Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1939-03-17
POTASH KNOWN
AS PROFITABLE
PLANT FOOD

From the earliest Gays u 1dInln6
in Del-Mar-Va, potash has been re-
cognized as an important plant food
for profitable production of most farm
and vegetable crop. One of the most
uouular fertilizer mixtures used In
this area is the 2-8-10. While the
tonnage of this mixture may not be
as high as some others that are solo,
it is used on more farms and on a
greater variety of crops than any
other complete fertilizer.
For a number of years, the 2-8-lO
fertilizer has been officially recon-
mended by the New Jersey, Delaware,
Maryland and Virginia Experiment
Stations. In all of these stations 1t
has been regarded as one of the best
sweet potato fertilizers available. Per
haps more tons of this mixture are
applied to this crop than of any other
mixture. It has stood the test OF
years because it supplies the nitrogen
and potash in the best ratio and has
consistently given good yields OF
high quality "chunks" demanded by
eastern markets.
Other analyses supplying nitrogen
and potash in the same ratio are
1915, 1915, and 4-4-2O. The first
two of these grades have made con-
siderable progress in recent years and
are in a considerable degree replacing
the 2-S-1O because of economies effect
ed in purchasing and handling. These
more recent analyses are equally as
good as the old 2-8-1O provided they
are supplied in sufficient amounts to
supply $50 to 200 pounds of actual
potash per acre.
In addition to being used for sweet
potatoes, the 2-8-10 is officially recon
mended and used on numerous other
crops. The Maryland and Delaware
Experiment Stations in their 1889 list
of approved analyses mentioned this
mixture for such crops as carrots, par
ships, alfalfa, corn, cowpeas, soybeans,
grapes, lawns and pastures and late
potatoes. It is especially adapted for
use under conditions where manure ap
plications or legume sods supply con-
siderable of the nitrogen requirement
of the crops planted.
Analyses carrying from to 2 per
cent more nitrogen, as a 1910 or
1910, may sometimes be more salts
factory, especially on soils that are
not well supplied with organic mat
ter. Norman Pusey of Princess Anne,
Maryland, for example, grew 1O1.25
bushel of shelled corn per acre with
a 1910, thus indicating that higher
nitrogen than contained in 2-8-10 was
more profitable under his conditions.
Raymond Lark, Milford, Delaware,
compared manure alone with manure
plus a 2-8-1O fertilizer and found that
the manure plus fertilizer produced
over 13 bushels of shelled corn per
acre more than manure alone. DIN
Elzey, Salisbury, Maryland, husked
out. over baskets more per shock
where he applied 2-8-10 mixture and
Ernest Killen, FELTON,, Delaware, har-
vested Is baskets more per acre where
he applied the 2-8-10 analysis. These
are but a few of the many farmers
who have found that the 2-8-10 mix
ture is economic and very satisfactory.
Not only has the 2-8-1O mixture
shown favorable results on corn, but
it has also become a standard analysis
for most of the grain crops. Wheat
produces larger yields and plumper
heads when fortified with a 2-8-10I
fertilizer. An O-12-12 mixture may
be applied in the fall, with the nitro
gen, if needed, applied in the early
spring. Soybeans and cowpeas re-
spond to this analysis with increased
yields of from IL to 18 bushels per
acre. These crops may need more
nitrogen on some soils, thus some
growers use a 4-S-1O. or 1912 mix
ture.
Although not many growers use this
analysis on tomatoes, yet among the
Ten Ton Tomato Club members in
1887 E. Raymond Slaughter, Trappe,
Maryland, produced a yield of 1899
tons per acre. His fertilizer treat
ment was a 2-8-10 plus a heavy ap-
plication of manure.