where. And yet, notwithstanding every plant 
is growing in this sea of nitrogen, mauy of 
our fields fail to produce remunerative crops, 
solely from lack of sufficient nitrogen in a 
form available as food to the growing plant. 
The old story of Tantalus is repeated here— 
the plants are starving, submerged in food. 
Although there rests on every acre no less 
than 72 millions of pouuds, or 36,000 tons of 
pure nitrogen, which if converted into Ditric 
acid would make over 120,0.0 tons, enough to 
load 1,000 railroad trains of 12 cars each, yet 
the farmer is forced to seek some other source 
from which his crops may draw their supply. 
When nitrogen unites with hydrogen, one 
of the constituents of water, it forms ammo¬ 
nia, and when it unites with oxygen, the 
other constituent, it forms nitric oxide; but 
In union with both these elements in the pro¬ 
per proportion, it forms nitric acid, and 
it is in this form that it is mainly, 
if not entirely, taken up and used by 
the plants. But in this form it is never ap¬ 
plied to the soil, except it may be that small 
quantities may be carried to it by rains or 
dews from the air where it may have been 
made by the aid of electricity or other causes. 
There are now various forms of nitrogenous 
manures in which the farmers may find this 
very necessary food for his plants in an avail 
able form, the principal of which we will 
notice. 
DRIED BLOOD. 
Formerly all the blood of the slaughtered 
animals of all the cities, was allowed to run 
into the sewers and escape to the rivers, a 
source of pollution. Now, however, it is all 
caught, as elsewhere described, and fitted to be 
used to fertilize the fields. There are two kinds 
of dried blood,one dark red and the other black, 
both of which are in the form of coarse 
powder with very little smell, and containing, 
when pure, from eight to fourteen per cent, 
of nitrogen, equal to from 10 to 1? per cent, 
of ammonia. The blood is often sold mixed 
with more or less offal, and then contains less 
of ammonia but often from six to nine per 
cent, of phosphoric acid. 
Dried blood is sold by the ton, and the price 
is fixed at so much per "unit of ammonia.” A 
"unit of ammonia” is one per cent, of ammo¬ 
nia or 20 pounds per ton, so that if it contain 
15 per cent, of ammonia, and is qnoted at 
$3.00 per "unit,” it would be worth $45 per 
ton. It uoay r be used separately or mixed with 
other manures. It is valuable for all cereal 
crops and for potatoes, and when used alone 
should be made as fine as possible and sowed 
broadcast and harrowed iuto the ground just 
before planting or sowing the crop. 
SULPHATE OF AMMONIA. 
This compound now so largely used asafer- 
ilizer, is one of the products of the consump¬ 
tion of bituminous coal, as a fuel, and in the 
manufacture of coke aud illuminating gas. 
As is well known, every deposit of a bitumin¬ 
ous nature contains large quantities of nitro¬ 
gen, and when burned, this is driven off as 
ammouiaeal gas. In the manufacture of gas, 
this is condensed in the water used for wash¬ 
ing and purifying the gas. For a long time, 
this liquor was considered a nuisance, aud it 
cost the gas companies much money to so dis¬ 
pose of it that it would not be objectiouable 
to the public. Later it was found that sul¬ 
phuric acid would combine with the ammonia, 
of this liquor, forming sulphate of ammonia, 
and in so doing, remove the objectionable 
properties from the liquor, aud that this new 
product had such valuable qualities as to 
make the liquor a source of profit, instead of 
expense. 
So rich is this liquor in ammonia that when 
saturated with the acid, ns much as a pouud 
of the sulphate of ammonia is obtaiucd from 
each gallon, and so much is made that last 
year in New York and Brooklyn alone no less 
than four million pouuds of this salt were 
produced. 
Sulphate of ammonia is a nearly white salt 
in flue crystals, and if 96 per cent, pure (the 
standard) it contains 24 5 per cent, of am¬ 
monia, which Is equivalent to 20.2 percent, 
of nitrogen, and is one of the cheapest forms 
in which nitrogen cau be obtained. Though 
not so soluble, and, as a matter of course, not 
so quick iu furnishing nitrogen to the plant as 
nitrate of soda, it will be found less liable to 
lose ite nitrogen by having it washed out of 
the soil, aud of course more lastiug. 
If to be used alone, sulphate of ammonia 
should ba reduced teas tinea oouditiouas pos¬ 
sible, and be mixed with at least au equal 
bulk of dry earth, or, better still, gypsum, aud 
applied broadcast when the foliage is free 
from adhering moisture, so that the sulphate 
will at once go to the ground, and it is better 
to apply it just before a raiu. It should not 
be applied in large quantities iu the Fall, as it 
is converted iu the soil iuto nitric acid, and 
unless soon used by the plnuts, will be carried 
out of the soil by thedraiuage water, aud lost. 
