178 
THE USE OF RAW PHOSPHATE ROCK. 
M. F. M., McKee’8 Roche, Pa .—This Win¬ 
ter I am taking a course with a western 
correspondence school. They advise the use 
of 1,000 pounds of raw rock prosphate in 
connection with 40 tons of stable manure 
per acre, for truck crops. Is this advice 
good? Is it true, as they claim, that on 
clay soils, potash does not need to be ap¬ 
plied? Their system of maintaining fertil¬ 
ity is altogether different from the usual 
way, but is a great deal cheaper, and if it 
is as good I will follow it. 
Ans. —We advise Eastern farmers and 
gardeners to go slow in using raw phos¬ 
phate rock. As we have explained many 
times, this is simply the phosphate rock 
ground to a fine dust. Acid phosphate 
or “superphosphate” is made by mixing 
about equal weights of this ground 
rock dust and sulphuric acid. This 
“cuts” or dissolves the rock and makes 
the phosphoric acid available. Within 
the past 10 years a group of western sci¬ 
entists, led by Dr. C. G. Hopkins of Illi¬ 
nois, have advocated the use of raw 
rock dust in place of the “superphos¬ 
phate.” They claim that a pound of 
phosphoric acid in this raw form will 
cost perhaps one-third the price of the 
other form, and that it is less injurious 
to the soil. All admit that the ground 
rock must be acted upon chemically in 
some way before the crops can feed 
upon it, and all admit that sulphuric 
acid does this. As we understand them 
the raw rock men claim that nature’s 
chemical processes, in the manure pile, 
or in soil where organic matter decays, 
will make the rock slowly available and 
do the work of the powerful acid at 
much less cost. 
Without question the raw rock has 
given definite results on a good many 
western farms. These are usually grain 
farms or where live stock is kept, and 
the soil is naturally deep and fertile. 
There are, we think, very few records 
where thinner soil or garden crops have 
responded so well. We have not been 
satisfied that all the reported gain in 
these experiments was due to the phos¬ 
phoric acid in the rock, as we believe 
this material will have some effect in 
holding and saving nitrogen in the ma¬ 
nure. At any rate the raw rock has 
given results on many western soils and 
on some eastern farms. 
We advise experimenting before try¬ 
ing the plan entirely. The soil and the 
climate along the Atlantic are both very 
different from what farmers encounter 
in the Mississippi Valley. As a rule 
there is much less humus in our soils, 
and many of us have for 40 years come 
to depend on soluble chemicals. The 
seasons are shorter, and we are more 
likely to have frequent and severe 
droughts. This with the fact that our 
crops are more in the way of garden 
crops makes it necessary to have quick 
and active forms of plant food—quite 
different from cases where clover is the 
foundation crop which is to feed corn 
and wheat. As our eastern farmers de¬ 
velop Alfalfa and clover fully we be¬ 
lieve they will use the raw phosphate 
rock on these crops to advantage. These 
can use this rock to a considerable ex¬ 
tent and put it in form for other crops 
to utilize, but we think there will al¬ 
ways be a need for “superphosphates” 
or bone in addition on our eastern 
farms. We would not therefore advise 
this Pennsylvania gardener to depend 
on the raw rock alone. Experiment on 
part of a field or farm, but stick to the 
old plan until you prove the other bet¬ 
ter. Where lime is used as it ought to 
be there will be little danger of super¬ 
phosphate souring the land. 
As for clay soils and potash it is 
true that this class of soils is sup¬ 
posed to be strong in this element. It 
is not, however, the total amount of pot¬ 
ash that counts, but the quantity that is 
available. It does not follow that be¬ 
cause soil is clay we have complete evi¬ 
dence that no potash is required. Some 
limestone soils are greatly helped by 
an application of fine lime. The chances 
are that your clay soil does not need 
much potash, but if you have been using 
it in the past we should continue until 
fair testing proves that it is not needed. 
TfTiC RURAL NEW-YORKER 
February 10, 
Literature for a Farmer. 
.7. M. K., Kingebridgc, A*. Y .—Aly son 
will be graduated from college (not agri¬ 
cultural) next June. He has shown some 
good business points, and as he desires to 
enter business rather than the professions, 
I have concluded to let him try it. lie is 
very fond of country life, so I am going 
to turn the farm over to him and he is 
going to begin with chickens and turkeys, 
ultimately to extend into other lines, and 
try to work directly with the consumer. 
I shall be obliged to you for any sugges¬ 
tions you can give us as to books to read 
ahead, and some of the best agricultural 
stations to get in touch with. 
Ans. —We make a broader list of 
books than this young man will care for. 
As a college graduate no doubt he is 
familiar with some of the following: 
The Soil, Prof. F. H. King..$1.50 
Business Farm Management, Prof. F. 
