FARMING FOR SUCCESS. 91 



If it shoukl ultimately be shown that we can in practice approxi- 

 mate to Loibig's mineral theory in our climate and on our soil, 

 successful farming in New Enghmd of a very satisfactory order is 

 assured. I do not dare rest too nuich hope upon three years' exper- 

 iments, although a great many have been tried. Without time to 

 discuss it at present, I would say when yard manure is supplemented 

 b}' chemicals do not buy any nitrogenous manures. When chemicals 

 are used alone for corn, 100 lbs. of sulphate of ammonia to the acre 

 would be all that I would apply to corn, and less to potatoes. 



Regarding the minerals, potash and phosphoric acid, I can only 

 say, apply at the rate of 300 lbs. of dissolved bone-black per acre 

 and weigh the products of corn and stover. Have an equal plat by 

 its side with no fertilizer and note by weight — never by guess — the 

 gain, if any, from the use of the dissolved bone-black. On a third 

 use the bone-black, and in addition 150 lbs. per acre of muriate of 

 potash of best quality. If this plat yields more than plat one the 

 inference is that potash is needed in your soil. If no increase is 

 made the plant has told you that out of that soil it can gather all 

 of the potash it needs. 



On the College Farm I find that phosphoric acid does not pay for 

 use for corn. Three dollars and twenty-five cents expended for it 

 gave for 1879 and 1880 less corn than the nothing plat, while $2.88 

 woith of potash gives a very large increase, in one case, of 29.9 

 bushels shelled corn. My crops rise and fall with the use of potash. 

 On my private farm I have found that the presence of potash affects 

 but slighth' on its southern slope the amount of crop. Potatoes 

 being increased by it but about 28 per cent., or not enough to pay, 

 while i^hosphoric acid increased the crop 112 per cent., or for every 

 dollar's worth of phosphoric acid 12.9 bushels. In experiment sets 

 of fertilizers sent out both by myself and by Professor Atwater, 

 the same class of facts are being constantly' noted. No wonder that 

 superphosphates, containing no potash, have given to a large class of 

 farmers whose soil lacked potash, and could grow no good crop 

 without it, unsavoring memories of it. Do we strengthen a chain 

 with a weak link by incresing the strength of its strong link? To 

 a soil lacking potash, potash becomes its weak link, and adding 

 superphosphates we do not directl}- increase the producing capacity'' 

 of the soil. Shall we add to a soil that which it does not need? 

 Some say put them both in. On the same principle we would put 

 in all the minerals. Some soils will show that both phosphoric acid 



