Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1919-05-07

ing is due to the addition Of ash and
not simply to the removal Of the whole
or part Of the peat layer. If the ash
should be largely blown away by the
wind, the beneficial effect of the burn
ing may prove very slight. While the
peat contains much phosphate it is
present in such form that the plants
can not make use Of 1t. but the burning
changes it into form readily available.
to the plants. The peat ash may be re-
garded as low-grade phosphate fer
tilizer, and when added to the unburn-
ed peat in sufficient amounts will cause
good yields.
Future Fertilizer Needs
This feature of the peat land pro-
blem will be discussed in one of the
bulletins mentioned above. 1t is prob
able that potash also will be required
within a few years on part of these
peat soils if the good crops secured by
burning or the use of phosphates are
removed and no manure returned
A Warning
Most peat soils need applications Of
potash as well as of phosphate, some
need potash only and again others need
lime as we'll as potash and phosphate.
There are various kinds of peat soils
and peat land owner, especially if
his land is at any distance from Golden
Valley, should not be led by the above
results to believe that similar treat
| ment of his peat soil will give similar
results and as a consequence be induced
to enter upon peat land reclamation
| on large scale.
! The weather at Golden Valley during
the last season was exceptionally favor
able for grain crops on peat soils, there
being no injury from summer frosts,
early autumn frosts or excess water.
For the hay crops, however, the season
! is not to be regarded as unusually IA
vorable.
Acid Phosphate for the Northwestern
: Counties
AS most Of the grass-covered peat
lands Of Marshall, Pennington, Clear
water, Polk, Kittson and Roseau
counties and the western part of Bel
trami county appear similar in origin
and composition to those at Golden
Valley, it is not improbable that most
of them will behave similarly with
phosphate, manure and burning. Peat
land owners in these districts are ad-
| vised to experiment on their own fields
with acid phosphate on small scale.
| One who wishes to secure a supply of
this fertilizer at actual cost for expert
mental purposes should get into COM
munication with the farm bureau of his
county.
AS trial crops, spring rye, oats, bar
| ley, and mixture Of alsike clover and
| timothy are recommended. The acid
phosphate, applied brodcast at the rate
! Of from 200 to 400 pounds per acre,
should be well worked into the soil be-
fore seeding.
To Owners of Burned Peat Land
If you have land on which at least 4
inches Of peat has been burned off, it
should be seeded to a crop before the
weeds have chance to get foothold.
On all such burned peat soils good
growth of crops may be expected the
first year after burning, but on some
there will be only a poor yield in the
second and following years. on others
the beneficial effect will gradually dis
appear during the course of four or five
years while on some very shallow peats
the productivity may continue as on
ordinary soils.
To the burned peat apply neither
manure nor phosphate as they are UNI
necessary. Prepare a good seed-bed,
using pillow. disk, and drag according to
local conditions. AS crops. plant rye.
barley, oats or a grass mixture Of
timothy and alsike. Do not SOW fax
on burned peat.
F. j. Away
C. G. Selvig.