1882.] COMMERCIAL FERTILIZERS. 151 



Mr. Hubbard. Almost everything. The one I like best is 

 good finely ground bone, mixed with muriate of potash. I 

 do not believe there is anything better sent abroad to put on 

 grass or corn, only I want with it a little soluble phosphoric 

 acid generally for corn. But for a general fertilizer I do not 

 believe there is anything better in tlie market than a good 

 article of finely-ground bone and a fair proportion of muriate 

 of potash mixed with it. But I do not confine myself to any 

 one article. I am always dabbling in some new thing, and 

 generally losing a little money by it, but finding out a little 

 something, I hope. 



Mr. Sedgwick. I was in hopes that Mr. Hubbard would 

 answer, or least endeavor to give a satisfactory answer to 

 Mr. Kurd's question as to what was the best fertilizer for 

 corn. Now comes in the deficiency of special fertilizers, and 

 it has two sides to it. Some maintain that a fertilizer madf 

 on the basis of the elements contained in the ash of the crop 

 contains the elements sufficient to furnish food for the growing 

 plant. Why is not that a good answer to give to Mr, Hurd ? 

 I will ask Prof. Johnson about that. 



One other point. Mr. Hubbard speaks of a full ration 

 of nitrogen derived from Prof. Stockbridge's formula or 

 Prof. Yielle's. The experiments of Prof. Atwater show that 

 with one-third of the ration, that is, twenty-four pounds, 

 there was a profit made in applying nitrogen. The analysis 

 of the corn plant showed that there was a much larger 

 proportion of nitrogen in the corn plant. I would ask Proi". 

 Johnson where the corn plant got its excess of nitrogen in 

 that case. 



Prof. Johnson. In a great many cases, the corn crop gets 

 its nitrogen largely from the inverted sod, which is recognized 

 in New England as an excellent basis for a corn crop, and in 

 considering the supply or need of nitrogen that is to be taken 

 into account. In answer to the question, " What is the best 

 corn manure?" 1 shou\d ssiy , there is no such thing ! Dr. Atwa- 

 ter's experiments cover, I believe, seventy-four cases. Mr. 

 Inglis has told us that within a mile from him potash is the 

 fertilizing element needed ; whereas, on his land, phosphoric 



