i92 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
March 20 
select slender shoots, but rather the robust ones, 
as they have more bark to supply nourishing sap 
to the same number of buds. I would not plant 
in the open at once, but would bury the cuttings in 
moist sand in a corner of a cellar, excluding the light 
from them. Root development will begin in the dark, 
while the upper bud will not develop leaves which 
would cause a drain on the sap, to the detriment of 
the embryo rootlets. The cuttings need not be put 
out until the ground begins to get warm, and trees 
begin to put on their spring garb. Most of them will 
now be fairly callused, and some will have pushed 
out exceedingly tender roots of snowy whiteness. 
Ordinarily, it does not pay to go to the trouble of 
making cuttings, among the exceptions being when 
the thing is a novelty and not readily otherwise 
propagated, or when the introducers maintain their 
exorbitant price for too long a time. In the case of 
the Satsuma, I would prefer planting a few plum 
seeds in each place where a tree is intended to be 
grown. Drive a stout stake to mark the spot. Do 
this in the fall and cover the seeds only lightly so as 
to give the frost a fair show. When the young trees 
are about six inches high, remove all but the most 
vigorous and promising one. During the summer, 
keep the surface clean and mellow for a radius of, at 
least, 18 inches. When the leaves drop, you will have 
a tree three to six feet high, in proportion to the 
richness of the soil, and varying in thickness from 
the size of a leadpencil to that of the finger. If you 
have watched your chances and budded to Satsuma, 
or any other desired variety, the union of the bud 
will have been perfected for several months, and all 
you{ have to do is to cut off the tree above the bud, 
which, thereafter, has nothing to do but to grow on 
strong roots which, in the future, will not have to be 
severed in transplanting, as they already are where 
you want the tree to grow. j. c. senger. 
Virginia. 
The Farmers’ Club. 
[Every query must be accompanied by the name and address of 
the writer to insure attention. Before asking a question please 
see whether it is not answered in our advertising columns. Ask 
only a few questions at one time. Put questions on a separate 
piece of paper.1 
Bone Meal vs. Raw Phosphate. 
It. T., Washington County, Md. —I inclose a slip from the New 
York Weekly Tribune which I would like you to answer fully and 
at some length, so as to give a clear understanding of the sub¬ 
ject. I have been using the raw bone meal as advised by The R. 
N.-Y. Am I wrong in doing so ? 
“In the last annual report of Dr. Hilgard, Director of Ex¬ 
periment Stations for this State (California), he refers to experi¬ 
ments made at experiment stations in Germany, which seem to 
prove that bone meal has little value as a fertilizer unless first 
dissolved by sulphuric acid. A. C. True, Director of United States 
Experiment Stations, in a recent letter to me referring to the 
same subject, says: ‘The data are given in considerable detail, 
and are believed to offer sufficient proof of the following state¬ 
ments : 
“ ‘ First.—The superior value which has hitherto been accorded 
to undissolved bone meal as a fertilizer is due solely to the nitro¬ 
gen which it contains. 
“ ‘ Second.—Undissolved bone meal as a phosphate fertilizer is 
no more valuable than are the raw mineral phosphates. 
“ ‘Sixth.—The best form in which 10 apply bone meal is as dis¬ 
solved bone meal, i. e., mixed with 60-degree sulphuric acid, at 
the rate of 20 per cent for raw, and 40 per cent for glue-free bone 
meal.’ ” 
“ I have not seen these German experiments referred to in 
print, except in Prof. Hilgard’s report above mentioned. And as 
large quantities of undissolved bone meal are used in fertilizing 
material, I think the Tribune might do much good by publishing 
the substance of this.” e. s. 
Claremont, Cal. 
