Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1917-08-04
INCREASING YIELD OF WHEAT
THE USE OF FERTILIZERS

THE USE OF FERTILIZERS
The lack of the proper fertilization
is often the cause of poor yields o
wheat in Delawase. While the frs
consideration is the thoro preparation
Of thu soil thru crop rotation, certain
applications of plant food are necessar.
tos cure the largest yields of grain
The use Of legume crops in the rotation
less ms the demand for fertilizers carry
ing a high PERCENTAGE of nitrogen. II
enable the wheat crop to use plant foot
to the best advantage, the soil must b
kept in good physical condition in re
laticn to moisture, drainage and bac
teria.
Wheat responds more readily to ap'
rlications of plant food than most other
crops. This is largely due to the fact
that wheat makes the most Of it's growth
during a comparatively short period
and consequently requires an abundant
supply of available plant food.
The maturity of wheat may be con-
siderably delayed if the soil is deficient
In certain elements of plant food. The
lack Of sufficient available phosphoric
acid will delay the ripening Of wheat 5
to z days. Experiments at the State
Farm show that wheat well fortified
will mature nearly a week earlier than
that which is not fortified. Early
maturity lessons the chance of loss from
fungus diseases and is accompanied by
a better quality of grain.
The kind and amount of fertilizers to
use will depend on the previous crop
ping of the land and its natural fertili-
ty. No rule can be laid down as to
what fertilizer formula is best for wheat
on all farms. The farmer can best
judge of the soil requirements providing
he knows how the soil has been man.
aged in the past and has noted care
fully the results obtained from the use
of various fertilizers. However, there
are some general principles which apply
to the fertilizer requirements of wheat.
On Eastern soils wheat responds readi-
ly to liberal use of phosphoric acid.
Experiments at this Station show that
phosphoric acid when used alone pro-
duces much greater increase than
either nitrogen or potash indicating that
the soil is deficient in phosphoric acid.
This does not mean that nitrogen and
potash are not necessary for the best
results. 1t is only when the three,
nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash |
are supplied in the proper amount either
by the soil or by the grower that
maximum yield will be secured. On
thin soils it will be necessary to apply |
the three elements of plant food.
Where the land has been carefully
rotated with legumes, or legume pre-
cedes the wheat crop, only phosphoric
acid and potash are greatly needed.
Experiments at the Delaware Station
show that under the above conditions
nitrogen rarely pays. Where the land
has not been kept up by rotation
liberal use of nitrogen in the fertilizer
is generally necessary to get normal
yield. Where wheat is to follow corn
to which has been applied moderate
quantity of stable manure acid phos-
plate alone should give good results.
If the fertilizers used do not contain
nitrogen it is we'll to seed the wheat
little earlier than usual. If the corn
land is not in good state of fertility
a t,i tilizer carrying 2 to 3per cent.
nitrogen and 10 per cent Of phosphoric
acid is desirable. In case the wheat
follows wheat or oats fertilizer carry
ing to per cent. Of nitrogen, and 10
to IL per cent. phosphoric acid is desira-
BILE. The normal fertilizer for wheat
contains from to per cent. nitrogen,
10 to IL per cent. phosphoric acid and
8 to per cent potash. Owing to the
lack of potash on the market it would
be desirable to increase the percentage
Of phosphoric acid slightly. If soy
beans, COW peas, early potatoes or other
titled crops are followed by wheat an
application of 3 to hundred pounds of
acid phosphate per acre will give good
results. Fertilizers for wheat should
be applied rath.r literally. Four to
five hundred pounds per acre is not too
much, considering that grass is to fol-
oW wheat.
The high price of fertilizer may cause
some wheat growers to question the
of extending their acreage
If wheat this year. 1t should be re-
however, that the price of
wheat has advanced somewhat more
'apidly than commercial fertilizers.
Under present conditions it will pay
he grower to give special attention to
oil preparation and other conditions
egarding seeding so as to get the most
results from the use of
Ugh priced fertilizers.
A. E. GRANTHAM, Agronomist,
Delaware Experiment Station,
Newark, Delaware.