The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1932-06-30


before strawberry planting. For
those who are contemplating
planting new acreage next spring,
especial attention should be given
to working just as much organic
material into that soil as possible
between now and next spring. This
may be done thru the use of
manures or green cover crops
planted this summer and turned
under in the fall and another crop
planted in the fall to be turned
under next spring before planting.
If the soil is in good physical con-
dition then the use of commercial
fertilizers will bring better re-
turns than if the soil has been al
lowed to run down.
Mr.. o. T. McWhorter, Horticul-.
turist for the State of Oregon. in
writing recently in the "Better
Fruit" pointed out that under
their conditions in the Willamette
Valley that they had not been able,
to get any definite information as
to benefits of commercial fertiliz-
ers during the life of the patch,
showing satisfactory or unsatis-
factory preparation of the soil.
Growers here, however, find that
the use of proper fertilizers. even
where the soil has been well pre-
pared, gives returns. Mr.. Carmi-
chael of Richland recently report
ed to us that his field of straw
berries planted on ground which
had grown sweet clover during
the summer and wheat during the
fall, preceding, planted to straw
berries and then had been given a
top dressing of manure during
summer that the plants were grow
ing and still showed marked i'm
provement from the use of am
monium sulphate applied about
mid spring. He stated that where
the outside ditch was not fertiliz-
ed because of possibility of step
ping up fertility of cherry trees
to too high a point, that this half ]
Of the row produced less berries,
had considerable less foliage and
the season harvest was much
shorter. Results on lots where we
carried the fertilizer demonstra-
tions have indicated that the use
of commercial fertilizer on well
prepared soil does give returns
and we think the proper use of
fertilizers should be economical.
To get down to proper treatment
of the bed then. at this time, it
would seem well to apply at the
time that a part of the row is
turned down or Immediately aft
er, when the bed is watered again,
200 pounds of ammonium sulphate
per acre and if the field is an old
one and no commercial fertilizer
has been used on it we would rec
Commend, on at least a.strip which
should be carefully marked, an APP
|plication of superphosphate at the
rate of 800 pounds per. acre. This
latter application could be put on
one-fifth of an acre using 100
pounds and this strip watched the
succeeding year to determine if
you are getting benefits from this
particular fertilizer. AS far as
possible superphosphate should he
plowed down so as to get as much
penetration as possible.
Toward the latter part of Aug
ust or very early in September it
would be well to apply another
200 pounds of ammonium sulphate
in order to aid in setting bloom
for next years crop. We believe if
this is done it would not be neces-
sary to apply the nitrogen in the
spring and that results from APP
plication of nitrogen would show
up as well as they did for Mr.. Car
michael. This however, is merely
an opinion and it might be well
for growers to check this point by
applications to small area.
We do not believe it necessary
to apply other fertilizers than the
iabove two. On one field this spring
we applied fertilizers at the rate
of 500 pounds superphosphate and
400 pounds of potash, singly and
in combination. There were no out.
standing differences in these plots.
Because of this then we would
recommend that farmers give
careful attention to the general
information which we have been
trying to give for two years now,
that fertilizers be purchased where
they can be purchased most eco
nomically. In talking the matter
over for instance, with Mr.. Car
michael, we pointed out that as
far as the nitrogen and phos-
phorus was concerned, that he
could make an application with
these two at cost of $6.40, where
as a complete commercial fertiliz-
er supplying in addition to the nj
trogen and phosphate seventy
pounds of potash which we believe
is not justified, particularly at this
time, would have cost him $14.70.
i Here is a saving of more than half