FERTILIZERS. 



phosphoric acid, and potash. The nitrogen content of peat soils is usually sufficient 

 for satisfactory crop production. 



THE FINANCIAL STANDPOINT. 



Viewed from the financial standpoint, the whole problem of the use of artificial 

 fertilizers is simply one of profit or loss. Regardless of the needs of the soil or its 

 ability to produce crops, if the use of fertilizers will increase the net profit from 

 the crop after the cost of the fertilizer and the labour is deducted it is a profitable 

 investment. Every farmer must determine for himself the point where the cost of 

 a fertilizer application is greater than the value of the increased yields. Fruit and 

 truck farmers that expend a large amount of labour on small areas find it profitable 

 to fertilize heavily. As a rule the higher the acre value of the crop the greater is 

 the amount that can be profitably expended on fertilizers. 



PLANT-FOOD REMOVED BY CROPS. 



The amount of plant-food removed by crops is indicative to a degree of their 

 fertilizer requirements. The following table may be of some assistance: 



Crop. 



Gross 

 Weight. 



Nitrogen. 



Phosphoric 

 Acid. 



Potash. 



Lime. 



Lb. 



Wheat, 20 bu 1,200 



Straw 2,000 



Totals 



Barley, 40 bu 1,920 



Straw 3,000 



Totals 



Oats, 50 bu 1,600 



Straw 3,000 



Totals 



Corn, 65 <bu 2,200 



Stalks 6,000 



Totals 



Peas, 30 bu 1,800 



Straw 3,500 



Totals 



Flax, 15 bu 900 



Straw 1,800 



Totals 



Meadow-hay 2,000 



Red clover 4,000 



Potatoes, 300 bu 13,000 



Mangels, 10 tons 20,000 



Lb. 

 25 

 10 



35 



28 

 12 



40 



38 

 15 



53 



40 

 45 



85 



39 

 15 



r>* 



30 



80 

 75 



Lb. 



12 y 2 



20 



15 

 5 



20 



12 

 6 



18 



18 

 14 



32 



18 



7 



25 



15 

 3 



18 



20 

 28 

 40 



Lb. 



7 

 28 



35 



8 

 30 



38 



10 

 35 



45 



15 

 80 



95 



22 

 38 



60 



8 

 19 



27 



45 



66 



150 



150 



Lb. 



1 

 7 



9% 



11 



1 

 20 



21 



4 



71 



75 



3 

 13 



16 



12 

 75 

 50 

 30 



FARM MANURES. 



Farm manure is the oldest nnd one of the most important of our fertilizers. 

 The value is better understood than formerly. The benefit to be derived from its 

 use is threefold: First, it supplies plant- food; second, it maintains the humus or 

 rotted vegetable-matter content of soils; third, it inoculates the soil with beneficial 

 organisms that assist in the release of plant-food. 



