White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1930-09-26
SOIL FERTILITY
and Fertilization


fertilization. These are welcome be-
cause we believe that correct ideas
on soil fertility and fertilizers will
do much to enable the farmer to pur-
chase his fertilizers In such way
that he can maintain the high yields
essential to successful production
at cost which he can easily bear.
In the first place let US say that
gass including eli dsnap' . iEifgt tss sweet as
clover and vetches, nitrates are the
first fertilizer elements needed. Al
most any of the crops with the
exception of the legurnes will show
increased yields from the use OF
the proper amount of nitrates. The
form in which the nitrates will be
applied will vary. If one has plenty
of manures one may be able to
maintain nitrate supply through this
source For some of our crops such
as tree fruits, nitrate supply may
be maintained through the use of
leguminous cover crops, although
there is question whether this can
be done by the use of alfalfa alone.
Results in the upper Yakima Valley
with orchard crops have shown very
beneficial results from the application
of nitrate where alfalfa has been
used as cover crop over long per-
iods of time. This is probably due to
the difficulty of working the alfalfa
tops into the soil in such way that
after the material is decomposed
nitrates may not be lost. The roots
probably furnish little NITROGEN to
the soil except where the crop is
plowed up and the roots thus forces
to decompose Ammonium sulphate,
amrnophos and cyanamid and nitrates
Of soda with organs fertilizers such
as fish meal, tankage, etc. or COM
plete fertilizers carrying any OF these,
may also be used to maintain the
nitrate supply. In our opinion based
upon results secured over two and
three years of plots, complete fer
tilizers should carry higher per
centage of nitrates than is usually
the case, or at least a higher
to the potash.
With two years of demonstration
plots on sandy loan soils running
heavy to sand. phosphates have shown
marked results on alfalfa. This mat
ter has been talked over with Mr..
Singleton at the Experiment Station,
who states that in their work there
that nitrates has been the only
element which it has been profit
able to apply. The question raised
by Mr.. Singleton in regard to the
demonstration plots has been wheth-
er the benefit may not have come
from the rather indirect affect OF
the acid in the acid phosphate. The
past season however, ammopos was
used on one plot with practically
as good results as has been secured,
through the superphosphate, and in
view of the fact that these plots
have been on a sandy soil and good
results have been secured from the
anmophos Mr.. Singleton feels that
there may be need for the phos-
pilates. The Station is rather handi-
capped in that their soils are COM
paratively new and not having been
run down may not show benefits
from fertilizers which might show on
much older farm land of the county.
One plot which was carried in 1929
in the Finley community on new soil
showed no benefits whatever on alfal-
ia from lime, phosphate, potash or nj
trates. Others who have used super
phosphate during the past season on
old soils, have reported, however, very
good returns through its use.
We question seriously, the use OF
very much potash in fertilizers for this
section, based upon results already
secured and if we were recommending
to farmers in general it would be that
not more than four per cent OF potash
be used in a complete fertilizer for
any crop.
1t is exceedingly difficult to make
general recommendation for fertilizers.
We feel that farmers should get as
much information as possible on the
fertilizer question and that they then
use careful Judgment in the purchase
of fertilizers for the various crops.
Since crops vary considerable in their
fertilizer requirements, fertilizers
should be purchased to meet crop re-
quirements for the particular crop,
always taking into consideration the
general fertility Of the soil. In other
words Is one were growing lettuce
crop which we know requires large
amount of nitrates and fair amount
of phosphates along with reasonable
amount of potash then one should
purchase, on the basis of soils upon
which demonstrations have been con-
Quoted. fertilizer high in nitrates
and phosphate and possibly with no
potash since these soils have shown
no potash lack. For almost all crops
nitrates can be applied economically,
and we believe that phosphates can
be applied profitably to many OF the
crops .,
The form in which the fertilizer will
be purchased is a problem which
number of our farmers are asking
about. In our judgment at the present
price of ammonium sulphate, ammo
phos, nitrate of soda, superphosphate,
and potash, we believe the farmer can
afford to purchase the ingredients
which he needs for his crops and SOIL
H. GNNSV