Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1916-01-08

day.
population of 10000 and over were
converted into garbage tankage, the
product would be worth for fertil
izer purposes at least $3,500,000 In
date steps should be taken by all
municipalities to conserve the gar
bsge and to make it available for use
in the fertilizer trade
The Bureau eli Soils is studying also
the problem of the fiXation of atmos.
pheric nitrogen with a view to de-
velop method for the production of
ammonium phosphate and other forms
of concentrated fertilizers. No am
monium phosphate is being made in
this country at the present time. If
cheap water power, phosphate rock,
coal, and limestone can be found
in accessible localities, the possibil-
ity of making this material of COM
mercial scale is considered entirely
feasible. The greatest difficulty here
is to discover cheap water power at
points where phosphate rock coal,
and limestone are readily available
The department is making every eff
fort to locate available sources Of
developed water power which can be
used in the manufacture of ammon-
ium phosphate and other fertilizers
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 re-
lief for farmers. There are num-
Der of technical probleIl. which have
to be solved if these fertilizers are
to be produced on commercial SCALE
and, even if the funds for the neces
sary plants were provided, either
from private or public sources, CON
siderable time necessarily would be
required for the erection of the
plants and for their full operation
Save All Available Fertilizer EIe-
ments.
In the unusual conditions existing
in the fertilizer trade, it is impor-
tant that all fertilizing materials on
The farm. especially those containing
potash, should be conserved. The fer
tisizer ingredients already existing
in the soil should be utilized and dc.
veloped to the fullest extent. A great
deal can be utilized and developed
to the fullest extent. A great deal
can be accomplished in this direction
by deep blowing, constant cultiva-
ton, and thorough tillage. There
should be proper system of rotation.
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 as much as possible
in their proper rotation.
OF the organic substances. manure,
both solid and liquid. is the most inn
portant and should be utilized wher-
ever possible All materials of an
organic nature. such as leaves and
bedding of various sorts, should be
composed and the compost applied
to the soil. Special attention should
be given also to the conservation of
wood ashes Depending on the char
aeter of the wood, they contain pot
ash in quantities varying ordinarily
from three to ten per cent. All tree
trimmings, brush cuttings, etc, should
be burned and the ashes derived
therefrom utilized.
THE application OF lime to many
soils is sof undoubted benefit. Though
the availability of the fertilizing ele-
ments in the soil may not be greatly
increased by les use, the resulting inn
provement ia physical and bacterial
conditions may increase considerably
the productiveness of the soil.