The Yale expositor., 1918-09-19

Income. the fortified acre showed a
net gain of 1891 more than it's I'M
fortified neighbor. 1t is well TO re-
member, too, that these demonstra-
tions were conducted under conditions
as they are prevailing at present.
In the experiment in Lenawee all
the land was lined, making the cost
of lining the same on both plots, In
asmuch as the acid phosphate is APP
piled but once in two years, only
one-third of its cost was charged
against the rye.
The results of these demonstrations
are typical of number that have been
run by the soils department of the
college so that farmers of Michigan
might be supplied with facts about
fertilizers from an unbiased source.
This information makes II reasonably
evident that Notwithstanding prices
which four years ago would have
seemed barely short of piracy, the use
of fertilizers Is more profitable today
than IL was in 1914, while there is in
addition consideration of still more
Importance to the patriOt-namely
that every extra bushel of wheat we
harvest is just so much more ammu-
milton for battering down the bull
warks of the kaiser. The connection
may seem remote to some. but fer
tilizers do more than help. our farms
they help our fighters.
Field experiments have shown that
fertilizers high in PHOSPHORUS con-
tent are best for wheat particularly
on the heavy and medium soil types
commonly used for this crop.
BY other experiments it has been
just as inuisputably proved that fer
tilizing ADDS to the quality of the
grain, making it a superior food for
man and Oeast. Often IL also com
mands a higher price in the market
because of this improvement in quail
ty.
Here and there a man Is encoun-
tered who has been led to believe that
only rundown lands respond profitably
to fertilizers. AS a matter of fact,
land of relatively high fertility, and
upon which good rotation to main
tain production has always been fol-
of barnyard manure is used, acid
phosphate has given good returns
when used on the wheat crop. In case
clover does not do WELL or where soils
have become somewhat depleted in
fertility by grain cropping and lack
of manure, many farmers prefer to use
fertilizer containing some nitrogen.
that is q %, or 1-13 fertilizer. These
figures are not secret code or a set
Of football signals. The first number
In the formula. In the 20 for example,
usually refers TO the per cent Of MI
trogen, such as ammonia, which the
fertilizer contains. while the second
number refers 10 the per cent of phos-
phOric acid. This is also a good kind
of fertilizer to use on high-colored up
some time.
But no man should allow himself TO
fall into the error of thinking that
fertilizers will take the place of good
seed or of a thoroughly fitted seed
bed. Good food will help COW to give
more milk-but good food will not
make record-breaker, or even a
profit Garner out of scrub animal.
The best results with fertilizers are
obtained not with scrub seed, but
with the pedlgreed varieties.
Neither must the importance of the
seed bed be overlooked. A good seed
bed for wheat is one in which the
upper three inches of soil are fine,
mellow and in good tilth, while the
sub-surface should be fine and well
compacted, with a good connection es-
tablished between the sub-surface and
the unplowed sub-soll. Early prep
aration of the land is best. especially
in dry season, to obtain the kind Of
seed bed that will enable the wheat
crop to yield up It's maximum returns.
Wheat Sown after cultivated crop
often gives large yields because of
the seed bed produced by the summer
cultivation. These conditions should
be stimulated as much as possible
when wheat follows a spring crop.
Given well-fitted seed bed, the best
Of seed and favorable weather condi-
tons, fertilization with fertilizers high
in phosphorus should increase the
yields even more markedly than on
fields where conditions are the re-
verse.
In its last analysis, the question
of whether or not 1t is advisable to
fertillze is a purely individual one
but irrespective of this fact, 1t is
one that 1t will be well for every far
mer to investigate.