42 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



Mr. James. A gentleman at my right said he applied 

 2,500 pounds of fertilizer to the acre. AVill he please state 

 how he applied the fertilizer, whether it was once or several 

 times, and what crops he raised on it, and what result? 



Mr. Low. We did that on a variety of crops, but a case 

 which I call to mind was cabbage. The land was very light, 

 had no density of sod, and probably would not produce 500 

 pounds of hay in a year. AYe ploughed that up from the 1st 

 to the 10th of June for cabbage. "VVe harrowed it down, 

 furrowed it, and put the fertilizer in the bottom of the drill 

 and filled it in. That would take about 1,200 pounds to the 

 acre. Where we are going to apply anything further we 

 usually do it after we have finished, and we always get 

 ^ood crops of cabbage from commercial fertilizers. In 

 raising a squash crop we should use perhaps 1,200 pounds 



taught, however, that if this course were pursued, and the resulting manure with- 

 held from the land, the poorhouse would loom up in the distance. It seemed to me, 

 in the light of science at this age of the world, that if the chemical constituents of a 

 ton of hay were to be placed at the disposal of a field of grass under favorable con- 

 ditions, it would furnish the means of increasing the crop one new ton of hay over 

 and above the natural product. The analyses of hay in the past were not as full 

 and complete as now, but I selected, as well as I was able, an average, and worked 

 to fulfil its requirements by supplying the best forms and cheapest materials to be 

 found in the fertilizer market. 



" I estimated that an acre of land favorable to the production of grass would 

 yield permanentlj', under good care, but without added fertility, about two-thirds 

 ■of a ton of hay annually. To Increase this up to two tons it would be necessary to 

 isupply the constituents of one and one-third tons. Inasmuch as the time in which 

 the growth and development of the crop is quite short (within six weeks), it is 

 ■essential that all these forms of plant-food be in a soluble condition, that the plants 

 may be able to appropriate them as fast as needed in the progress toward maturity. 

 What I aimed to furnish was, 33 pounds of potash, 23 pounds of nitrogen, 10 pounds 

 ■of phosphoric acid, and 4 pounds of magnesia, the soil having the capacity to supply 

 the smaller quantities of other substances required. The varying cost of materials 

 in market has indicated those to be chosen from time to time, but at present I am 

 using : — 



To furnish the potash, . . .65 pounds muriate of potash ; 



For the nitrogen, . . . .60 pounds sulphate of ammonia and 



75 pounds nitrate of soda ; 

 For the phosphoric acid, . . .40 pounds South Carolina floats ; 



For the magnesia 25 pounds sulphate of magnesia ; 



To which is added, . . . .75 pounds plaster. 



This makes a total of, . . . 340 poimds, 

 "which cost at the railroad station here last spring, delivered in ton lots, $6.28. 



" This formula is applied broadcast as earl^v as possible in the spring after frost is 

 ■out and the ground settled. 



" It will be noticed that the phosphoric acid in this formula is insoluble, and there- 

 fore does not conform to the conditions given. There are two ways of remedying 



