The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1920-05-12
Fertilizer Facts

TIE elements of plant food that a
ssN may be deficient in and the add
esrn Of which in abundance makes a
sssia highly fertile are nitrogen. phos-
pkprus and potassium. Another
SnsaFtapt thing is humus.
yde three elements are placed in
fhe order of their Importance in
srswing crops. Nitrogen is the
Sreatest limiting factor in crop pro-
SUxxion the country over. In the
,>rmal soil it is associated with
Aeesssble matter so that the dark
soil is usually we'll supplied with
,nsnrpgpu. while the light-colored
arN is ordinarily poor in nitrogen.
rhe presence of plenty of nitrogen
us indicated in rapid growth and
Sxrt color of foliage.
The air is full of nitrogen, but
suly The legumes among our COM
pNsr farm crops can make use of the
.xotpaspheric supply. The use of the
feEHmps in capturing the nitrogen
sd the air and thus converting it
into soil nitrogen by pasturing the
Iesume by harvesting and feeding to
1--WE stock to make manure for the
fsSas or by blowing it under is the
nssa economical way to increase the
:zaei supply of this element.
Manure should be next in i'm
ysrNauee to the legumes, and if the
manure from the legumes is taken
sEts consideration it should become
~ first Importance in supplying the
.Szd with nitrogen. Everything
Rsea as litter under the STOCK con-
axtns nitrogen, and this plant food
urn Zoe saved for the soil by taking
Ehe best possible care of the man
su~. The richer the feed and litter
ara ia nitrogen, the richer will be
srse resulting manure.
I,sgumes, manure and CONNER
Maj fertilizer are the sources of nit
ra<En- The last-named source
.xsssia be used to help the others
@ue md not as a main dependence
9smmercial nitrogen is costly, the
trsR to the farmer in the cheapest
tsrn being 25 to 80 cents per
rsEud. This element should be
bought and used very judiciously in
G~uamercial fertilizers.
Next in Importance to nitrogen is
JksKphorus, better known as phos-
vdrxrie acid. Most soils in the South
;sns East are deficient in this ele-
Rsut aud wherever it is deficient on
Hsrsn lands it will pay to use ferti-
Ersrz supplying this element. Lee
ru,pes return only what phosphorus
shsr take from the soil when plow-
al under. and manure returns only
a part of what was taken from the
.sas when they are fed and the man
xre Hpplied to the land. To add to
gas soil supply, or to maintain it,
Fhssphoric acid must be applied in
auaNercial fertilizers or some other
carrier Of this element.
While potash is absolutely essen
fisl "a plant growth, the soil is bet
aEz Supplied and it is not removed
8rsm the farm as extensively as are
she other two in ordinary farm
gurliees. Where stock farming is
Srsecieed and the manure properly
szr=a and applied as well as all
suE3ays straw, etc, the loss of pot
an from the soil is very slight, and
%, average farm land and for aver
mgr crops but little worry need be
JslEsu this element.
sSIn commercial potash is an i'm
szrrant fertilizer in its place on
.Ey~rsi soils like those of the Coast
II raains on special crops and prob
,scay in a very limited amount on
nrast crops and soils
Aumus that comes from decaying
axpure, crop residues and sods is
49,. hotne of the bacteria and q
Essgaient place for nitrogen and is
taae ife of the soil, l.. r. NEEL,