Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-08-13

use OF borax on corn ana expert
ments made in England showed in
jurious4 effects from borax with
wheat. barley and potatoes.
Probably more or less of Searle's
Lake potash has been used in fer
tilizers in Maine in preceding years.
If the poisonous trouble is due to
the borax as is suspicioned, it would
rot be likely to be very noticeable
with the ordinary moisture condi-
lions. But June. 1919. after the Do
tatoes were planted was particular
" dry, unusually so for Aroostook
county, there being less than an inch
of rain instead Of from four to six
inches which they commonly have
in that month. Borax Is easily wa
ter soluble-an If there had been the
usual amount Of rain probably that
would have dissolved out the borax
and carried it far enough away from
the roots of the plants 50 that the
injurious effect would not have been
noticeable. On one field after half
of it was planted there came a heavy
shower. The other half was planted
later. There is a very good stand
indeed on the part that was planted
prior to the rain and almost a crop
failure on the part that was planted
after the rain.
The United States Department of
Agriculture carry on at Aroostook
Farm and on nearby farms in CO.
operation with the Experiment Sta
ton quite a large number of vari-
Gus kinds Of potato studies. Among
other things they are growing DO
tatoes with different kinds Of potash.
Searie's Lake goods were used, as
well as others. as a source of potash.
But by the department. the Searle's
Lake potash was mixed with the soil
before the seed was planted with the
result that they have a good stand
and the potatoes appear normal with
the exception that the edges Of the
leaves have the slight following
which seems to be characteristic of
the boron poisoning.
There is little reason to fear that
any permanent injury to the land
from this application Of fertilizer
will result, although the crop is
very severely reduced on many fields
the present year. In addition to the
fact that borax is water soluble and
Is likely to be dissolved and carried
by the rains so that it would never
again be in the soil in concentrated
solution, the Departments experience
cited above, together with field OBJ
servations where men had replanted,
thereby mixing the soil and fertilizer
more completely together, and OBJ
tanned perfect stand all indicate
that the borax will not remain in
the soil or il it does thoroughly mix
ing the soil as would be done in
blowing and fitting for the crops, to-
gether with the action of the rain
water would make the land sweet
and safe for. future crops.
There are SO many things in
VOWED in potato growing that defin-
tie conclusions can be reached only
slowly at best and somewhat imper-
fectly. High grade fertilizers such
as are universally used in potato
growing in Maine of necessity carry
strong chemicals. Applied as these
are by the same machine that drops
and covers the seed. there is a very
imperfect mixture of the fertilizer
with the soil. In wet soil these
powerful water soluble chemicals are
rapidly distributed by capillary ac-
ton. In dry soil without following
rain these chemicals remain prac-
tically in touch with the seed. While
the evidence Of field studies indi-
Gates that the potash and not the
nitrogen or phosphoric acid is the
source Of the troebie. and while pot
ash carrying borax seems to be the
mischief maker, much remains to be
done. Both the State Department
and the Experiment Station are still
gathering information and large
amounts OF laboratory and green
house work must be done before def
mite conclusions can be reached.