GEXEHAL AC* HI Cl' LTV RE AND CLIMATE. 
71 
DISTRIBUTION OF LIME, COMMERCIAL FERTILIZER AND MANURE.’ 
Phosphate or other fertilizers or lime should be uniformly 
distributed. Ground limestone is applied at the rate of from 
2.000 to 4.000 pounds or more an acre, while with phosphates 
and other fertilizers the amount applied for staple crops is 
usually from 75 to 400 pounds. It is difficult to construct a 
machine which will satisfactorily distribute both fertilizer and 
»/ 
limestone, although excellent machines are on the market for 
distributing each separately. The fertilizer distributor may 
be a part of a grain drill or a separate machine. The ma¬ 
chine for distributing ground limestone should be provided 
with a double agitator so as to secure continuous feeding. 
End gate seeders which will distribute proper amounts of 
either fertilizer or ground limestone fairly well are available. 
When a fertilizer distributor is not available the acid phos¬ 
phate or other fertilizer may be spread evenly over the manure 
in the manure spreader, and so receive a very fair distribution. 
This method will give very good results until such time as a 
grain drill with fertilizer attachment can be purchased. The 
amount to be applied on each spreader load must be calculated 
so the right amount per acre will be applied. An old drill or 
seeder may also be used to distribute the fertilizer going ahead 
of the grain drill. 
The care and use of the manure produced is an important 
factor in the management of dairy and stock farms. The chief 
advantage of these types of farming is that the proper use of 
the manure or other waste products makes it possible to main¬ 
tain profitable yields with comparatively little purchased fer¬ 
tilizer. But it is only when intelligent care is taken that this 
result is possible. Much of the available plant food in manure 
is readily soluble in water, so that if the manure is exposed 
to the rain in fiat or shallow piles, a considerable part of its 
value is lost. This affects nitrogen and potash especially. It is 
important also to recognize that a large portion of this element 
is in the liquid part of the manure and that it is necessary, 
therefore, to use bedding or absorbents freely to prevent a con¬ 
siderable loss. This is particularly true of potash, about 60 per 
cent of which is contained in the liquid manure. 
♦For detailed information on the use of commercial fertilizers see 
bulletins of the Wisconsin Experiment Station. 
