DAIRY AND SEED IMPROVEMENT MEETINGS. 405 



A ton of beets or a ton of rutabagas carries about the same 

 amount and value of plant food as potatoes. 



A ton of butter carries about two pounds of nitrogen, no phos- 

 phoric acid or potash and has practically no fertilizing value. 



It is evident that in selling any of the above from the farm 

 the removed plant food thus disposed of can be readily replaced 

 in purchased plant food. It is to be noted that the value of the 

 plant food contained in these crops is low relatively when the 

 price of the commodity is considered. For instance, a ton of 

 apples is about fifteen barrels. In most years apples are worth 

 at the home station two dollars a barrel. A ton of apples is 

 worth perhaps thirty dollars and the plant food in them seventy 

 cents. In other words, for each dollar received for apples sold 

 it would cost only two cents to replace the plant food thus 

 taken from the farm. 



Certain other common products are richer in plant food. This 

 is illustrated by the following: 



A ton of oats as grain carries about 40 pounds of nitrogen, 

 16 pounds of phosphoric acid and 12 pounds of potash, having 

 a fertilizing value of about $9. 



A ton of corn kernels carries about 36 pounds of nitrogen, 14 

 pounds of phosphoric acid, and eight pounds of potash, with a 

 fertilizing value of about $8. 



A ton of cottonseed meal carries 133 pounds of nitrogen, 54 

 pounds of phosphoric acid, and 36 pounds of potash, worth 

 about $30. 



A ton of wheat bran carries 55 pounds of nitrogen, 58 pounds 

 of phosphoric acid and 32 pounds of potash, the constituents of 

 which are worth in the fertiHzer market about $15. 



A ton of milk carries ten pounds of nitrogen, six pounds of 

 phosphoric acid and three and one-half pounds of potash and 

 is worth about $2.50. 



A ton of cheese carries about 75 pounds of nitrogen, 15 

 pounds of phosphoric acid and 16 pounds of potash, the ferti- 

 lizing value of which is about $16. 



The preceding leads one to the few facts and considerations 

 that are, in the speaker's opinion, needed to point out the 

 unwisdom of selling oats, corn, hay and straw from most Maine 

 farms. 



