The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1916-08-15
VITAL WHEAT NEEDS
W|LLBR|hG SUCCESS
Leaving Undone Any One OF FouT
Necessary Steps Means
Partia! Failure.

II there are four essential and neces-
sary steps in growing a crop, and we
follow three and neglect one, often
we might just as well have omitted
the three since poor crop is certain
to follow. Whoever uses good SEED,
prepares a fine, firm seed bed, uses
lime, but neglects to supply wheat
with available plant food in sufficient
quantities will not harvest the largest
number of bushels of best quality
wheat
You cannot grow strong, sturdy
wheat plants from sluggish start.
The tiny plants need assistance from
termination to maturity. The roots
take up in solution ammonia, phos-
phoric acid and potash. These plant
food elements are found in the soil,
being gradually available to the crop;
the deficiency of plant food is sup
piled through fertilizers. They are
carried to the growing leaves, and I'M
der the action of sunlight, are manu-
featured into plant cell material that
makes plant growth. Ammonia is the
food that helps baby plants by giving
them a dark green color and produc-
ing stalk growth. Plenty of available
ammonia in the fertilizer gives the
young plants a running start.
Harris in Cornell University Bulle-
tin $50 states:
1.-THE number of kernels Of wheat
per pot increased with the fertilizer
Filling the Kernels.
!. Wheat is grown primarily for the
grain. Phosphoric acid is the plant
food that is most intimately concerned
with forming and filing the kernels
Late in June or early in July, the tiny
wheat flowers open and become fertile
and the new wheat berries begin to de
velop. The time between the flowers
becoming fertile and the complete
filling of the kernels is very short
not over ten tMa !. weeks FL ss..i Il
u per cent OF the phosphoric acid o
the plant, this plant-food. -ingredien
plays very important part in films
the kernel and making the crop.
protein content of grain is determined
chiefly, if not wholly, by the rapidly
of ripening OF the kernel Thus it i:
easily seen that the amount of phos
phoric acid available for plant foot
at this time may determine the qualit,
and yield of the crop.
Strengthening Straw.
The third essential plant food, pot
ash, gives strength to the straw, as
sists in the transportation and LAWN,
down of the starch in the kernel an,
along with phosphoric acid pumps tn,
grain. If the kernels are shriYeIed O.
small, the straw weak and inclined
to lodge, more potash should be ap
piled in the fertilizer Available am
monia, phosphoric acid and potash ar
the three plant foods applied in ferti
lizers. They cause plant or stall
growth, form heavy, plump kernels
hasten maturity and make stron,
straw, insure good clover catches ant
quality wheat. Fertilizers should b.
selected of such an analysis as vii
make up for the Deficiencies of tn.
available plant food in the soil anc
supply the special needs of the whea
under various farm conditions. Bes
results will be secured by using 20(
to 400 pounds of fertilizer on loan OF
clay soils analyzing 2 to per cent
ammonia, to II Per cent phosphor
acid and to per cent potash. Or
, sandy or poor soils more ammonia
should be used. Owing to the war con
ditions making potash scarce and high
priced, much smaller percentage OF
potash is advisable until these abnor
NAL conditions adjust themselves.
Fertilizers give crops a quick start
strengthen straw, hasten maturity
better the quality and increase yields
end profits.