PAPERS, BULLETINS, ADDRESSES 



SOIL FERTILITY. 



The subject of soil fertility touches the fundamental 

 basis of agriculture. The system of farming that 

 does not take into consideration the increase and main- 

 tenance of soil fertility is failing to a greater or less ex- 

 tent. The State Department of Agriculture, in its in- 

 stitute work and in every way, has endeavored to em- 

 phasize the necessity of a rational system of farming, 

 that would preserve the fertility of the soil so far as is 

 possible. The work of the Kentucky Agricultural Ex- 

 periment Station along soil fertility lines has been 

 thorough and has attracted attention throughout the 

 country. In fact, the teachings of the station have 

 brought forth some unjust criticisms from certain par- 

 ties interested in the sale of commercial fertilizers. In 

 the last bulletin of this department we did not hesitate 

 to condemn the miscellaneous use of complete fertil- 

 izers. We again want to emphasize that much of the 

 money spent in this way by the farmers is wholly or 

 partially lost. 



The following am.ounts of fertilizers, as reported by 

 the Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station, have 

 been sold in Kentucky within the last few years : 



1908 35,000 tons 



1909 43,000 tons 



19jl0 57,000 tons 



1911 63,000 tons 



1912 65,000 tons 



1913 75,000 tons 



19H - 80,000 tons 



The cash value of these fertilizers figured at $20.00 

 per ton has reached the total of at least one million and 

 a half dollars expended by the farmers of Kentucky 

 for commercial fertilizers. 



