154 TwENTY-FmsT Biennial Eepobt 



perimental plots, and on the basis of such tests it was 

 recommended that "If the results of the tests show, for 

 example, that only phosphoric acid is needed, then only- 

 phosphates should be bought. If only potash salts show 

 a material increase in production, then buy only potash 

 salts. In other words, supply only what the tests show 

 is needed. However, if it is found that nitrogen is 

 needed, then the profitable thing to do is to supply it in 

 manure and legumes. Soils cannot be kept profitably 

 productive by depending alone upon the ready-mixed, 

 complete fertilizer." 



And in this same connection it was pointed out that 

 "there can be no doubt that large sums of money are 

 annually wasted in this State by buying fertilizers con- 

 taining low percentages of nitrogen and potash. These 

 small percentages add a great deal to the cost of the fer- 

 tilizers and do not give returns at all commensurate with 

 their cost. * * * Ten times our annual expenditure 

 could profitably be made for fertilizers, but it should be 

 made in general for phosphate and potash salts to sup- 

 ply deficiencies and to use in the growing of leguminous 

 crops to furnish humus and nitrogen. Our fertilizer 

 manufacturers need to recognize the truth of this state- 

 ment and begin at once to supply these materials in un- 

 mixed condition to farmers at the lowest prices possi- 

 ble." 



The practice of selling low grade fertilizers under a 

 great variety of brands was condemned as misleading to 

 the farmer, and the suggestion was made that it would 

 be eminently fairer to the purchasers of commercial fer- 

 tilizers for the manufacturer and dealer to quote pound 

 prices on each of the several sorts of plant food contained 

 therein. 



This bulletin also contained a section on the value 

 and care of farm manure and called atteneion to the enor- 

 mous waste of this valuable material in our agriculture. 

 Lastly, it contained a section on green manure crops, in 

 which there was pointed out the value of cover crops and 

 leguminous crops, the latter as sources of humus and 

 nitrogen, and methods of handling the same. 



This bulletin, published in 1909, forms the basis of 

 the later and more recent teachings of the Kentucky 



