The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1922-01-20
MIXING FERTILIZER ON THE
FARM.


its efficient machinery and methods
for mixing can produce fertilizer
more Thoroughly and uniformly mix
ed than can be produced on the
farm. The experience Of the Geor-
gia Experiment Station has been'
however, that the farm laborer WITH
a mixing floor. screen, tamper, and
broom, can produce a pretty fair
mixture. Some Of the advantages
Of home-mixed fertilizer are:
The farmer can know exactly the
grade, source, and quality Of the
ingredients.
The formulas can be varied to
suit the local conditions of soil and
crop Demands.
The effect on the soil OF different
combinations may be tested.
The chief objections are that UNI
mixed materials may not always be
available, and the mechanical con-
dition of the mixture is not so good
as in the factory-mixed fertilizer.
But while mixed goods are easily
secured il is not always possible to
obtain special formulas at the time
the fertilizer is needed. 1t is often
possible to improve mixed fertili-
zers by adding certain materials,
And the difficulty Of securing the
unmixed materials is more or less
question Of demand.
The calculation of the amounts o.
the carriers to mix in order to make
up the fertilizer of the desired for
mula is simple matter. AS an
example, suppose a formula 8-6-3
is needed for cotton; that is, a mix
ture containing s PEI cent. avail
able phosphoric acid, 6 per cent
nitrogen, and 3 per cent. potash.
Necessarily the composition OF the
materials to be used must be- known.
Suppose that for the purpose there
is available Z per cent. cottonseed
meal, 16 per cant. acid phosphate
20 per cent. sulphate ammonia, and
IL per cent kainit.
1000 lbs. of S-6-3 fertilizer would
contain so lbs, available phosphoriC
acid, 60 lbs. nitrogen, and 30 lbs.
potash.
In this case suppose it is desired
that half the nitrogen be furnished
be furnished by cottonseed meal
and half 10y tie sulphate. To fur
nish 80 lbs nitrogen $50 lbs Of The
sulphate of ammonia is used, and
for the remaining 30 lbs. $50 lbs
OF cottonseed meal is used.
The eottonseed also contains 1.G
per cent. potash The $50 pounds
would furnish nearly lbs. potash
and for the other % lbs. 1911 lbs
Of II per ceat kainit is necessary.
For the equivalent Of 1000 lbs. o.
$50 it is necessary then to uee
430 lbs cottonseed meal
$50 lbs. sulphate ammonia
443 lbs acid phosphate
1911 lbs. II per cent. kainit
1914 lbs. mixture.
This corresponds to the formula
6. 6.5-2.5, which is the same ratio
as the sos formula. Since it was
desired to make use of 4 low grade
nitrogen cottonseed meal
1914 lbs. of the above mixture
must be used to get the same
amount of fertilizer as 1000 lbs. OIL
the SO 3. The total weight of the
above mixture could have been cut
down to 1000 lbs by using nitrate
of soda or sulphate OF ammonia fol
most Of the nitrogen.
After weighing out the necessary
amounts OF materials, Jumps are
b.oken up and the material mixed
by cutting the pile several times
with shovels and screening, Jumps
ale then broken up with the tamper,
and added to the mixture which Is
again turned several times. In this
manner a fairly uniform mixture
will be obtained.
F. H. SMITH, Chemist.