Ans —A number of readers have asked very much 
the same questions. The statements referred to are 
taken from a translation from the German which was 
issued as a bulletin by the Massachusetts Experiment 
Station. It is safe to say that 90 per cent of our 
American experiments agree in the fact that finely- 
ground bone is the safest and surest form in which 
to apply phosphoric acid. We do not believe that it 
is wise even to use sulphuric acid on bone except on 
some of the harder beef bones that will not crush 
and grind readily. Our American scientists have 
made many comparative experiments, but thus far, 
no one that we know of is willing to say that raw 
mineral phosphate and tankage will give as good re¬ 
sults as fine bone. Let any one add to raw “ floats” 
or phosphate rock finely ground enough tankage to 
give 3% per cent of nitrogen. Test that against fine 
bone for a series of years. We feel confident that the 
practical experience of thousands of American farm¬ 
ers goes to show that the conclusions of these German 
chemists are unsound. Certainly the second proposi¬ 
tion, as it stands, is nonsense to any man who has 
observed the effects of fertilizers. You will make a 
great mistake if you give up bone for raw mineral 
phosphates. Acid rock compared with bone meal is 
a very different thing, and we have often explained 
the difference. For the majority of soils and crops, 
fine bone will remain the safest and surest form of 
phosphoric acid. The acid rock will often provide a 
cheaper form and, on some soils and crops, it will 
give excellent results. The statement, however, that 
raw phosphates are as available as bone meal is 
wrong, and will be disproved by any fair experiment. 
The Analysis of a Fertilizer. 
J. R. S., PerrysviUe, Pa ,—I inclose the analysis of a fertilizer 
that I can buy at $16 per ton, near home. Would it be cheap at 
that price, or is it worth it, as fertilizers sell ? I want a fertilizer 
for corn, and I see that this is low in ammonia and potash. We 
usually have to pay from $10 to $12 more for a fertilizer contain¬ 
ing two to three per cent each of ammonia and potash. 
GUARANTEED ANALYSIS. 
Ammonia. 1 to 2 per cent. 
Total phosphoric acid.11 to 14 “ 
Available phosphoric acid.8 to 10 “ 
Actual potash. 1 to 2 “ 
Equivalent to sulphate of potash. 2 to 4 “ 
Lime, magnesia, organic matter, etc.82 to 87 “ 
Ammoniates from the best animal matter and soluble salts, 
phosphates from bone only, potash from the most concentrated 
salts. 
Ans —All that the manufacturers guarantee are 20 
pounds ammonia, 160 pounds available phosphoric 
acid and 20 pounds of potash. At this year’s trade 
prices, these substances have a commercial value of 
not over $11.50. If you were to use a mixture of 50 
pounds muriate of potash and 650 pounds of fine- 
ground bone of good quality, you would have 25 
pounds of potash, about 30 pounds of ammonia, and 
160 pounds of phosphoric acid. This would cost you 
about $10, if you bought in reasonably large lots, and 
the 700 pounds, if mixed with 1,300 pounds of dried 
muck or rich soil, would, probably, give as good re¬ 
sults as the ton of $16 fertilizer. This analysis is not 
well suited to the corn crop. It is low in both potash 
and ammonia. 
New Way of Figuring Fertilizer Values. 
A. L., Pine City , N. T .—For the past two years, I have been in¬ 
terested in the study of fertilizers by The R. N.-Y., also from the 
bulletin from the Geneva Experiment Station. Although I know 
but little about the subject yet, I think that little is worth more 
to me than all I have ever paid for The R. N.-Y. I had thought 
that the insoluble phosphoric acid in animal bone would, in time, 
become soluble, so that there would be no waste on clay land 
with a hardpan subsoil. Am I right or wrong? By figuring the 
total phosphoric acid, it costs, in bone, 3.7 cents per pound. I 
can purchase animal bone, in car lots, or could last March, at 
$25.40 per ton delivered. 
ANALYSIS. 
Ammonia. 3 to 4 per cent 
Soluble phosphoric acid.11 to 13 per cent 
Insoluble phosphoric acid.14 to 18 per cent 
Total phosphoric acid.25 to 28 per cent 
1 ton contains 60 pounds of ammonia at 11 >4 cents per pound.$ 6.90 
500 pounds of phosphoric acid at 3.7 per pound. 18.50 
Total.. $25.40 
Nitrogen in nitrate of soda costs 13 13-31 cents per pound. Potash 
in muriate costs 4.26 cents per pound. By this way of figuring, 
some brands of fertilizers are sold for more than double their 
value. Whether I am right or wrong with my figures, I think 
that I shall continue to mix my own fertilizer. 
