The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1922-03-31
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Foreign Advertising Repre- aentatiye
THE AMERICA PRESS q ASSOCIATION
HOW CROPS GROW.


European scientist performed an
experiment with the hope of dis
covering what it is that makes
plants grow. The experiment is
best described in his own words:
81 took an earthen vessel in which
I put 200 pounds Of soil dried in an
oven, then I moistened with rain
water and pressed hard into shoot
of willow weighing five pounds
After exactly five years, the tree had
grown up and weighed 1853 pounds
and about three ounces. But the
vessel had never received anything
but rain water or distilled water to
moisten the soil when this was
necessary and it remained full Of
soil which was still tightly packed,
and lest any dust from outside
should get into the soil, it was COW
erved with a sheet Of iron coated
with tin, but perforated with many
holes. In the end dried the soil
once more and got the same 20u
pounds that / started with, less
about two ounces. Therefore the
1874 pounds of wood, bark and roots
arose from the water alone"
If the experiment was repeated to-
day, the results would be the same.
but, because of our greater knowl-
edge of plant physiology, and the
properties of the soil, we would in
terpret those results quite different
ly.
We know, now that plants, in
order to grow, need ten different
elements and that water is one of
the important factors in the ele-
ments they considered to be most
important in crop production i. e.;
nitrogen, PHOSPHORUS and potas-
SUM. That is why these three are
commonly known as the "fertilizing
elements" and why materials carry
ing them in available form for crop
use are called fertilizers.
Each of these elements has its
own part to play in the feeding of
crops. Nitrogen promotes Leaf
growth and gives it its coloring in
the springtime. Nitrogen also aids
in the manufacture of protein, which
is SO important in the food of man
and animal. Phosphorus helps to
"f1ll' the grain, hastens ripening and
enters into the composition of all
proteins. Potassium stiffens the
straw or stalk, aids in the manufac-
ture Of starch and sugar and i'm
proves quality.
On most Maryland soils, phos-
phorous is the limiting element in
crop production. The state grows
an average of 625,O0O acres of corn
100000 acres of wheat, 100000
acres hay and forage, and $4,000
acres potatoes, consequently large
quantities of PHOSPHORUS are re-
moved from its soils annually
Nearly every farmer remember
when yields were higher and quality
better than they are now. The fact
that yields are generally lower, and,
in many instances, declining means
that Maryland soils are slowly losing
their productivity.
The application of PHOSPHORUS in
some available form. to such soils
often produces remarkable effects on
crop yields and quality. In small
grains, for example, high quality is
usually associated with early ma
turity. Available PHOSPHORUS COM
monty hastens maturity in wheat
and oats with the result that the
heads are filled before the hot, dry
winds come to blast the kernels.
The writer has seen wheat, which
because it had matured a week
earlier, greatly outyielded the later
crop and outweighed it four pounds
to bushel. With oats, also, earlier
maturity, the result of fertilization
makes heavier heads and grain of
better quality.
Corn particularly responds to a
supply of available PHOSPHORUS on
long-cropped soils. Farmers seldom
fail to observe the effects of phos-
plate fertilizers in improving the
quality and yield. The remedy for
a tagging crop often may be found
through a study of its feeding re-
quirements.