Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1916-01-27
soil and applies fertilizer according

soil and applies fertilizer according
|ly,n
sFertilizers should be applied intel
lligently and with regard Il the needs
Iof the soil and requirements Of the
crop, not applied in combination as
lTeady mixed commercial product.
Fertilizers should be purchased in
their cheapest form and mixed at
home.
One element and only an be
lapplied to the soil in some districts
of South Dakota with a profit. This
ielement is phosphorus. In its cheap
est forra, rock phosphate, it it best
isuited TO use as fertilizer and can be
thought in carload lots for about four
Icents a pound. In 500 pounds of a
good grade of this material is con.
tained from 10 to IS pounds of the
element phosphorus, If phosphorus
were bought ready mixed 1t would
cost in the neighborhood of rs cents
La pound.
Farmers are often made victims
of many fraudulent practices of fer.
~tilizer companies and should be fore
warned against the use of CONNER
Icial fertilizers of all kinds. Fertilizer
companies are beginning to advertise
in the state and the farmer is bound
to suffer unless he hugs his fertilizer
intelligently.
Trials with rock phosphate have
been made in Codington county and
it has been shown that this fertilizer
can be applied to soils with great
profit. In tests in Bookings, applica-
ton Of phosphate produces an In
creased corr yield of 81 per cent, and
a test over a period of five years pro.
lduced an average increase in yield
of corn of 81 per cent. These figures
lshow that phosphorus is the limiting
lelement to maximum Yields OF staple
crops in many parts OF South Dakota,
at is important that soils be en-
riched in necessary elements while
the farmers of the state are still
prosperous, for if farmers allow their
soil fertility and wealth to go at tbs
same time. they cannot make the
lsmali investment to replace the phos
phorus.
.Phosphorus tests constitute n o.
the main projects of extension worR
: in surrunding counties, and all infon
J nation gathered on them Will pc @
T great value to the state and
Hog Cholera Prevention.
Mr.. E. w. Hall, county agent o
5 Sphinx county, gave one Of the mos
clearly defined outlines on the pre-
: vention and cure of hog cholera tina
. has been heard at any of the 1iuI1lef
9 Gus farm meetings held here. al
: address was divided into two parts
: 1.-THE first told how to prevent hoI
s cholera. and the second told wha
10 do in case hog cholera breaks tu
lin a herd.
Outlining methods that should ~
! followed in cholera prevention, ~
Hall said, in part:
clog cholera is a contagious dis
Z, ease like diphtheria or smallpox an
\ hence it's presence in any comlnunlt
: is a source of concern not only 10 u
L farmer on whose place it breaks GU
but to the entire community. II -
germ disease and since germs al
given off in the secrea of the hog
!, ANYTHING that can carry dirt frol
: the pen is liable to spread the az
:, ease to other herds.
\ Reports on hog cholera work
7 dfteen counties show that cholera
Y spread by the following means: =
: birds, 1876 per cent; by yisltin
u 1895 per cent; by exchange Wor
= 1875 per cent; by dogs, 7.04 per cen
le by exposure to sick hogs, 6.79 pt
= cent; by harbored infection, 5.b5 pr
!, CONTINUED on page 81