Oxford Democrat., 1916-01-25
Conserve All Fertillzlng Material.

Conserve All fertilzing MatefiaI.
FERTILIzER SITUATION IS SERIOUS FOE
FARMERS AT PRESENT.
| A statement recently issued by the na-
tional secretary Of agriculture regarding
the fertilizer situation has this to say 10
general:
American farmers are confronted by q
serious situation in reference to fertiliz.
or ma'erials. As result of the embar-
60 placed by the German Government
on the expectation of potash. the supply
of this substance has been entirely cut
off. Under normal conditions sulphuric
acid, which 10 required for making super
phosphates, is sold for IS or s6 ton.
The increased demand for 1t since the
breaking out of the European war has
caused the price to rise to about $25 .
ton. 1t is impossible, therefore, for
farmers to secure superphosphates at
prices which they have been accustomed
to pay. The nitrogen supply is not ma
terially less than usual.
| In 1918, when conditions were normal,
about s125, ,2S0, 900 worth of commercial
fertilizers was used in the United
States. OF this amount, the farmers
paid $4S, $50, 900 for heterogeneous sub
stances, $56, ,000, 900 for phosphates, and
$40, 450 900 for potash salts. Practically
all the potash salts were imported from
Germany, and the entire quantity of nj
trate of soda came from Chilli. Ammo
mum sulphate to the value Of $3,720, 600
was received from abroad, mainly from
England. The remainder of the fertiliz-
or materials was derived from domestic
sources.
OF the potash situation the statement
says: There is practically no potash in
this country at the present time for fer
tilizer use. The small quantities which
were held over from former years are
now priced at from eight to twelve
times their normal value.
the phosphate situation the statement
goes at length into the matter OF possible
sources of those materials in this coun-
try, of which it is said there is an ample
supply. However, to make these sources
available, as is shown In detail, will re
quire large amounts of capital, perfec-
ton of processes not yet developed, and
much time when all primary conditions
are met, so that immediate relief, or re-
lief within year or two, is hardly to be
expected.
The nitrogen situation, it is said, is of
less pressing concern. Cottonseed meal
forms the bulk of the heterogeneous sub
stances entering commercial fertilizers.
The amount available for fertilizer use
is dependent upon the annual production
of cotton and the demand for the meal
for feeding stuffs. @The waste from fish.
cries and fish canneries, and the garbage
of cities, are mentioned as sources of nj
trogen which should be conserved in
stead of going to waste. 1t is said that
the garbage of cities OF sc, 900 or over, If
converted into tankage, would be worth
for fertilizer purposes at least IS, ,500, 900.
Utilization of all these sources, how
ever, involves the same elements of
time and employment of capital as with
the other materials.
To sum the matter up the statement
concludes: --
1t must not be understood that the
suggestions which have been made, or
the efforts which are now being put
forth, will result In immediate relief for
farmers. There are number of techni-
cal problems which have to be solved If
these fertilizers are to be produced on q
commercial scale, and even IL the funds
for the necessary plants were provided,
either from private or public sources,
considerable time necessarily would be
required for the erection of the plants
nd fnr hai fri nnarotinn
SAVE ALL AVAILABLE FERTILIZER ELE-
MENTs.
In the unusual conditions existing in
the fertilizer trade, it is important that
all fertilizing materials on the farm, es
pecially those containing potash, should
be conserved. The fertilizer ingredients
already existing In the soil should be
utilized and developed to the fullest ex-
tent. A great deal can be accomplished
in this direction by deep plowing, con-
slant cultivation, and thorough tillage.
There should be proper system Of rota-
ton. Especially where one crop has
been grown for several years different
one should be planted this year. Green
manures and cover crops should be used
az much as possible in their proper rots-
ton.
OF the organic substances, manure,
both solid and liquid, ia the most i'm
portant and should be utilized wherever
possible. All material Of an organic ma
ture, such as leaves and bedding of vari-
ous sorts, should be composted and the
compost applied to the soil. Special at
teutiop should be given also to the con.
servation of wood ashes. Depending on
the character of the wood, they contain
potash in quantities varying ordinarily
from to 10 percent. Ali tree trim
mings, brush cuttings, ETC., should be
burned and the ashes derived therefrom
utilized.
The application Of lime to many soils
is of undoubted benefit. Though the
availability of the fertilizing elements in
the soil may not be greatly increased by
its use, the resulting improvement in
physical and bacterial conditions may in
crease considerably the productiveness of
the soil.