Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-01-31

on IN acre OF land to provide for
large crops OF wheat. corn. oats and
clover for ten a. twenty years. while
20 supply nitrogen for the same
length OF timo would require from
twenty to forty tons of clover. or from
SO 20 lG0 tens Of farm miaare 10 he
added 10 the same acre of land. aitho
ono Of the four crops harvested Sc
cures its nitrogen from the air.
Ii has. been shown tine and again
that it does not ply TO bny nitrogen
t(Nl in commercial form fexcept pos
sibIy for intensive gardening and on
land very low in NJ because this
element can be obtained more cheap
IL from the atmosphere (which is as
NJ by growing some Il sunic crop in
= regular plan OF rotation and blowing
IL under 10 become part of the soil
itself. The leglme crop which may
be red clover. alfalfa. soy beans. COW
peas, yetch. Canada field peas, sweet
clover. or alsyke. also adds the humus
necessary to continue the worl. of or.
ganic decomposition. which unlocks
inert mineral plant food from the soil,
Probably more humus would increase
the crop yield of every farm in the
U. s. In many places il is needed to
grow even average crops.
With soil rich in humus il is rare
ly necessary 10 buy potash in any
form. The commercial article con-
tainS the same element OF potassium
as that naturally in the soil Analysis
reveals that most soils contain
enough potassium tK) to produce
maximum crops for hundreds of years.
Peaty swamp soils and very sandy
soils are deficient and for these it
pays to buy and apply X at normal
prices. In doing so, the farmer should
compare the cost per pound in the
various brands Of fertilizer offered.
For the average farmer to buy X in
complete goods is as thrifty as for
man who wears only overalls to buy
three piece suit.
Phosphorus (P) is the chief plant
food in commercial form which the
farmer needs to buy. and the value
OF such fertiliber will depend upon
the cost per pound of the p it con.
tains. A 1852 goods" contains per
cent. of "phosphoric acid" p2, O5 or
"a per cent of the element p. A ton
OF this material would therefore carry
GS pounds Of the main element an
ordinary farmer ever needs to buy
The other 1882 pounds is not entirely
worthless, but has at least little
value. AS chemical elements are not
obtainable or usuable in their pure
state. this sol-called filler" is the ne
cessary vehicle to carry the chemical
elements, Just as the bags are needed
to hold the compound mixture. An.
other objection is that low grade fer.
tilizer makes the freight cost high.
On page 1856 Of Soil Fertility and
Permanent Agriculture" DR.. Hopkins
says; Observe that $50 pounds OF
can be purchased for $3.50 in ground
natural rock phosphate, for $25 in
steamed bone meal, for $50 in acid
phosphate and for S65 in complete
fertilizer
The time is at hand when the farm
ers of the Middle West cannot escape
the necessity for adding P to their
lands If they wish to harvest profit.
able cropsy Ttfwfl be a sad day for
all concerned ii they are induced to
follow the custom Of purchasing high.
priced mixed fertilizers for general
farm crops Certainly the impover,
ishment following their steady use in
the East and South is not calculated
TO encourage similar practice else
where. BY blowing under catch crops,
ana clover crop once in three or
four years, by returning to the land
without waste all manure, straw, etc,
produced on the farm; by applying
1000 pounds OF rock phosphate to the
acre. every four years, these are the
o2sy ana simple factors in the only
system OF permanent soil fertility
that science and experience have
shown To be economical for ordinary
types of farming in America.
Agriculture 10 not alone our finan.
elal atay, but q stalwart farming popu.
latica Is our best political and gov
ernmental bulwart--an anchor to
windward. The throbhing heart OF
American prosperity and national life
lies in the growing crops, in the
Keeping OF our farmers. Whatever the
problenis, local or International that
we must solve in the hear and un-
known future, we will be the better
prepared for them II we build up our
agriculture and rural life, making the
farm more likable. as well as more
profitable.
The farmers Of this country hvae
been living, not upon the interest
from their investments, but upon their
principal, ana whatever measure Of
apparent prosperity they have haA in
favored localities has been largely TAX.
en- from their capital stock. The boast
ful statement that the American land
owner has become scientific farmer
Is as erroneous as 1t is optimistic. AL.
nost every effsrt by the American