New-York tribune., 1919-06-15


inhahitantsI Not, accord
ing to q writer IN thu
magazine ~Power," If tho farmer
goes about the business of increas-
ing production on scientific lines.
To quote:
"Mr. Crooks, q great English land
owner, after studying che question
carefully, came to the conclusion that
during the last seventy years there was
An average increase os six million
bread-eaters a year. and that at such
rate the time might be foreseen
when, all the arabic surface of the
globe being used up, there would Of all
necessity be bread scarcity. The
year 1891 was given as the approxi-
mate date. But that was before tbs
Though the danger does not seem
very threatening as yet, it is advisable
to lend q willing ear to the patient in
vestigators who point out the remedy
before 1t is too late. Professor H.
Coutant, we'll versed in agricultural
questions, has contrived a method
which would procure a harvest ten
times greater by using ten times less
fertilizer. This abrupt statement seems
at first somewhat paradoxical; not so
when you follow the professors simple
and practical demonstration.
"Why waste on acres of ground tons
Of fertilizing substances that are
mostly absorbed by weeds, whereas the
tiny grain of wheat drains an insigni-
ficant portion of them? We should
blush for shame at the thought that in
our century of intense life and cult
ure, cereals are still left to strive or
die in the same old way as five hun
dred years ago! Instead of always
breaking up new lands for the raising
of crops, let US turn to the old and
increase their output. Each grain Of
wheat should yield not one but thirty
or forty cars; and in its turn each car
should contain not merely thirty, but
sixty new grains.
Those figures are not given at ran
dom, they are the fruit of expe riments
such as were witnessed by DR.. Emile
Rey, the Senator of the Department
du Lot, M. Felix, professor of agri-
culture at the Professional School of
Vierzon, etc, and many well known
men specialized in the domain of
farming
mot only cereals, but potatoes, veg
etables, flowers, etc, can be treated in
the same way, though, Of course, the
proportions of fertilizer used vary
somewhat for each different species.
AS an example, fifteen especially pre-
pared tubercles have produced 275
pounds OF potatoes.
Now for the general principle. Any
grain or tubercle contains nutritive
reserve that Will feed the new germ
until its roots can take from the en-
vlronment all the principles il needs.
Why not increase the reserve? WHY
not saturate the grain with some fer
tlzing substance, feed it forcibly. and
only plant it afterward? few hounds
Of manure Will bring about superior
results to those formerly obtained by
hundreds Of pounds. The tonic fixed by
the starch Of the grain is merely "a
solution Of salt OF potassium nitrate
(18 grams to litre OF water Be-
tween twelve and thirty-six hours are
necessary for complete saturation: the
grains then drop to the bottom % the
jar. In the case Of tubercles, another
formula is used % grains Of po.as-
sium nitrate Plus 2 grams of copper
sulphate for each ltre Of water; ac-
cording TO their SIZE the potatoes are
TO be immersed from two TO FIVE hours.
"To insure a still better result the
ceIeale shoulu theh De powdered with
a mixture of copper sulohate and lime;
and once the tubercles have been thor
oughly dried, the operator Will sprinkle
them with sublimated flower OF brim-
stone, which keeps them free from dis
ease.
ITO those who follow his advice Pro-
fessor II. Coutant promises harvest
such as they have never yet beheid."