The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-08-05
STUDY SOIL NEEDS
As GUIDE To GET
BEST FERTILIZERS
To Get Good Results Farm
ers Use: Brand Containing
Chemical Qualities Lack
ing in Fields.


wheat will be the next problem con-
fronting the farmer. He must sort his
way through the pile of advertising,
and circulars showered upon him by
his constant friends, the fertilizer
agents, and select the goods that will
meet the requirements of his soil and
crop.
Time was when most of the fertili-
zer sold in Indiana was known as
bone dust" The worse it smelled, the
better it was supposed to be. If it pro
duced better crops it was praised to
the skies, but If the crops failed, the
bone dust" got all the blame.
Nowadays the farmer that asks for
bone dust" exposes his own fgnor-
ance; likewise the man that says he
buys his fertilizer by brand name. The
progressive, up to date farmer when
he goes to buy his fertilizer, knows
that there are certain chemical ele-
ments that are required by plant life,
and that these must be supplied in the
fertilizer. From the results of the ex.
periments carried on by the expert
ment stations and the fertilizer com
panies, he can ascertain the special
food requirements of certain plants,
and the best treatment to give differ
emit types of SOIL
Studies Chemical Need.
He knows that nitrogen makes the
green growth of the plant, that phos-
phorous makes and natures the grain,
and that potash stiffens the stalk. He
knows that the clay and clay loan
soils of Indiana need PHOSPHORUS,
while the muck soils need potash. Fur
thermore the object of fertilization is
not to supply all the fertility that the
plant requires to make its growth, but
to supply enough available material to
reinforce the elements already in the
soil.
II he wishes he can figure up the
value of the fertilizing elements and
tell to cent just how much the agent
10 getting as his commission. For in
stance II fertilizer containing 2 per
cent. Of nitrogen, per cent. of phos-
phorOus and 4 per cent. of potash is
purchased, he knows that nitrogen is
worth from 10 to 20 cents a pound, and
PHOSPHORUS and potash from 5 to 6
cents pound. Two per cent of 1000
pounds would be forty pounds of nj
trogen, which at 20 cents a pound
would-cost $500. Phosphorus at per
pounds, which at 6 cents a pound
would cost $3.50. Eighty pounds of pot
ash at cents would add $3.50 to the
total cost. Adding these together
would give the total value of the ton
Of fertilizer, $22.40. Adding to this the
price the agent demands as his com
mission, will give the cost of ton of
2-8-4 fertilizer to the farmer.
Pa proven Best
Experiments conducted on farms,
and under actual farm conditions in
fourteen counties in Indiana, have
shown that the best fertilizer for
wheat is the 2-8-4 mentioned above,
and applied at the rate of 300 pounds
per acre. The previous management of
the fields, and system Of farming fol-
lowed will of course modify this gen
eral recommendation.
Where land has been heavily man
ured, or closer has been plowed under,
there will not be the need for 80 much
nitrogen. In such cases a 1O-5 or an
11-2 goods will prove the most eco
nomical. In any case where the nitro
gen can be left out, without affecting
profitable production, it should be
done, as it is the highest priced and
most perishable element.
To Help Crops.
Fertilizers help the wheat crops in
the following manner:
I. As fertilizers dissolve in the soil,
they increase the strength or concen-
tration of the soil solution, in the top
eight inches of soil. This draws the
water up from the subsoil to the reg
ion wherein the plant feeds.
2. AS soon as the tiny seed begins
to send out roots and stalks, it needs
suitable available plant food. Fertiliz-
ers give the tiny plant strength and
vigor Of root. so that it can push out
and lay hold of what would be unavail-
able food for weaker plants.
3. Fertilizers increase the activity
OF soil bacteria, which in turn let loose
more plant food for the growing crop.
1. A good supply of available plant
food in the spring, gives the wheat
plant an early start and hastens the
maturity of the crop, so that the filling
season is reached and successfully
passed before rust and other plant dis
eases sap the vitality of the crop.
3. Available plant food nearly al
ways insures a strong catch of grass,
clover or alfalfa seed. if ground is well
grained, sweet and supplied with hui
mus.