The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1915-01-30
THE PRODUCTION AND USE OF
FARM FERTILIZERS.

|
tility of their soils without the use of
livestock. Farming without the use of
manure is waste of energy and re-
suits in the exhaustion of soils. The
neglect in preserving and increasing
the quantity of farm manures has been
great drain on the natural resources
of the American farm, especially in the
southern portion of the United States.
The lack Of intelligent care of the
waste products and the convenient
form of commercial fertilizers have
jointly been responsible for the almost
general neglect of farm manures," says
bulletin by the United States Bureau
of Plant Industry.
From this it would seem we have on
our southern farms an asset which is
so seriously neglected as to impair our
natural returns in crops. Our object
should then be to do something to
remedy the evil.
Commercial fertilizers are valuable
on the farm and contribute great
part to our farm economies, but it is
impossible to obtain their full value by
using them to the exclusion of every
thing else. Far greater returns would
be realized from much smaller applica-
tons in connection with barnyard
manure and leguminous crops.
Such crops as the clovers and COW
peas contribute great fertilizing value
just for the growing on the land, owing
to their deposits of nitrogen through
the work of the nitrifying bacteria
which grow upon their roots. How
ever, this is often lost, owing to the
poor physical conditions of the soil.
To improve this, pillow under in the
green state crop of one of these, and
thus incorporate a good supply Of
organic matter.
Another way of accomplishing this
same end is to grow these crops, feed
them to livestock and take special pains
to save the manure, both liquid and
solid. The best authorities say that
from rs to 900 of the fertilizing value
of q crop is left after passing through
the animal. This being true we have
affected a great saving by getting the
food value as we'll as the fertilizing
| If steps are, taken to save the latter.
1t is true that small value is some
times realized from farm manures, but
the principal reason for this is care
less handling, such as exposure and
neglect. A large percentage of the
plant food is therefore lost. The
digestive juices of the animal body
have made the elements of plant food
soluble and teaching is very easy. The
Cornell Station has found that half the
value of manure is lost by teaching and
fermentation which could be easily
avoided
A question here arises as to how the
loss mentioned can be best prevented.
Under the moist climate and abundant
rainfall of Louisiana but one plan
seems advisable. Keep the stock in
stables or under sheds the floor of
which is streWn with straw, leaves or
other refuse sufficient to absorb all
liquids. This saves these, and the
continual tramping will expel the air
and prevent large part of the fermen-
tation. This accumulation may con-
tinue until a convenient time for re-
moval and yet not have the quality
impaired. The litter itself has fertiliz-
ing value and also serves as bedding
for the cows. Hauling out in winter
can hardly be advised in any section
in the rain belt.
1t is an easy matter to buy the nee
essary plant food in commercial fer
tilizers in very suitable form for
handling, but it will be far less valuable
than an equal amount in farm manures.
From the latter vegetable matter is
secured, bacterial activity is stimulat-
ed, and the mechanical defects of the
soil are corrected. The fertilizing con-
stituents in one ton of we'll preserved
farm manure is worth $3.50 and the
other benefits derived make it worth,
according to the U. s. Department of
Agriculture, about 81.
According to the Mississippi Station,
every ton of cowpea hay taken from
the land, the manure of which is not
returned to the soil, takes $796 worth
of Fertilizer ton of cotton seed $3.50;
so bushels of corn, both stalk and
grain, 1856; the grain alone 1896.
The wornout soils and thrown out"
farms in Louisiana are due to the
removal Of the plant food as given
above without any thought Of it's re.
turn to the land. The good farmer is
no longer using such wasteful methods