442 MISCELLANEOUS FARM SUBJECTS 



If the plants make a rather stunted growth, under conditions of nor- 

 mal supply of water, and mature early, there is too much phosphoric 

 acid in the soil to go with the other essential fertilizing elements pres- 

 ent, and nitrogen and perhaps potash will be apt to materially im- 

 prove the crops grown. Potash fertilizers are, generally speaking, of 

 special benefit in case of leafy plants, like tobacco, cabbages, beets, 

 clover. 



The user of commercial fertilizers should make such applica- 

 tions as he has found by experience to be best adapted to his soil and 

 the crops which he is growing. Methods which he has found good 

 should not be abandoned and new ones tried on a large scale until he 

 has carefully tested the new methods and found them good. There 

 is no doubt that many improvements can be made in the applica- 

 tion of fertilizers. The progressive farmer will make tests of different 

 fertilizing mixtures on his soil, even if these tests are confined to a 

 comparsion of two different mixed fertilizers. Such experiments 

 will prove profitable when properly conducted. 



The suggestions already given lead to another of great import- 

 ance, viz, that the use of fertilizers should be systematic. In order 

 that this may be accomplished, a definite system of cropping should 

 be adopted and a definite scheme of manuring worked out that shall 

 meet the conditions of crop, season, and climate, and enable the 

 farmer to utilize to the best advantage home and local supplies of 

 manure. While it is impossible to give more than the merest out- 

 line of such methods, the following suggestions are offered : 



In the first place, in nearly every State or even locality, some 

 one system of cropping is better adapted to the conditions than an- 

 other. It may be the extensive system, which includes large areas 

 and such crops as grain, cotton, tobacco, or sugar cane; or the in- 

 tensive system, with smaller areas and crops of quicker growth and 

 higher value. For the former, a method of manuring should be 

 adopted which is not too expensive, but which provides for increased 

 crops and gradual gain in fertility. It would be impracticable in 

 extensive farming, for example, to attempt to increase the yield of 

 a wheat crop from 12 to 30 bushels per acre by the addition of ferti- 

 lizers only ; for, as already pointed out, plant food it but one of the 

 conditions of fertility, and if it were practicable from the standpoint 

 of yield, it would be folly from the standpoint of profit. 



The variations in the needs of soils and crops make it desirable 

 that every farmer should know his own particular requirements. 

 Such information may be secured more easily than is commonly sup- 

 posed by growing the same crop and under the same conditions with 

 different fertilizers. The knowledge thus obtained could be made 

 quite valuable for any given locality, and may serve an important 

 purpose in indicating the most economical use of fertilizer materials. 

 While such tests are not so difficult or expensive as is often sup- 

 posed, it is recommended that before the farmer undertakes them 

 for the first time he seeks the advice of some one familiar with the 

 details of such work, or, better still, apply to the experiment station 

 of his State. 



