The Question Box. 277 



phosphoric acid and potash. A soil may be deficient in one 

 or all of these elements, but one may tell which is most lack- 

 ing. If the plant is feeble in growth and the foliage pale, nitrogen 

 is needed; if the foliage is strong and the straw weak and falls 

 down, there is too much nitrogen. If the plant fails to mature 

 it lacks potash. If it does mature and does not mature seed or 

 fruit, phosphoric acid is required. But a plant may mature satis- 

 factorily in one field and farm and fail on another. And there 

 may be latent plant food enough in the soil which humus and 

 cultivation would set free. All plants take their food in liquid 

 form, which to get, there must be moisture in the soil. As a rule, 

 here, our soils are deficient in humus, or what is better known as 

 vegetable mold. Barn manure and the plowing under of clover, 

 rye, the Canada pea and the southern cow pea will furnish this 

 humus most readily. 



Would it pay to sow ammoniated fertilizers to increase the per cent, of 

 spirit food in the soil? 



Mr. Cook. — I don't know whether it would or not; as a rule, to 

 buy commercial fertilizer in the market as they are sold, for the 

 crops you and I grow, it will not pay. If, however, there is a 

 deficiency of nitrogen in the soil, I would recommend somr nitrate 

 of soda, or dried blood or cotton-seed meal. There is not much 

 difference between the price of the last two, which is not far 

 from |20 per ton, while the nitrate will cost about |40. If phos- 

 phoric acid in the soil is required, I would recommend South- 

 Carolina rock, instead of ground bone. The rock will contain 

 from 12 to 14 per cent, of available phosphoric acid. As a rule, 

 we have an abundance of potash in our soils, especially in our 

 clay soils. 



So, if I were going to buy plant food, I would buy the rook. 

 If I wanted potash, except I were growing tobacco, I would buy 

 muriate. Muriate contains some salt, sulphate does not. The 

 muriate costs about |40 per ton, sulphate $10 more. Years ago 

 our farmers used to buy land plaster, and they may now, but I 

 would not draw it from the station if it were given me, because I 

 can buy dissolved rock, get the phosphoric acid at market prices, 

 and have the plaster free. 