Ans. —The phosphoric acid in bone will all become 
available in time. The fineness of the bone has 
much to with its availability, and your method does 
not take that into consideration. So far as commer¬ 
cial valuation is concerned, your method is approx¬ 
imately correct. Of course, this will not necessarily 
indicate the true agricultural value, but for merely 
comparing prices, this method is not far from right. 
The Geneva, New York, Station will soon issue a bul¬ 
letin in which the variation in cost of the different 
constituents in commercial fertilizers is considered. 
The station chemists find that nitrogen in mixed fer¬ 
tilizers varies, in its selling price, all the way from 
12 to over 40 cents a pound, while potash and phos¬ 
phoric acid also vary widely in the prices farmers are 
called upon to pay for them in the mixed goods. 
Value of Spent Tan Ashes. 
M. II. A., Sherrard, W. Va. —A tannery within six miles of my 
place, dries and burns the spent tan bark under the boilers to 
make steam. It makes nice ashes. What is its probable value 
as a fertilizer ? The only expense would be the hauling. The 
soil Is a sandy loam. 
Ans.—A good deal of the potash is leached out of 
the bark, but the ashes are well worth $3 a ton as a 
fertilizer, not considering the 600 pounds or more of 
lime they contain. We would certainly haul and use 
them. 
Crimson Clover and a Home Fertilizer. 
T. M. B., Center , N. I. —1. July last, I turned over sod and 
sowed Crimson clover; it came up nicely, covering the ground 
by fall, but only about four inches high. Would it pay me to sow 
next year with the same results, if it winter-kills ? What is con¬ 
sidered a fair growth ? 2. Would I get good results from a fer¬ 
tilizer containing 500 pounds of fine ground bone, 200 pounds of 
nitrate of soda, 400 pounds of muriate of potash, and filling 
enough to make a ton, I to dissolve the bone with sulphuric acid 
(I know how) the dissolved bone to be dried with 200 pounds of 
plaster ? What would the analysis of such a fertilizer be ? Could 
you give me a better fertilizer ? 
Ans. —1.—That Crimson clover was a success. We 
would as soon have it as 10 loads of stable manure. 
It made growth enough, and, if it live through the 
trying weather of March, you will be surprised to see 
how it will grow. Certainly, by all means, try the 
same thing next year. 2. It depends on what you 
want to use the fertilizer for. The 500 pounds of 
bone will give about 125 pounds of phosphoric acid 
and 18 pounds of nitrogen. The nitrate of soda will 
give 32 pounds of nitrogen, and the 400 pounds of 
muriate 200 pounds of potash. If you “ fill ” it with 
plaster or dry earth, you will have a fertilizer analyz¬ 
ing 23^ per cent of nitrogen, 6 of phosphoric acid and 
10 of potash. This would do reasonably well for 
fruits, though we would like to add 250 pounds of 
cotton-seed meal to give more organic nitrogen. On 
our soil, we would, also, use 100 pounds more of the 
bone or 200 of dissolved rock. We would not advise 
you to use acid on the bone. 
Basic Slag; Ashes with Acid Phosphate. 
IF. O., New Glasgow, N. S. —What is your opinion of basic slag 
or Thomas phosphate powder, and what should be the price ? It 
is sold here at $3.25 per bag of 225 pounds. It is Alberts’s highest 
grade, said to give 17 per cent phosphoric acid. I think that it 
must be better, at least safer than acid rock, as the lime in the 
slag would tend to sweeten the soil, while the rock would sour it. 
How long after using unleached wood ashes will it be safe to use 
Bowker’s or other high-grade fertilizer ? 
Ans. —We would not pay such a price for the basic 
slag. This substance is often called 11 iron phosphate.” 
