1913. 
THE RURAL, NEW-YORKER 
461 
“ STONEMEAL FERTILIZER.” 
We have received letters from the 
“Stonemeal Fertilizer Co.” and copies 
of their pamphlet. Readers have sent 
this literature, asking what we can say 
about “Stonemeal.” The company has 
rather insistently told us that it is our 
duty to obtain a ton of this Stonemeal 
and try it on general crops. This ma¬ 
terial is a rock found in Northern 
New Jersey, ground to a “meal” or 
powder with some land plaster added. 
As is usual in the introduction o/ a 
new fertilizing material the proprietors 
claim supreme value for it, and infer 
that the Experiment Station chemists 
either do not know or are afraid to 
tell the facts about it. 
In a newspaper statement furnished 
to us we find the following: 
It is claimed that potato bugs and soil 
worms cannot exist on soil treated with 
the fertilizer. Another claim made for the 
fertilizer is that it will not injure plant 
life, that such results as burning of the 
roots through excess of fertilizer will not 
result through an excess of the “Stone¬ 
meal” product. The action of Stonemeal 
on plants and soils is made active by sun¬ 
light and rain, though long-continued sun¬ 
light without rain will not have any ill 
effect on the plants through any action 
of the fertilizer, it is claimed. 
Prof. J. G. Lipman, director of the 
New Jersey Experiment Station, is one 
of the best soil chemists in the coun¬ 
try. This is what he says about 
“Stonemeal.” 
A Chemist’s Opinion. 
According to the analysis made here 
the Stonemeal offered for sale by the 
Stonemeal Fertilizer Co. is essentially 
ground silicate rock, to which some gyp¬ 
sum has been added. This material con¬ 
tains, according to our analysis, 1.73% of 
phosphoric acid and 4.13% of total potash. 
If the potash and phosphoric acid were 
available, the material might be worth 
as much as $4.50 per ton. It happens, 
however, that they are not available, 
and I doubt whether, at the most gen¬ 
erous estimate, as much as $3 per ton 
could be allowed for Stonemeal as a 
source of plant-food. I am willing to 
grant that the officers of the Stone¬ 
meal Fertilizer Co. are merely misin¬ 
formed as to the value of their 
product, and really believe that it is 
worth $20 per ton, the price they claim 
for it. The regular constituents con¬ 
tained in Stonemeal are present in all 
soils, and they lack effectiveness be¬ 
cause they are not available. For 
instance, in our soil survey of Sussex 
and Warren counties, N. J., we have 
collected hundreds of samples of soils 
and subsoils, and have analysed them. 
We find that these soils contain usually 
more than two per cent, of total pot¬ 
ash, and often as much as three per 
cent. One of the soils from Sussex 
County was found to contain five per 
cent, of potash, more than is present 
in Stonemeal. We also find that these 
soils contain .15 to .20 of one per 
cent, of phosphoric acid. In other 
words, even though these soils contain 
many thousands of pounds of potash 
and phosphoric acid, they respond to 
applications of small quantities of 
muriate of potash and acid phosphate, 
because these materials carry their 
plant food in available forms. 
It is quite evident to all persons who 
are not prejudiced, that the purchaser 
of Stonemeal will get little for .his 
money, and I regret, particularly, that 
the officers of the Stonemeal Fertilizer 
Co., in order to bolster up their cause, 
have found it necessary to say so 
many things about our experiment sta¬ 
tions that are not true. All men and 
women, who have kept in touch with 
the agricultural development of the 
United States, know that the agricuF 
tural institutions have done wonderful 
things for improving our soils, for in¬ 
creasing crop yields, for making spec¬ 
ialist farming, like fruit growing, poul¬ 
try keeping, cattle raising, floriculture 
and market gardening more profitable. 
Indeed, the yields per acre in the so- 
called older States of the Union, are 
above those in the States that are not 
as old. The soils of New England, 
and the soils of New Jersey, even 
though they have been cultivated for 
many years, produce more corn, more 
hay and more wheat per acre than the 
soils of Ohio, Indiana, or even Iowa 
or Illinois. The farmers of New Jer¬ 
sey have increased the yield of pota¬ 
toes per acre, by nearly 15 bushels the 
last 10 years. The potato growers of 
Maine are able to produce 250 and 300 
bushels of potatoes per acre, as are 
the progressive potato growers of our 
own State, largely because of the use 
of commercial fertilizer. The potato 
growers of Germany, Belgium and 
France produce large yields, thanks to 
their knowledge of the value of com¬ 
mercial ;fertilizers. Indeed, contrary 
to the statements made in the booklet 
of the Stonemeal Fertilizer Co., prog¬ 
ress in our knowledge of soil fertility 
has been based on the recognition that 
plant food, in order to be of direct 
service to plants, must he available. 
The claim that any ground rock, 
largely silicate in character, and no 
better than the corresponding ma¬ 
terials, already present in the soil, 
could serve as a source of plant-food, 
is contrary to the experience of pro¬ 
gressive farmers and contrary to the 
teachings of men whose opinions are 
authoritative. Jacob g. lipman. 
N. J. Experiment Station. 
Available Fertilizers Needed. 
We are sure that the great majority 
of our Eastern farmers who have 
studied the fertilizer question will 
agree with Dr. Lipman in this. There 
have been several cases before where 
parties have offered a powdered rock 
for sale, claiming great things for it. 
