Middletown transcript., 1918-08-31
WHEAT FERTILIZERS
Frequently Cause Poor Yields on
Delaware Soil
NO RULE CAN Be LAID OUT


The lack of proper fertilization is
often the cause of poor yields of wheat
on Delaware soils. While the first con-
sideration. lis the thorough preparation
Of the soil through crop rotation and
good tillage, certain applications of
plant food are necessary on most farms
to secure the best yields of grain. The
use of legume crops and manure in the
rotation lessons the demand for ferti-
lizers carrying large per cent of
nitrogen.
The kind and amount of fertilizers
that may be used with the greatest
profit will depend on the previous crop
ping of the land and it's natural fertil-
ity. No rule can be laid down as to
what fertilizer formula is best for
wheat on all farms. However, there
are some general principles which apply
to the fertilizer requirement Of wheat.
On Delaware soils wheat responds read
lily to a liberal use Of phosphoric acid.
Experiments at this Station show that
phosphoric acid when used alone, pro-
duces a greater increase in the yield of
wheat than either nitrogen or potash
used singly, 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, nj
trogen, phosphoric acid and potash are
supplied in the proper amounts, either
by the soil or by the grower that the
maximum yield will be secured. On
poor soils it will be necessary to supply
all three elements of plant food. Where
the land has been carefully rotated
with legumes, or where legume such
as cowpeas precedes the wheat crop
only phosphoric acid and potash are
greatly needed. If the soil has not
been kept in good state of fertility by
rotation, the liberal use of nitrogen
will pay On farms where fair to lib
eral amounts of stable manure are used
on sod for corn. and wheat is to follow,
phospboric acid alone is sufficient if
seeded early. Late seeded wheat
should always have more nitrogen in
order for it to make enough growth in
the fall to pass the winter in good con-
dition. If cowpeas are turned under
phosphoric acid alone will probably give
the best returns.
Where it is possible to plow land for
wheat early, or to follow some early
maturing crop such as factory peas or
early potatoes, less nitrogen is neces-
sary in the fertilizer as the following
of soil well supplied with organic
| matter through several weeks tends to
make available the soil nitrogen. 1t is
well to apply 200 to 800 lbs. of acid
phosphate per acre under such condi-
tions. If manure is available for the
wheat land spread it on the surface of
the plowed ground and disk it in. This
should be supplemented at time of
seeding by 250 lbs. of acid phosphate
per acre. Wheat following tomatoes
requires little fertilizer except 200 to
300 lbs. of acid phosphate per acre.
| Tomato land should be seeded as early
as possible after the tomatoes are re-
moved. If wheat follows wheat or oats,
800 to 400 lbs. of fertilizer carrying
from to per cent. of nitrogen and 10
to 12 per cent. phosphoric acid is recon-
mended. 1t will not pay to use potash
at present prices in the fertilizer unless
conditions are such as to permit seeding
at the proper time on soil thoroughly
well-drained and especially adapted to
wheat growing. The effectiveness of
fertilizers is governed to considerable
extent by the time of seeding. Like
wise, wheat may be seeded much later
if the proper kind and amount of plant
food is used. Where it is planned to
top-dress the wheat with nitrate of
soda in the spring it is quite necessary
that the crop be we'll fertilized with
phosphoric acid in the fall.
A. E. GRANTHAM, Agronomist,
Della. Agricultural Experime mt Station.