46 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [P. D. 4. 



Mr, Howe. I would like to ask the professor one question 

 in regard to applying any chemicals, — is there anything we can 

 apply which will make available the potash in the soil to tide 

 us over this time when we cannot buy any potash? If we put 

 on an additional amount of lime will that have any effect in 

 making the potash in the soil available? 



Mr, Thorne, We find that when we use, on our Ohio soils, 

 phosphorus or phosphorus and nitrogen we always make some 

 potash available; that is, we always get an increase of crop, and 

 that increase must have phosphorus to give us the increase, so 

 that our advice to our Ohio farmers is to use nitrogen in some 

 form — not nitrate of soda, because that is too costly, but in 

 manure or clover — more liberally than ever before, and acid 

 phosphate more liberally than ever before. This assures them 

 that they will get an increase of crop and not suffer from the 

 loss of potash for a year or so. 



A Member. On our Massachusetts soil, would you advise 

 using ground rock or acid phosphate? 



Mr. Thorne. Acid phosphate. 



A Member. About how much? 



Mr. Thorne. Well, we are using all the way from 80 pounds 

 to the acre up to 200 or 300, and we can get a profitable return 

 from every application. 



A Member, At what season of the year do you apply it? 



Mr. Thorne. Well, we put it on just before planting the 

 crop. In this connection, however, I would advise you to con- 

 sult your own station, because it is better acquainted with the 

 peculiarities of the Massachusetts soil than we are in Ohio. 

 For Ohio farmers I would say use the acid phosphate; for your 

 State I would advise you to consult your own station. Both 

 our station and yours would advise you, with all the urgency we 

 could, that you save and care for all the animal manure. A ton 

 of barnyard manure carries 10 pounds of potash; you cannot 

 buy it in any other form as cheaply as in the form of barnyard 

 manure. I am buying barnyard manure and paying 75 cents 

 for it in town. It cost about $2 a ton by the time I got it into 

 my orchard for fertilization. 



A Member. How far do you have to haul it? 



Mr. Thorne. A mile and a half, up hill. I have been taking 

 all I could get. 



