153 



The total amount of mineral ingredients withdrawn by a single crop 

 (four cuts) is 2,143 pounds, which must be considered as permanently 

 removed when neither the leaves nor the stalks are used as fertilizing 

 materials. The draft per acre made on lime is about 658 pounds ; on 

 potash, 252 pounds ; phosphoric acid, 156 pounds, and on nitrogen to 

 the extent of 370 pounds. Of the potash about three-fifths, or 156 

 pounds, is contained in the stalks, more than one-quarter or 68 pounds, 

 in the leaves, while the bark and fiber, the only production aimed at, 

 contains a little above one tenth, or 28 pounds, of the total amount. 



The leaves contain nearly 87 per cent of the total lime taken from 

 the soil, that found in the stalks being about 10 per cent, and that in 

 the bark 3 per cent. Of the total phosphoric acid withdrawn, the leaves 

 absorb almost 50 per cent, or 77 pounds ; the stalks 43 per cent, or 

 about 68 pounds, while only 7 per cent, or 10.86 pounds, is found in 

 the bark. The depletion of the soil in nitrogen is greatest through the 

 leaves, which have more than 55 per cent of the total, or 206 pounds ; 

 about 29 per cent, or 106 pounds, is found in the stalks, while in the 

 bark there is only 15 per cent or about 58 pounds. Ii will thus be seen 

 how very small is the proportion of plant food withdrawn by the bark 

 and fiber as compared with that by the leaves and stalks. 



If the leaves and stalks are returned to the soil, the amount of min- 

 eral matter withdrawn per acre is, comparatively speakiug, verv small, 

 being only about 28 pounds of potash, 19 of lime, 11 of phosphoric acid, 

 and 58 pounds of nitrogen. A strong soil could withstand such a small 

 demand for a considerable length of time without showing an appre- 

 ciable diminution of crops ; and whenever fertilizing becomes necessa- 

 ry, it will probably be found that, in California, phosphoric acid and ni- 

 trogen are the substances to be supplied. 



Should the stalks not be used as fertilizer, the amount of potash per- 

 manently removed from the soil would be increased by 156 pounds, 

 that of lime 72, phosphoric acid by 68, and that of nitrogen by 106 

 pounds ; quantities forming, with exception of lime, a large percentage 

 of the total mineral matter withdrawn 



Mr. S. B. Allison recommends as a good fertilizer for ramie 300 

 pounds of cotton-seed meal and 300 pounds of kainit, and suggests 

 mixing with an equal weight of charcoal dust ; the special advantage 

 in the use of the last-named substance, however is not clear. The 

 kainit supplies the needed potash, while the necessary nitrogen and 

 phosphoric acid is supplied by the cotton-seed meal. Professor 

 Stubbs recommends two parts of cotton-seed meal and one part of acid 

 phosphate, at the rate of 400 to 450 pounds per acre, though he states 

 that the results of his operations the past season lead him to believe 

 that the fertilizer was not applied in just the right combination for the 

 best success. In Florida the natural phosphate of the State may be 

 used with good results, though the necessary potash will need to be 

 supplied, Frederick Natho, in his Texas experiments, has only used 

 " potash salts at the rate of one ton per acre per year." He supplies it, 

 proportionately, after each cutting. But enough has been written to 

 enable any planter or experimenter to properly enrich his land for this 

 crop. That the plant cannot be grown successfully without bringing 

 the soil up to the proper fertility is satisfactorily proved by the evidence 

 set forth, and those who try to cheat the land by halfway measures, in 



