The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1930-08-28
General Fertilization Information

Ueneral FerIlllZatlOn INFORMATION
Three tours covering Kennewick.
White Bluffs, Hanford and Benton
City communities have been held
for the purpose of observation OF
results of fertilizater demonstra-
ton plots covering apples, straw
berries, cherries, prunes and alfal-
ia. Fertilizer plots have been run
now for two years on two differ
ent fields, one at Finley and one at
Hanford Very definite results have
been shown on these two plots and
the results are alike on both plots.
Because of the fact that a crop of
alfalfa shows definite results more
than it is possible to secure from
a crop like strawberries, the re-
suits secured from alfalfa are be-
ing used as check against the
other crop fertilization work as a
general basis of recommendation
for other crops.
The two alfalfa plots are both
located on sandy soils, Jens Lande,
Finley, and w. L. Enyeart, Han
ford, and the series consists of a
'itrate, a nitrate-phosphate, a
check, nitrate-phosphate and pot
ash, and a phosphate potash plot.
800 pounds of nitrate of soda, 500
pounds of superphosphate and 200
pounds of sulphate of potash per
acre has been the rate of applica-
ton.
In addition on the Lande farm
this year an extra plot was added,
fortified with 11-46 ammonium
phosphate, at the rate of 220 lbs.
per acre and half of this plot be-
ing fortified with 400 pound APP
pli-cation of potassium sulphate.
This heavy application of potash
was made at the request of potash
dealers to determine whether there
was not possibility that the light
er application of 200 pounds was
only meeting soil requirements
leaving nothing for the plant. The
ammophos was used on the extra
plot to determine whether results
secured from superphosp might
he due to the gysum in the super
phosphate, instead of the phos-
phate.
The results secured this year
for three cuttings has shown that
the nitrate-phosphate plot on the
Enyeart farm has yielded APT
pounds more hay than the check
plot which received no fertilizer.
The nitrate plot has yielded very
little increase over the check plot,
the large part of the above increase
being due to the phosphate. On
the Lande farm on the first two
cuttings, the 3rd not yet being cut,
the increase on the nitrate-phos-
plate plot has been 1549 pounds.
Tint yield on the first cutting how
ever were seriously upset due to a
break in the flume and the field
becoming too dry as consequence.
The difference on the second cut
ting between the check and the nj
trate- phosphate was 1923 pounds
and the 3rd cutting promises fully
as much if not more. On the am
mophos plot the difference on the
LIST two cuttings between the am
mophos and the check is 2036 lbs.
with very appreciable difference
to be noted in the stand for the 3rd
cutting.
The 400 pound application Of
potassium sulphate has shown
some increase in yield yer the am
mophos but not sufficient to pay
for the heavy application made.
As far as alfalfa is concerned it
would seem that the application
of some form of phosphate fertil-
izer and on present indications
that the use of superphosphate
alone should be a good investment
for alfalfa growers who are not
securing good yields. Both fields
ON which these two plots were laid
out were taken out of the sage