Chemists have analyzed it and found 
practically no available plant food in 
it. yet the proprietors fall back upon 
the statement that these chemists 
were ignorant or in the employ of 
some interested party. We have talked 
with the president of the Stonemeal 
Company. He seemed an honest man, 
thoroughly convinced that his product 
has superior value as a fertilizer. We 
spoke of the experiments made in 
treating ground potash rock with 
electricity in order to make the potash 
available, but he belittled that, claim¬ 
ing that his own process is superior. 
We cannot understand how grinding 
up rock can make potash more availa¬ 
ble than that already in the soil 
crushed and ground by nature. We 
think turnip seed cheaper than stone 
meal, for we feel sure that crops like 
rape and Cow-horn turnips can utilize 
some of this unavailable potash and 
leave it in the ground fit for other 
crops. We think the rule laid down 
by Dr. Lipman—to use available forms 
of plant food—is the safe one. Our 
chemists have given us standards for 
determining this availability which we 
think are fair and safe. 
New Seed on Old Sod. 
.7. W. R., E. Alstend, A. 77.—We have 
recently acquired *a hill farm on which the 
fields have not been turned up for many 
years: it cuts a fair crop of hay, but I 
wish to make more. I intend to till con¬ 
siderable of the land and seed this season 
but shall leave two of the most productive 
fields to give me the hay this year. The 
first of these fields cuts a good crop of 
Herd's grass, was seeded four years ago, 
but cuts no rowen. Can I scatter clover 
seed mixed with some commercial fertilizer 
on top of the grass sod this Spring and 
would this method give me a crop of clover 
for rowen this year? The second field has 
not been seeded for many years, but has 
a fair stand of Red-top and Timothy. Can 
I sow clover and Red-top or Timothy mixed 
on top of the sod without plowing this 
Spring and would I get enough more hay 
to pay me for nry trouble, or should you 
advise me to leave the fields as they are 
till I can get to them and seed in the 
right way? 
Ans.— We should use a high-grade 
fertilizer—mostly nitrogen—on these 
fields this Spring and not use the seed. 
We have not been able to get new seed 
to start on old sod in this way. The 
fertilizer will increase the yield of hay 
—after cutting break up the sod and 
kill it out and re-seed to grass somewhat 
after the “Clark” plan, which we have 
frequently described. 
YOUR Hay Crop 
can be put up quickly and cheaply and its 
valuable elements retained, if you use a 
JOHNSTON 
Massey-Harris Hay Loader 
Simple—easy to operate. Loads perfectly 
from the windrow. Always works, regardless 
of size or kind of crop. Teeth do not knock 
off tender leaves. No beating, threshing or 
blowing. Steel reinforced, substantially built. 
Will last a lifetime. 
“Certainly ! Buy a Johnston** 
Send TODAY for the 
JOHNS TON igij Catalog. 
It is full of valuable implement information. 
JOHNSTON HARVESTER CO. 
Box 100- -G Batavia, N. Y. 
Saves a Man and Team 
Operated 
by the man 
on the load. 
Operated with 
engine. 
Drum holds 
240 ft of rope. 
Ireland Hay Holst 
A powerful machine that saves time and labor in 
storing hay and in other hoisting. Used in con¬ 
nection with harpoon fork or sling. Attach it to 
your own engine. Works strongly and steadily. 
Safe and easy to operate. Under instant control. 
Pulley to suit your engine. Guaranteed as rep¬ 
resented. Write for circular and prices. 
IRELAND MACHINE & FOUNDRY CO., Inc. 
Box 14, Norwich, New York. 
Stewart Automatic Awl 
WILL MEND 
ANYTHING 
., STEWART-SKINNER CO. 
3f KEHMOM ST. WORCEMEa. MASS. 
QUICK SALE 
SECOND-HAND 
MOTOR CARS 
You Get First Choice of 
the Biggest Automobile 
Bargains of the Year 
Every Spring we hold a quick sale of our entire stock of second¬ 
hand cars—the one big, genuine bargain sale of the year. Prices 
are rock-bottom, and buyers get heaped-up value for little money. 
When we announce this sale in New York 
daily papers, New York people always rush in and 
get first pick of the big bargains. That’s hardly 
fair to people outside of New York. So, this year, 
we are giving you first chance. We shall not 
advertise this sale in New York dailies for two 
weeks: you know about it now. 
So, if you want a car of any kind or size, better 
see our stock at once and make your selection. You 
can select a car and, if you don’t need it right now, 
we’ll hold it for you until you are ready to 
use it. 
But don’t delay. If you can’t come to New 
York, write us. Say what sort of a car you want, 
how much horse-power and what seating capacity, 
and we will tell you what we have. 
We have cars of many makes and sizes—cars 
taken as part payment on 1913 Winton Sixes. 
Every car a bargain. Many of them have been 
thoroughly overhauled and repainted, and are as 
perfect as new cars costing twice as much. 
The reputation of the Winton Company for 
honesty and fair dealing is back of every car we 
sell. We are the oldest automobile manufacturing 
company in America, and any banker can tell you 
how responsible we are. You can count on a 
square deal every time you do business with us. 
Some of our very best customers are those whose 
first car was one of our second-hand bargains. We 
know that if you get one of these cars, we shall 
get a satisfied customer, and you will get a mighty 
good car at a mighty low price. 
Come in this week if you can. If you can’t come, 
write. We want you to have one of these splendid cars. 
The Winton Motor Car Company 
Manufacturer of Automobiles 
Broadway at 70th Street, New York 
