St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1915-02-13
What Is Fertilizer?

chemical analysis of a soil is OF
no practical value toward de-
termining its crop producing
power, because it fails to give
the amount of available plant
food present. If this be true
we should thoroughly under
stand the function Of the differ
ent elements in the growth and
developments of plants in order
to be able to purchase and use
commercial fertilizers wisely.
Plants require for their nor
NAL growth about thirteen diff
ferent elements, all of which arc
generally present in the soil in
sufficient quantities for crop pro-
duction except nitrogen, phos-
phoric acid and potash; hence a
commercial fertilizer is valuable
in proportion to the amount Of
these three elements it contains
and a fertilizer containing these
three plant foods is considered a
complete fertilizer.
Nitrogen, it seems to me, is
the most deficient of any of the
elements in our soil. It's func-
ton is to promote the growth Of
the stems and leaves of the
plants, to retard the develop
ment of the flowers and fruit
and finally to enter as a constit-
uent Of the protein compounds
of the plant. Consequently an
abundance of nitrogen in the soil
is shown by a heavy green col
ored foliage; while a lack Of it is
generally indicated by a spindly
growth, of a yellow sickly ap-
pearance. It is the most expen-
sive of the essential elements of
plant food, usually costing about
fifteen cents per pound.
Nitrogen is available on the
market in the following forms:
Nitrate of Soda, Sulphate of
Amonia, Dried Blood, Tankage,
Cotton Seed Meal and other
Nitrate of Soda, known as
Chilli saltpetre and contains about
sixteen pounds of available nitro
gen to each hundred pounds of
Nitrate of Soda. It costs from
$40. 90 to $500 per ton and
may be applied at the rate Of
two hundred and fifty (25O)
pounds to the acre. a lighter ap-
however will generally
be found more economical.
Amonium Sulphate is highly
concentrated form of Nitrogen
much used in some sections for
fertilizing purposes. It is form
ed as a by product in the manu-
facture of Illuminating gas. It
contains about twenty pounds of
available Nitrogen to each hun
lred pounds of material and may
De applied at the rate of two
hundred and fifty to sixty
pounds per acre. It is not
IS quick acting as is Nitrate of
Soda.
Dried Blood is a very impor-
ant source of organnitrogenous
material. 1t is obtained by dry
ng the blood and debris from
laughter houses. When thor
dry it may contain four
cen per cent Nitrogen. It is a
.uick acting fertilizer and as
nuch as three hundred pounds
300) may be applied.
Tankage is another fertilizing
1aterial obtained from the
house and is composed
f hair. hides, horn, bones, blood,
tc. 1t varies in composition.
sually containing from four to
IN Der cent Nitrogen.
Cotton Seed Meal is probably
1e most important source Of :
Iltrogen In this section. 1t con-
inns around six per cent Nitro
en-, three per cent phosphoric
cid and two per cent potash.
is not nearly so quick acting
J are the other fertilizers men
oned as decomposition and nit
flcatlon must take place before
le Nitrogen becomes available
plant food. Three to five
lndred 900 to 500 pounds per
re will generally give best re-
Its.
Next week I will discuss the
notion and source of Phosphor-
Acid.