The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1931-04-02
Economy of Fertilizer Applications

The question has been raised by
some as to whether we have enough
information to justify recommend
ing a fertilizer program without
the use of potash, and this raised
as principle argument against
the information given in the cir
cular mailed to number of farm
ers in the county some weeks ago.
In the first place we will say that
careful reading of pages seven and
eight of this circular cannot leave
the impression that we are opposed
10 the use of potash in fertilization
for any crop in this section. We
pointed out that results which we
have secured would tend to show
that at least heavy application of
potash are not justified from the
economic standpoint. The main
facts brought out in this circular
were those which show clearly we
believe, first, that it is possible to
secure the fertility which many
are applying in the form Of So
called complete fertilizers, for two
thirds of the cost now being paid
for these so-called complete fer
tilizers; and second that because of
the lack of proper balance in these
&a+ ~n@s
everyone of them are low in nitro
gen, that much more economical
results can be secured through the
use of heavier application of nitro
gen than will be provided in the
.s0-called complete fertilizers.
Farming is a business, and un-
less business principals are APP
piled to it's general operation it
cannot hope to succeed any more
than could general business hope
to succeed if economical and sound
business principals are not follow
ed. Why should a farm pay one
half more for fertilizer if it can
be secured for the less amount?
Not only may the same fertil-
1ty be applied for the less amount,
hut it also seems reasonable that
nitrogen applications made at diff
ferent times thru the year should
be more affective than nitrogen ap
piled just once, even tho a part
aof this be in an available form and
part of it an organic form. Ele-
ments of fertility from the purely
fertility standpoint are worth no
more because they are in an organ
nc form if they are in the morgan
Ic form. lie one is anxious to have
a part of his fertility in the or
ganic form this can be easily Sc
cured by the addition of suitable
amount of nitrogen to the soil in
the fall when cover crop or plant
refuses are being worked down
and into the soil. The farmer who
pays one-haf more for his fertili-
yer in one form as compared to the
lower price which the other may
pay for it, cannot hope to event.
ually continue to succeed on this
basis because it violates a funde-
mental business principal.
If all of our crops which are be-
ing fortified were preceded in the
rotation by good growth of aHal-
ia and this turned under while
There was still a good stand or a
good stand of clover turned under,
or some other hguminous crop,
then it might be possible to secure
sweet clover under, or some other
leguminous crop, then it might be
possible to secure results with fer
tilizers carrying as low percent
age of nitrogen as most of the so
called complete fertilizers on the
market at the present time. The
fact, however, that many farmers
have reported to US that they have
tried these fertilizers in reasona-
bly, large quantities and have new
er been able to see results from
them, we would say tends strongly
to show that they are low in nj
trates, which we know to be the
first limiting element that we have