The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1931-04-30
DURDLE TALKS
ON FERTILIZER
d-Time Granger Visits
Finley Meeting; Have
Fine Program
Alice b. Ayers. Cor.

lulSy OTduSe NO. 4l4 met III
regular session Friday, April %
with 20 members and three visit
ors present. We were pleased to
have with US Brother G. r. Mitch
ell of Goldendale, who is visiting
his son, Ralph, of Kennewick. In
his remarks to the Grange he stat
ed that he is 70 years old and he
Joined the Grange in 1873 in Iowa.
Brother Morton of Finley Grange
who was also present has been a
Granger since 1872.
1t was voted to increase our in
surance $500. We now carry S1450
$1,000 on the building and $3.50
on the contents. 500 was voted on
the hall debt.
There being two vacancies among
officers Sister w. F. Ashby was
elected chaplain and Brother v. /.
Tucker steward.
During the lecture hour Broth
er E. c. Durdle of Valley Grange
gave a very interesting talk on
fertilization, speaking especially
of old alfalfa fields that have been
reseeded.
Plots in various parts Of the
county are being treated with diff
ferent fertilizers and results noted.
There are fifteen or sixteen ele-
ments needed. Most of thse come
from the air and water leaving
few to be obtained from the soil
and of these the three principal
ones are nitrogen, phosphorus and
potash. In this country the main
one needed is nitrogen. First ex-
periments showed phosphorus
needed on alfalfa in particular To-
calities. At least for the present it
is best to leave out heavy con-
tent of potash as experiments have
showed less yield where it was
used in large quantities.
Land should have about 100
pounds of nitrogen per acre per
year TO be put on at various in
tervals.
At present a potash fertilizer is
being used in experiment on a plot
of potatoes near Kennewick.
Fertilizers with no nitrogen are
of no value in the Yakima valley.
Alfalfa turned under makes a good
plant food. A field should be turn
ed under when about six or seven
years old. This form of fertiliza-
ton can not be used in no rota-
ton crops or those grown as COW
er crops so commercial fertilizer
must be bought when it is needed.
On one asparagus patch where
five hundred boxes per acre had
been cut, each acre was supplied
with two hundred pounds of nitro
gen, being put on in four or five
applications. The heavy fertilizing
should be done right after cutting
time. More may be used during
the fall and possibly during the
growing season. Strawberries give
best results if fertilizer is put on
late In the season.
In seed crops it is best to apply
plant food near the seed and not
through the soil where the root
system must wait to reach it.
Commercial fertilizer does not
run down. the soil. At per acre
cost of $500 for fertilizer one
field increased its yield of alfal-
fla one and one third tons per
acre and the good will continue
over for years.
Later on more experiments will
be carried on over various parts of
the county. Signs will show where
they are and later the results will
be given out to the public.
Me- u,,Dh1~ ,-aol cra1n-a
did editorial paying tribute to one
of the Graces, Flora, In which a
plea was made for more flowers to
be planted in our valley as it is
adapted to the growth of nearly
every flower.
Readings were given by Sister
Margaret Schaffner and Brother
r. C. Morgan and a piano solo by
Alta Puderbaugh.
Our Worthy Lecturer, Sister
Puderbaugh, had arranged for a
exchange of flower seeds and
plants during the evening and ask
ed those who had flowers to bring
a bouquet to the hall on meeting
nights. She set the example by
bringing some of her beautiful IL
laces and iris for the pleasure of
the members.
Brother G. E. McClendon, tho a
member of Finley Grange, is sell
dom able to be with us but we en-
joyed having him at this meeting.
He said he and his wife Joined the
Grange by demit from Oregon IL
wears ago and when Brother A. S.