Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-03-22

necessary !. to plant production, but
with nitrogen and potassium potash in
the soil in normal quantities, the in
crease of the phosphoric acid is avail
able in quantity which will greatly
aid in an Increased production of fruit,
grain and corn, and always hasten
ripening and will develop maturity.
MORE POTASH NEEDED
Last summer these remarks were
often heard, I don't know what Is the
matter with my tomatoes, they sim.
ply won't ripen. had lot Of good
rich barn manure put on and the gar
den plowed deep but there sure IS
something wrong To explain: The q.
s. department of agriculture by an.
alysis found the average ton OF barn
manure to contain about 10 pounds Of
nitrogen: pounds of phosphoric acid.
and 10 lbs of potash, showing exclu-
sinvely the phosphate element was de-
ficient and the plant food ration out
OF balance.
How does this happen? To illus
trate: The farmer grows grain crop,
say wheat, for example. In the produc-
tion Of crop a large per cent OF nitro
gen and potash go into the production
Of roots, stalk and foliage and small
per cent of phosphate. When the
straw Is fed or used for bedding, the
resulting barn manure is returned to
the land or your garden with the phos-
phate element deficient owing to the
farmers having hauled away much
phosphate in the wheat when sold.
M. MI q
greater or less degree of accuracy to
all other grain crops.
FIVE POUNDS PER ROD
Many gardens by producing numer.
GUS crops from which the fruit and
grains, tomatoes, beans corn, peas,
etc., are consumed, eventually become
deficient in plant foods but especially
short Of phosphate. Such gardens
needs enriching by barn or chicken
manure plowed under and this supple
mented with acid phosphate toSsecure
proper balance OF the plant food ra-
ton, applying on the rough plowed land
before narrowing at the rate of to
10 pounds per square rod 16kx16h
feet) owing to degree of soil fertility,
and we'll worked into the soil before
planting.
MUCH USED IN SOUTH
an the east and south truck farm.
ers with many years experience use
twenty to thirty tons of barn manure
and 1000 lbs. of acid phosphate per
acre, which equals 61a lbs. to the
square rod, of phosphate. 1t should
be remembered this rate Of applica-
ton is for intensified, close planted
graden crops. Before the war the
usual practice was to make the
manure application once in three or
four years, chiefly to maintain neces.
Gary percentage Of humus, decayed
organic matter in the soil, and a, well
balanced commercial fertilizer was
used during other years, as 1t cost less
per food unit than barn manure or
green manure crop. Now, since potash
has advanced from $42.50 to about
$4,000 per ton and nitrates also,
greatly advanced, the one element re-
naming at a reasonable price permit
ting practical and profitable use Is
phosphate. This element has advanced
only about so per cent chiefly due to
the tremendous advance Of sulphuric
acid necessary to treat the phosphate
rock to render available or soluble
the entire phosphoric content.
PLANT FOOD NECESSARY
Availability of plant food during
the season of heavy growth and
development of any crop is highly i'm.
portant. This was forcibly illustrated
during the spring and summer OF
1917. During the spring and early
summer the low average soil temper
allure produced by continued cool, wet
weather largely prevented the develop
ment OF soil bacteria which aid In the
chemical action necessary to make
available nitrogen, phosphoric acid
and potash. Then the weather sud
denly changed from wet and cool to
hot and soon dry. During late July
tomatoes, corn, etc, practically quit
growing. stood still because soil moist
ure by this time had become so re-
duced. was dry so deep down. only
small norton Of the root system would
feed from the meager supply OF plant
food made available during the UNI
favorable weather preceding.
Early in August a rain started
growth. chiefly from nitrogen, gas
in soil solution. more quickly avat-
able than the mineral elements. potas-
SUM and phosphate which failed to
develop in time TO mature the corn
before frost.
SEED CORN NEEDS FERTILIZERS
Had warm weather prevailed dur
ing late August and early September
to stimulate the action of soil bac-
terra. potassium and phosphoric acid
would have become available. and
much Of the corn crop well matured.
An ounce Of prevention is worth a
pound of cure they say. Why would
it not be practical for the corn grower
to carefully fertilize seed corn plot