132 Bureau of Farmers' Institutes. 



plaster makes a good absorbent in the stable, because it locks up 

 and holds nitrogen in it, which otherwise would escape in the 

 form of ammonia. 



Question. — What is the cost of South Carolina rock? 



Mr. Smith. — It is worth about $14 per ton for the best quality 

 analyzing 14 pel* cent, of phosphoric acid. But there are some 

 dealers who sell 11 per cent, rock at the same price as 14-per-cent. 

 goods. If you buy it insist on a guaranteed analysis and do not 

 pay any more than it is worth. 



Question.— What is the cost of dissolved South Carolina rock? 



Mr. Chamberlain. — I have bought it for $14 per ton, guar- 

 anteed to contain 14 per cent, phosphoric acid. 



Question. — Would it pay to use commercial fertilizers on oats? 



Mr. Smith. — That would depend. If the land is poor and 

 lacking in vegetable matter, probably one would not get the 

 money back he paid for the fertilizer. 



Question. — Does the continued use of commercial fertilizers 

 injure the land? 



Mr. Smith. — A pound of nitrogen or one of potash, or of 

 phosphoric acid, is the same, no matter from what source it comes. 

 As a rule, the farmer applies just about the same quantity of plant 

 food in a fertilizer on an acre as he would in one load of manure 

 which he applies near the hill. It gives the plant a start, but 

 does but little further good. If this system is continued without 

 returning vegetable matter to the soil, meanwhile removing crops, 

 it will injure the soil by making it less productive each year. 



Question. — What is the best way to apply commercial fertilizers 

 on corn ground? 



A Farmer. — I put on 200 pounds to the acre, and never got 

 any benefit. 



Another Farmer. — I got the best results when drilling the fer- 

 tilizer in. 



Mr. Smith. — There would not be enough of the fertilizer to 

 do much good. Would you expect to derive much benefit from 

 only two loads of barn manure spread over an acre of land ? Yet, 

 there was no more plant food in that fertilizer than in two loads 

 of such manure. You will have to apply more fertilizer than 200 

 pounds per acre to get much benefit. 



Question. — Do potato tops add potash enough to the soil to 

 benefit strawberries, which follow? 



Mr. Rice. — The potato vine is a ravenous feeder. There is 



