants use so little sui
phur. and as most soils contain a
limited amount of this element, it
has never received serious considera-
ton as a fertilizer.
The writer must state that he does
not know whether the chief value Of
sulphur as a fertilizer for alfalfa is
due to its value as plant food or
whether it is of value indirectly in
making available stores of plant food
already in the soil II the latter is
true, then il should not be considered
as fertilizer but as soil stimulant.
These experiments are being re.
peated in various sections of the val
ley to determine whether Sulphur
will give similar results when ap-
piled as a fertilizer to our various
types of soil Experiments are also
being conducted to determine the
most profitable amount of sulphur to
apply per acre.
Our experiments have shown that
the total yield of alfalfa in this val
ley could easily be doubled by the
use of superphosphate as fertilizer
The most marked increases in yield
have been obtained from the use OF
superphosphate on the poorer soils.
Some of the very fertile soils have
not given any increased yield from
its use. On such fertile soils applica-
tions OF sulphur will probably prove
of little value.
The most economical form in which
to purchase sulphur at the present
time is ground sulphur. When pur-
chased in this form 1t costs less than
9 cents per pound.