W. Card . 2.00 
Agriculture, Prof. T. II. Storer. 5.00 
Farmers of 40 Centuries, F. II. King.. 2.50 
Principles of Agriculture, Bailey. 1.50 
Fertilizers, Voorhees.I. 1.25 
Types and Breeds of Farm Animals, 
Plumb . 2.00 
Principles of Breeding, Davenport.... 2.50 
Milk and Its Products. Wing. 1.50 
Feeds and Feeding, Henry. 2.25 
Principles of Fruit Growing, Bailey... 1.50 
In addition to these there are three 
classic nature books that are not only 
instructive but delightful to read, be¬ 
cause of the evident interest of the 
writer in his work and the charming 
style in which they are written. They 
are now supplied in a serviceable edition 
at 35 cents each. “The Voyage of the 
Beagle,” by Charles Darwin. “The 
Glaciers of the Alps,” by Prof. John 
Tyndall. For adventure in its most in¬ 
teresting and heroic forms this beats 
anything we know. “The Old Red 
Sandstone,” by Hugh Miller. This is a 
little harder reading than the other two, 
but interesting when one really gets 
started at it. To these might be added 
two others somewhat religious and 
philosophical in tone. “The Travels of 
Mungo Park in Central Africa,” and 
“Religio Medici,” by Sir Thomas 
Browne. 
Be Your Own Boss— 
Make Money 
Y OU know the boss always gets 
the most money, no matter in what 
business he may be engaged. He 
draws larger wages than the men under 
him because his services are considered 
more valuable. If you are being bossed 
by some one here is your chance to re¬ 
verse the tables and be you own boss. 
With small financial outlay you can get a 
steam or gasoline power BUCKEYE TRAC¬ 
TION DITCHER and go into the contracting 
business. You can make from $15 to $18 a 
day digging ditches by contract for farmers in 
your territory without much effort. 
You ought to be able to earn $2500 
next year with a BUCKEYE DITCHER 
Farmers now demand machine - made 
ditches because they are from 25 to 50 per 
cent, cheaper than hand-made ditches. They 
all are of uniform depth and are perfect in 
every way. 
Yourself and a boy can operate a BUCK¬ 
EYE TRACTION DITCHER in sunshine 
or rain. 
Write to-day for catalogue No. 3, which 
explains the money-making possibilities of 
these machines. 
THE BUCKEYE TRACTION DITCHER CO. 
FINDLAY, OHIO 
Sherwin-Williams 
Paints 6-Varnishes 
FOR THE FARM 
Sherwin -Williams Paint (Prepared)(S W P), is made 
for painting buildings outside and inside. S WPil 
made of pure lead, pure zinc, pure linseed oil and the 
necessary coloring pigment and driers, thoroughly 
mixed and ground by special machinery and put up 
in sealed cans, full U. S. Standard measure. S W P 
will cover the greatest possible amount of surface and 
will last for the longest time. There is economy in 
using good paint. 
Sold by dealers everywhere. Ask for color cards 
Address all Inquiries to The Sherwin-Williams Co., 635Canal Road, N. W., Cleveland, Ohio 
SEA GREEN AND PURPLE SLATE 
13 nature’s own product—not man made. Quarried from solid rock—split into 
convenient form for laying, and then in its natural state ready for the roof 
SOLID ROCK CANNOT WEAR OUT -It can’t burn, rust, 
warp, crack, tear, or decay. That’s why Sea Green or Purple Slate Roofs 
never wear out and never require painting and repairing like all other roofing. 
Sea Green or Purple Slate Roofs are suitable for any building, new or old. 
Give perfect protection. Reduce insurance rates because spark and fire-proof! 
Afford clean cistern water. Not affected by heat or cold. First cost—only a 
trifle more than short lived roofing. Settle your roof question for all time. 
Don’t spend more money for poor roofing. Write to us for our free hook 
“ROOFS” —it will save you money. Give name of your local roofer. Write today. 
AMERICAN SEA GREEN SLATE CO. 
Box, iio Granville, N. Y. 
m 
it 
O' 
MORE DISKINGTBrGGER CROPS 
Experience and science have multiplied the value ^ 
and uses of the disk harrow. Progressive farmers 
have learned the value of thorough disking, ana its 
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For a disk harrow that will stand the hard work of its 
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Send today for free catalog 
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JOHNSTON 
HARVESTER 
COMPANY 
Box 100-F 
Batavia, 
N.Y. 
' Two million workers the 
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Box 1107V 
Philadelphia Pa 
1912 Pratt-Forty 
Fourth Successful Year 
Backed by 39 Years’ Manufacturing Experience 
Guaranteed for one year. Self-Starter, 120-inch Wheel Base, Unit 
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There are many localities where we have no agent, and if you 
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ELKHART CARRIAGE & HARNESS MFG. CO. 
Elkhart, Indiana 
40 
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power 
