The Republican journal., 1918-01-10
Fertilizers and Crops for 1918
Opinion of the Directors of the New Eng
land Stations.

Opinion of the Directors of the New Eng
land Stations.
A few days ago the director of the
Maine Agricultural Experiment Station
was in conference with the directors OF
the agricultural experiment stations OF
the Northeastern States. Among other
things the crop situation, including the
supply of fertilizers, were discussed at
length and the following is their best ad-
vice:
The country's need for large crops of
all essential foods, such as wheat, beans,
oats, corn, rye, barley, potatoes and SIM
liar staples, will be even greater in 1913
than it was in 1917. Seed, fertilizers and
labor will be higher in cost than last year
and the labor will be more difficult to
obtain. Prices of crops are also likely to
rule higher in 1918 than the last year.
Because of the higher cost and lessened
labor the aim should be for maximum
acre yields. Intensive rather than ex-
tensive culture should be the rule. Ma
chinery, horse power and gasoline power
should be utilized to the fullest amount
practicable. Seed should be of the best
and should be tested for vitality long be-
fore planting time. If the seed at hand
is low in vitality or otherwise of poor
quality those facts should be early learn
ed and better seed found if it is possible
so to do. The land should be put in the
best possible shape for planting by early
blowing to fair depth and by frequent
narrowing.
Although fertilizers will be half as high
again as before the war and fourth
higher in cost than last year, this is not
the time to scrimp in their use Mineral
nitrogen is markedly higher in cost than
last year and sulphate of ammonia is hard
ly obtainable for use in fertilizers. Organic
nitrogen of the better grades is too valu-
able for food of animals to enter much
into fertilizers. Acid phosphate is high
and MT abundant because of the high
price and great demand in munition max
ing of sulphuric acid used in making
acid phos phate out of raw rock. Potash
is very scarce, much of it is from inferior
sources and it is all high priced. But with
such crops as potatoes practical expert
ence and careful experimenting agree in
that it is financially profitable to use it
at the rate of 80 or 40 pounds per acre de-
spite it's high cost. Potash does not seem
to be so essential with the cereal as with
the root crops. With beets, mangolds
and ruta bagas, the addition of two or
three hundred pounds of common salt
will always give increased yields Potash
should be used for these crops unless farm
manure can be literally supplied.
The conservation and production of
maximum amounts of yard manures by
preservation of all excrement, both solid
and liquid, and by composing is strongly
advocated. The addition of hundred
pounds per cord, as the manure is being
worked over, or acid phosphate is ad-
vised. Both because the manure is de-
ficient in phosphoric acid and because
phosphoric acid favors the growth of
micro organisms of prime importance in
rendering plant food in manure available
to crops this practice will be found finan-
cially and agriculturally profitable. Home
mixing will be difficult because of the
fact that the fertilizer manufacturers
have most of the ingredients in their
possession and are not DESTROYS of selling
them except in mixed goods.
Rail and water transportation are in-
creasingly difficult. Hence orders should
be placed at the earliest moment in order
that the goods may be delivered in time
for planting. Cash will obtain liberal
discount from list prices. If one has not
the cash, by making the proper statement
of ones financial condition and resources
to bank, money can be hired by any one
whose credit would warrant fertilizer
company giving him goods on credit and
at lower price Gate of INTEREST," than the
fertilizer company can afford. In other
words, buy fertilizers from a company
whose business is selling fertilizer and
buy the use of money from bank whose
business is loaninG monev.
In a sentence, the advice of the direc-
tors to New England farmers is: Plan for
maximum acre yields, thoroughly pre-
pare the seed bed, use good seed, make
and save all farm manure possible, sup
plement this by liberal use Of commercial
fertilizer, mixed or unmixed, which should
be ordered at once for prompt delivery and
on the best terms possible to obtain
Chas. D. Woods, Director.
nelav Somewhere.