It is a by-product in the manufacture of steel. Many 
iron ores contain considerable phosphorus. To get rid 
of this, the ore is melted and a quantity of lime put 
with it. This unites with the phosphoric acid to form 
phosphate of lime. This refuse also contains consid¬ 
erable iron. Chemically, the phosphate of lime in 
rock, basic slag and bone is much the same, but both 
of the latter are more soluble than the raw rock. 
Bone is the best form in which to supply phosphoric 
acid to most crops, because it is in a porous organic 
form, and cannot, possibly, sour the land. Basic slag 
has given good results, particularly on crops like 
grass and grain, and on moist soils. It is too expen¬ 
sive, however, at present prices. It ought to be sold 
at $15 or less per ton. We would not hesitate to 
apply wood ashes at any time within 10 days of using 
a superphosphate. It is true that the lime in the 
ashes will cause the soluble phosphoric acid to revert 
and take a less available form ; that is sure to occur 
anyway. The chances are that, if the lime is not 
present, a phosphate of iron or of something even less 
soluble, will be formed in the soil. We would not 
hesitate to use ashes or lime shortly after using acid 
phosphate. 
Wood Ashes and Clover in New England. 
IF. S. L., Farmingham, Mass. —I have about 12 acres of old pas¬ 
ture which bears but little grass. 1. If I should plow, p,pply wood 
ashes, and sow to Timothy and Red-top In September, what should 
be used to furnish nitrogen, and how much per ton of ashes ? 2. 
If instead, I turn it over this spring, and sow to corn and oats 
first, what should be used to fertilize these crops, if stable manure 
is not available? 3. About how much ashes should be used to 
nourish a crop of Crimson clover ? 4. Would the clover be likely 
to do well in this locality ? 
Ans. —1. A mixture of one part fine ground bone to 
two parts unleached wood ashes will do well as a seed¬ 
ing dressing. In the spring, you might use 200 pounds 
per acre of nitrate of soda. 2. Unless you are 
familiar with home mixing, we would advise you to 
use one of the standard brands of corn fertilizers— 
400 pounds or- moie per acre. 3. One ton of wood 
ashes is a small dressing. You can hardly use too 
much. 4. We cannot say. A good deal of land in 
New England is sour, and clover will not thrive on it 
until lime in some form is used. The wood ashes will 
be likely to “ bring it in.” 
Green Manuring Without Chemicals. 
T. F. K., Carmel, N. Y .—How can I get land into a good state 
of cultivation by plowing under some kind of green crops so that 
it will produce a good crop of grass, and not use any manure or 
fertilizer ? The soil is sandy and rather poor, but very good for 
grass, and always grows a good corn crop or grain of any kind. 
For some reason, it doesn’t hold manure long. It has to be plowed 
every two or three years, and reseeded. Would cow peas do to 
plow under ? 
Ans. —We would not undertake to get such a field 
into a profitable crop of grass without using fertilizers 
of some sort. On such poor land, we regard green 
manuring only as one part of a system. By using 
small quantities of potash and bone, you can, doubt¬ 
less, obtain a good stand of Canada field peas or even 
of Red clover if sowed alone in May. These crops 
can be turned under with the soil well worked above 
them, and then you can seed to grass with a fair 
chance of success. Without fertilizer of some sort, 
we do not think that you will even obtain a satisfac¬ 
tory grass yield. 
Lime on Tobacco Land. 
A. IF. F., South Deerfield, Mass .—Will using lime in spring have 
any bad effect on the following crops ? I wish to put lime on 
tobacco land if I can do so without harm to the plants in getting 
them started. I have used a good many lime ashes, and have 
usually used them in the fall after plowing; but we buy them 
by the ton, and they were so wet last fall that we would not take 
them. 
Ans. —It is a common practice in the Connecticut 
Valley to apply from 300 to 600 pounds of air-slaked 
lime with other tobacco fertilizers, a few weeks before 
planting, and such an application is perfectly safe for 
tobacco and, presumably, for any other crops. If 
lime is to be applied to grass land, it is better to do 
it quite early in the spring before the grass has started. 