If applied in Spriu it should be ut.onee, afte* 
SUPPLEMENT T© THE BUBAL NEW-Y0BKEB. 
danger of excessive rains has passed, so as to 
be present for the roots on their first awaken¬ 
ing iuto growth. It is especially adapted to 
the use of all cereals, to potatoes and the small 
fruits, and a proper application would be from 
100 to 200 pounds per acre. 
We are glad of the increased attention that 
is being given to the saving and use of this 
valuable fertilizer. Were the large users of 
coal to so prepare their works as to collect and 
save the ammonia now wasted, it would go far 
towards supplj ing our impoverished fields with 
this valuable assistant to paying fertility. 
NITRATE OF SODA. 
This is a natural soda salt, containing ni¬ 
trogen in such a combination as to be readily 
available as plant food, and in such quantity 
and at such price as to make it profitable to 
use it. It is found in very extensive beds in 
various parts of South A merica, notably in 
Cbili, Peru and Pernambuco. The largest 
supply now comes from the territory lately 
wrested by Chili from Peru, whence it is ship¬ 
ped to Europe and the United States in con¬ 
stantly increasing amounts. 
It exists in immense beds, often several feet 
in depth, and though generally in such a con¬ 
dition that ic cau be taken out with pick and 
shovel, it is often of snowy whiteness and so 
solid that it can be removed only with the 
drill and powder. As taken out, it varies in 
purity from 25 to as much asS5 per cent, pure, 
but averages about 05 per cent.nitrate of soda, 
three per cent, sulphate of soda, and 23.5 
common salt, besides other impurities. It is 
crushed and refined, employing a large num¬ 
ber of men in the work, and as fitted for ship¬ 
ment, it runs from 03 to 93 per cent, of pure 
nitrate of soda, yielding from 14 to 1? per 
cent, of nitrogen, or from 17 to 20 per cent, of 
ammonia. 
It is known as nitrate of soda, Chili salt¬ 
peter and cubic niter. It is sold by the ton at 
so much per "unit of ammonia, and is largely 
used in the manufacture of fertilizer, and 
often alone, as a special application, to supply 
nitrogen to the growing crops. It acts more 
quickly on vegetation than any other form 
of nitrogenous manure, because in this, the 
nitrogeu is in the form of nitric acid and 
readily available as soon as dissolved. It 
should be sown broadcast just before a rain, 
if possible, aud should not be sown in quanti¬ 
ties larger than sufficient to meet the wants of j 
the plant, for nitiogen during the growing 
season when applied, because its nitrogen, ! 
being so soluble, is liable to be washed out | 
and lost by the copious rains of IVinter or 
Spring. For application to the soil, it should 
be made very tine, and it would be better, if 
mixed with dry earth or plaster, and care 
should be used that as little as possible should 
be allowed to lodge on the foliage, as it is li¬ 
able to buru it. 
TANKAGE 
is the trade name for the “inwards” of 
slaughtered animals, and other animal matter 
from the slaughter yards, freed from the ex¬ 
creta, and with the fat all extracted. The 
residue is then dried very dry and ground, in 
which form it is sold. It is variable in com¬ 
position, but contains from four to eight 
per cent, of ammonia and from three 
to seven per cent, of phosphoric acid. It is 
mostly used by the manufacturers of fertil¬ 
izers as a source of nitrogen aud phosphoric 
acid, and is sold by the ton, an analysis being 
furnished. 
FISH SCRAP, POMACE, OR CHUM. 
Vast schools of fi-h, chiefly menhaden, an¬ 
nually visit our sea coasts, which were for¬ 
merly used iu afresh state as manure; but 
now all their oil is first takeu out in factories 
fitted up for that purpose; the residue is then 
dried aud after being ground is sold under the 
above names. It contains, on an average, 
about nine per cent, of ammonia and about 
seven per cent, of phosphoric add. It is sold, 
by the ton with an accompanying analysis. 
Finely ground aud mixed with some of the 
potash salts or wood ashes, it is a valuable 
manure. 
AZOTINE AND AMMONITE 
are trade names for auimal matter in die 
form of finely ground meat scraps or erackliugs 
from the Tenderers of lard aud tallow. They 
are much alike, and show from 10 to 15 per 
ceut. of ammonia, and are sold by the ton, the 
price being fixed tu. so much per "unit of am¬ 
monia,” the same as dried blood. 
CASTOR POMACE. 
