The Wilmington morning star., 1940-08-17
FERTILIZER men
HEAR DR.. WILLIS
Head OF Research Lab
Says Present Fertilizers
Are Inefficient

MeeLLQS LII uAS
Thursday night, a group of fertili-
ger plant managers and others in
terested in soil fertility problems
were shown natural color illustra-
tons of some of the most serious
soil fertility problems to be found
in eastern North Carolina.
These represent an accumulation
of observations made by DR.. L. G.
Willis, now in charge Of the Will
mington Soil Research Laboratory
of the North Carolina Agricultural
Experiment Station.
It was just a century ago that
Baron Justus on Leibig gave to
the world the first comprehensive
basis for the use of fertilizers.
Since then research in soil fertility
has been carried on systematical-
ly, beginning at the Rothamstead
Experiment Station in 1843, and
soon taken up in this country by
the government with the passage
of the first appropriation bill in
1862, DR.. Willis said.
Only Seven Elements
AS time passes, the need f o +
more information on crop produc-
ton seems to increase. Liebig ex-
pressed the opinion that p S
needed only seven mineral ele-
ments, and that the soil would sup
ply all but two of these. AS ex-
detrimental work has expanded, the
need of plants for more elements
has been demonstrated, but it is OF
greater significance in a practical
sense that soil in various parts OF
the world have been found def
cient in many more of tn e S e
elements than Liebig had thought
possible, he pointed out.
In many cases, deficiencies Of
these elements seem to depend up.
on the acidity of the soil, or mois.
ture, or the supply of organic mat
ter. In the fertilizer experiments
of earlier years, it was customary
to use as sources Of the major
plant food elements, crude chemi'
cal compounds which later re
search has found necessary t o
plant growth. Some forms of lime
also contain enough of these mino1
elements to increase the produc
tivity of the soils.
Since the earliest experiences o
colonial days, it has been known
that lining the soil has not Away
produced favorable effects Of
crops in parts of North Carolina
This is quite general in the EASTER
counties, but it is occasionally ex
perienced also in the Piedmon
region, he said.
Sometimes zinc, sometimes cop
per, magnesia, manganese. or Dor
on will correct this injury cause
by lining, and it is possible within
a distance of IS miles of Whining
ton to find evidence of t deficien
cy of any or all of these elements
he added.
Particular Attention
The Soil Research Laboratory
established less than a year age
has given particular attention t
this phase of the fertilizer problem
Farmers and truck and bulb grow
ers of the Wilmington area ar
very much interested in the wor.
and follow the recommendation
made from the laboratory wit
keen interest. AS a result of tn
testing of over 2100 SOL sample
for the year 1910, it has becom
evident that fertilizers for use il
this area must contain, generally
six or more elements, rather thai
the three which constitute the stan
dard analyses.
Without these elements, the bes
made fertilizers are inefficient, h
said. During the past Is years l
has become the practice to appl.
a ton or more of fertilizer to tn
acre for flowers and truck crops
and in many instances this amour
of fertilizer has damaged the root
of tender plants.
Now it appears, he said, tina
these very large amounts of fertili
ger have been needed in part t.
supply small amounts Of minor ele
ments which are carried as i'm
purties. By putting these element
into the fertilizer intentionally, ant
in the proper proportion, it ha'
been found possible to reduce tn
rate of fertilization by one-half Of
most fields. Some very satisfac
tory lettuce crops have been mad