The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1920-06-10
A Second Application of Fertilizer.


dealers report that the movement OF
fertilizers and fertilizer materials is
several weeks behind the usual sched-
ule. Not only have strikes and other
causes delayed the getting of raw
materials by manufacturers and mix
ers, but the railroads have not moved
shipments with the necessary prompt
ness and rapidity. The factories are
three to five weeks behind with their
orders, due to car shortage.
Moreover, there are strong indica-
tions that there is greater desire on
the part of the farmers to use fertiliz-
ers this year than ever before. In
fact, it is estimated that some Of the
southeastern states that have used
large quantities of fertilizers in the
past, will use 20 to 25 per cent. more
this year than usual if they can get
them.
The supplies of materials carrying
all the plant foods, nitrogen, phos-
phorus and potassium, are more or
less short of the demand. Cotton
seed meal, tankage and ike materials
which have in the past been largely
used to supply nitrogen are such
valuable feeding stuffs that their
prices have become almost prohibi-
tive of their use as fertilizers. Sui
phate of ammonia, by-product of
coke ovens, is less abundant because
of coal strikes and lack of transpor-
tation. Nitrate of soda has not been
brought from South America in suffi-
cient quantities because of lack of
shipping facilities. The supplies Of
acid phosphate have been lessened
also by strikes, lack of transportation
and inability to procure other neces-
sary materials for it's manufacture.
And potash has neither been produc-
ed in this country nor brought from
France and Germany in sufficient
quantities to meet demands, in short
the demand is greater than usual,
the supplies available being less than
the demands and the railroads have
not been able to move the products
rapidly enough to meet the require
ments of the trade
The results are that many believe
that it will not be possible for the
farmers of the south to obtain their
fertilizers in time to put out the full
amounts which they want to use at
the time of or before planting the
crops.
AS evidence accumulates, it tends
to show that the best time to apply
fertilizers is at the time of or before
planting the crops. That is, when all
things are considered it is doubtful
if given amount of fertilizer applied
to a crop should be divided into two
or more applications. But it is also
pretty we'll established or generally
believed that, say, 500 pounds of a
given fertilizer per acre will give a
little larger yield if two applications
are made than if it is all put out at
one time. But if there is an increase
in the yield from two applications
this increase is probably not gener-
ally large enough to pay for making
two applications or to pay for the
expense of making the extra applica-
ton.
But if the farmer finds it impos-
sible to get all the fertilizers he
thinks he ought to use, in time to
put it out at planting time, he should
not fail to put out the balance as a
second application. If he is right in
believing, for instance, that he should
apply 500 pounds of certain grade
of fertilizer per acre and can only
get enough by planting time to make
an application of 800 pounds per
acre, there is no good reason why he
should not make a second application
Of 200 pounds during the early part
Of the growing season or during May
and June In fact, unless ne is mis-
taken in his belief that it will pay
him to use 500 pounds of fertilizer
per acre, threre is every reason why
he should make a second application,
in case he cannot get sufficient fer
tilizer to make the full application
intended at planting time.-Progres-
sive Farmer.