This is the residue left after the extraction 
of castor oil from the seed. It eontaius a poi¬ 
sonous principle, so that it cannot be used as 
stock food; hence its only value is as a manure, 
uud its large per cent, of nitrogen entitles it to 
bo classed as a nitrogenous fertilizer. Its usual 
composition is about 0 per ceut. of ammonia, 
1.0 per ceut. of phosphoric aeid F aud 1.1 percent, 
of potash. It is sold by the tou, aud is used iu 
the manufacture of fertilizers. If tiuely 
ground, it would be valuable to mix with 
pbosphatic manures and wood ashes or potash 
salts, for application to soils growing such 
plants as need a large share of nitrogen. 
-• » » - - 
COTTON-SEED MEAL AND LINSEED- 
MEAL. 
These are also largely nitrogenous. Cot¬ 
ton seed meal contains about 6 5 per cent, of 
ammonia; 1.9 per cent, of phosphoric acid, 
and 1.5 per cent, of potash. It is the ground 
cake that remains after the oil bas been ex¬ 
tracted from ground cotton-seed,all the hulls 
of which have first been carefully removed. 
Linseed-meal is the residuum of the flaxseed 
oil mills. The * ‘old process” is made by grind¬ 
ing the oil cake when the oil has been extract¬ 
ed by pressure; the "new process” is the rem¬ 
nant where the oil has been extracted by the 
use of naptha. They do not vary' much in 
value as a fertilizer, and contain from six to 
seven per cent, of ammonia; about two per 
cent, of phosphoric acid, aud I 75 per cent, of 
potash. 
But all these meals have too great feeding 
value to be used directly as fertilizers, and if 
they are used as stock food, and the manure 
is all carefully saved and applied to the soil 
without waste, very little of their fertiliz¬ 
ing value is lost in the operation, so that the 
farmer can in no other way more economi¬ 
cally enrich his land than by feeding large 
quantities of these and using the manure. 
KIESERITE. 
Kieserite is an impure sulphate of magnesia 
—Epsom salts. Its usual composition is 49 per 
cent, of pure sulphate of magnesia; 30 per 
cent, of water; and the remainder is made up 
of various impurities, among which is an in¬ 
jurious proportion (2.2 per cent.) of chloride of 
magnesia, a salt poisouous to vegetation. It 
is found iu the mines of Germany in connec 
tion with the potash salts, and is a by-product 
of their extraction. Where muriate of potash 
is dissolved out of the carnalite, as taken from 
the mines of Stassfurt, kieserite remains, and 
constitutes a large proportion of the residuum 
from which it is extracted. It has no impor¬ 
tance as an application to the soil, only from 
the fact that it is recommended, in the propor¬ 
tion of 25 pounds per acre, by Prof. Penballow 
in the compound proposed as a specific for 
the peach yellows. In its pure state sulphate 
of magnesia (Epsom salts) has long been used 
in the human materia mediea; but this is 
about the first case where it has been proposed 
to doctor sick trees by giving them "a dose of 
salts.” 
NOTES. 
FERTILIZERS AND MANURE. 
Most of the soil in this section is stiff and 
heavy, running together when wet, and quick¬ 
ly baking as hard as a brick. It is very diffi¬ 
cult to work unless taken at just the right 
time—when it is neither too wet nor too dry. 
A good dressing of farm-yard manure makes 
it light, friable, aud capable of being quite 
easily worked for two years. If cropped with 
corn the first year, and oats the next, follow¬ 
ed with winter wheat and seeded down to 
grass, the siugle application, with the addition 
of a little fertilizer drilled in with the wheat, 
is sufficient for the four crops. 
The advantage of farm-yard manure over 
fertilizers lies iu the fact that it loosens our 
stiff soil aud renders it more friable. The 
same effect is produced by green manuring; 
but it is not so lasting. 
It is doubtful whether we could economi¬ 
cally apply fertilizers broadcast on our soil. 
By first loosening the soil with farm-yard 
manure or clover, aud then applying the fer¬ 
tilizer in the hill or drill, we secure the great¬ 
est benefit from both. The young plant ob¬ 
tains what is most needed—a strong and vigor¬ 
ous start; its short roots grasp aud assimilate 
all the available elements of the fertilizer close 
about it while it is young, aud with the 
strength thus acquired it rapidly pushes its 
feeders into the surroundiug soil, and obtains 
therefrom the food required to perfect its 
fruit. If sown broadcast, it is possible that a 
large portion of any nitrogenous fertilizer 
would escape before the roots of the plants 
could reach out aud collect it. 
One of the best methods of manuring our 
land when it has become packed, or "killed,” 
by beiug trampled or worked when too wet, 
is to sow clover with oats in the Spring, aud 
iu the Fall apply a dressing of farm-yard man¬ 
ure; the next year cut off the clover, aud turn 
the sod for winter wheat With a favorable 
season, a good crop is a certainty, aud the 
following season the land will work nicely for 
corn, and yield a heavy crop. For ornament¬ 
al plants, gardens, etc., a heavy dressing of 
rotten farm-yard manure gives the best re¬ 
sults because of its pulverizing action on the 
soil. It should be applied iu the Autumn, and 
be immediately turned under with the plow. 
