SOILS AND FERTILIZERS 473 



Passing down the list of potash materials from high-grade sul- 

 phate and muriate to low-grade manure salts and kainit, the chlorine 

 increases with the inferiority, so that the grade of a potash material, 

 from an agricultural or any other standpoint, may be pretty well 

 established by the amount of chlorine it does not contain. 



There is one reform that is much needed in the purchase of 

 fertilizers, and that is a change from the almost universal practice 

 of buying on the flat ton rate. When fertilizers are bought on this 

 basis, farmers often pay practically the same price for different fer- 

 tilizers whose compositions necessarily make their commercial values 

 vary considerably, and one may rest assured that he pays too much 

 for the brand of lower value instead of too little for the brand of 

 higher value. The brand or name stands for what the manufacturer 

 thinks is best suited for the crop for which the brand is intended, 

 or else it stands for what the manufacturer wishes the farmer to 

 think is best suited for his crop, in order that the manufacturer may 

 dispose of, at best advantage to himself, fertilizing materials on which 

 he has a corner, or which he can procure on more favorable terms 

 than others. It is too often the case that the immediate financial 

 returns influence the agent's theory of fertilization. Thus it is that 

 some dealers will declare that experience has definitely settled it that 

 organic nitrogen from animal sources is best for most, if not all, crops, 

 and these are the dealers who are directly or indirectly interested 

 in the packing industries. On the other hand, some are very positive 

 that nitrate of soda should be the source of the greater part of the 

 nitrogen, and investigation might disclose the fact that nitrogen in 

 nitrate of soda is the cheapest form for this class of manufacturers. 

 Some will declare with authority that superphosphate made from 

 phosphate rock is superior to superphosphate made from bone, and 

 vice versa (when there is no difference), and one does not have to 

 look very far to find that each party is interested in the material 

 which he advocates. Still others will say that non-acidulated bone 

 is the best form of phosphoric acid, and it would not be surprising 

 to find that the dealer in this class finds greater profit in handling 

 untreated bone, or else that he is not prepared to acidulate his ma- 

 terials. 



EFFECT OF FERTILIZERS ON THE PROPORTION OF GRAIN TO STRAW OR 



STOVER. 



It is a matter of common observation that the proportion be- 

 tween the grain and straw is considerably influenced by the season, 

 the soil upon which the crop is grown, and the variety. It is well 

 known also that the kind and amount of fertilizer used exert an 

 important influence upon this point. In connection with a rotation 

 experiment at the Pennsylvania station extending over twelve years, 

 the effect of different fertilizers upon the relation of grain to straw 

 or stover was studied more or less incidentally. 



In these experiments the following fertilizers were used singly 

 and in various combinations : Dried blood, dissolved boneblack, muri- 

 ate of potash, nitrate of soda, sulphate of ammonia, barnyard manure, 

 lime, ground limestone, plaster, and ground bone. The results, sum- 