By Spring it will be converted into humus, 
and with plow and harrow may be thoroughly 
incorporated with the soil, which it will keep 
loose and friable throughout the whole season. 
When the soil is iu this condition, the appli¬ 
cation of a nitrogenous fertilizer in the hill 
or drill when the seed is planted, has proved 
very beneficial, especially with early potatoes. 
Christian Co., Ill. fred. gbundy. 
THE USE AND ABUSE OF FERTILIZERS. 
The fertilizer question is one of the greatest 
importance to the progressive farmer, and I 
think the use of commercial fertilizers a 
necessity to the farmer who seeks the greatest 
profit from his arable land, and its highest 
improvement. 
Chemical analysis will, in many cases, give 
the real value of fertilizers, yet we cannot, 
iu all seasons and under all conditions of soil 
get the same practical effects. On a thin, 
worn-out soil, devoid of vegetable matter, the 
effect may not be satisfactory, and unless the 
person using them has had sufficient exper¬ 
ience in their use to give him confidence, he 
will be likely to accuse them of having but a 
temporary effect, and that rather stimulating 
than profitable. Another reason of dissatis¬ 
faction in their use is that most people use 
them as they would a homeopathic medicine 
—a "table spoonful” or “what you can hold 
on your three fingers” to the hill of corn, is 
expected to have as much beneficial effect 
as an application of manure, which, if bought, 
would cost from five to ten times as much. 
Used in this way, a fertilizer is only a ‘ stim¬ 
ulant,” as it is only within reach of a small 
portion of the roots, and then only while the 
plants are small. 
On potatoes or root crops, I would put half 
a dressing of manure broadcast and a liberal 
application of fertilizer in the drill, say 500 to 
1,000 pounds per acre; or, if I used fertilizer 
alone, half a ton broadcast and -500 to 600 
pounds in the drill; on all other crops broad¬ 
cast. I consider a liberal application of any 
fertilizer, well loaded with nitrogen, phos¬ 
phoric acid and potash “complete” and per¬ 
fectly adapted to any “special” crop, what¬ 
ever the brand or by whomsoever made. 
I prefer mixing my own fertilizers, as I can 
mix them in Winter, or on rainy days and at 
odd spells, when the men can be spared from 
other work. I have mixed and used 20 tons 
this year at a cost of from $23 50 to $40.25 per 
ton, and at a saving, below station valuation, 
of 15 to 50 per cent., there being no expense 
for advertising, circulars or ruuners. There 
are many waste products and different forms 
of fertilizing ingredients of which the manu¬ 
facturers avail themselves to reduce cost, 
under the varying prices in the market. W s 
can do this as well as they can. 
The “valuations” agreed upon by several 
Experiment Stations leave the manufacturers 
a margin of 25 to 50 per cent., and if they 
would sell their goods at a price nearer the 
“valuation,” they would be used with much 
more confidence and the demand would be 
greatly increased. james j. webb. 
New Haven Co., Conn. 
fertilizing in the west. 
The fact is we have so little use for fertili¬ 
zers as yet in this State, that we have not in¬ 
vestigated the subject, and are not, therefore, 
competent to treat of it intelligently. Thrifty 
farmers, of course, are not throwing away 
their barn-yard accumulations. These are 
carted out and given to the soil, and with good 
results. I am reminded of a farmer residing 
in the Missouri River bottom, where land is 
as rich as it is thought it can be made. When 
he had been fatteuiug eattle for years in a 
large inclosure ne was compelled to elean it 
out, while the field adjoining had been in 
corn for 24 cousecutive years, and without any 
far til izing applications, had averaged au nually, 
from 65 to 75 bushels per acre. He ordered 
the hands to throw the gatherings from the 
old cattle yard out ou the field. They did so, 
without any system or regularity in spread¬ 
ing, running “helter skelter” over the ground 
as was most convenient. The gentleman who 
owned the farm informed me that for five years 
afterwards, any time after the corn was knee- 
high, he could stand on the fence and point 
out where the boys bud scattered the manure, 
and that, after the crop had matured, he could 
almost pick from the crib the ears of corn 
that grew in the fertilized parts of the field. 
The stalks and ears were larger in a marked 
degree. robt. w. furnas. 
Nemaha Co., Neb. 
a note from prof. budd. 
A "note” on fertilizers for fruit gardens 
and orchards on the drift soils west of Lake 
Michigan, can only give au idea of our pres¬ 
ent needs and beliefs. In a general way, it 
may be stated that our sods are not lacking 
in lime, potash or other mineral essentials of 
plant growth; nor, when new are they lacking 
iu vegetable humus; but our soil is^fioely pui 
