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FeirftnEn 
 
 Their Nature 
 and Use 
 
 V7. r ''( 
 
 BY 
 
 B. LESLIE EMSLIE 
 
 F.C.S.; P.?tS.I., C;D.H. (Glas, 
 
 Reprinted by Permission of 
 " the; FSilMER'S ADVOCATE 
 
AIITIIIFECIIAL 
 FEETHLEEIEE; 
 
 TBiKsnir mmtm^i 
 ami Os© 
 
 (SECOND edition) 
 
 By 
 
 B.LESLIE EMSLIE, F.C.S.,P.A.S.L,C.D.A.(Glas.) 
 
 A series of articles which appeared in the columns 
 
 of " The Farmer's Advocate " during 
 
 February eind March, 
 
 1908 
 
 To which is appended an article by the same author, on 
 METHODS of HOME-MIXING and APPLY- 
 ING FERTILIZERS from "The Farmer's 
 Advocate" of 17th March, 1910. 
 
 Reprinted by permission of 
 " THE FARMER'S ADVOCATE " 
 
 LONDON, ONTARIO 
 
Artificial Fertilizers: 
 Their Nature and Use 
 
 Introduction to the 
 Second Edition 
 
 THE first edition of ''Artificial Fertilizers: Their 
 Nature and Use," which originally appeared 
 as a series of articles in the columns of "The 
 Farmers' Advocate" in the spring of 1908, met with 
 such acceptance as a simple and comprehensive 
 treatise on the use of commercial fertilizers, that 
 it was decided to issue a second edition, substantiated 
 with an additional article on "Methods of Home- 
 Mixing and Applying Artificial Fertilizers" from 
 "The Farmers' Advocate" of the 17th March, 1910. 
 The inclusion of the latter article in this edition 
 enhances its value, making it a more complete guide 
 to the use of fertilizers, as the methods of mixing 
 and applying these are treated in considerable detail. 
 
 Since the publication of the first edition, two years 
 ago, some progress has been made in the field of 
 fertilizer chemistry, especially in that branch of the 
 science which deals with the Nitrogen problem. 
 
 The chief source of Nitrogen at the present time 
 is Nitrate of Soda which is obtained from saline 
 deposits on the Chilian coast in South America, but 
 these deposits may not always suffice to supply the 
 growing demand for the material. Partly for this 
 reason, but chiefly because Nitrogen is by far the 
 most expensive fertilizer ingredient, many prominent 
 chemists have applied themselves to devising other 
 
means of supplying this important element. We know 
 that the atmosphere surrounding us contains, besides 
 oxygen and traces of other gases, about 78% of free 
 Nitrogen, which, however, is only available to one 
 order of plants, the Legumes, to which belong Clover, 
 Alfalfa, Beans, Peas and Vetches. It has lately been 
 claimed that other plants besides the Legumes can 
 assimilate the free Nitrogen of the atmosphere. While 
 some may do so to a very small extent, we have no 
 proof that they can abstract appreciable quantities. 
 European chemists, therefore, directed their attention 
 to the air supply of Nitrogen, and by an electrical 
 process induced the atmospheric Nitrogen to combine 
 with Lime and Carbon to form a Cyanamid of Lime, 
 known also as ''Lime Nitrogen" or ''Kalk-Stickstoff." 
 This substance is discussed in another part of the 
 book. Within the last two years another electrical 
 process for extracting atmospheric Nitrogen was de- 
 vised by Berkeland in Norway, the product being 
 Nitrate of Lime, containing 13% of Nitrogen. This 
 substance is now being manufactured on a commercial 
 scale, and in experiments, conducted at Rothamsted 
 and elsewhere, has proved equal in value to Nitrate 
 of Soda as a source of Nitrogen. As the latter, how- 
 ever, contains about 15%% of Nitrogen, as against 
 13% in the Nitrate of Lime, it would require 120 
 lbs. Nitrate of Lime to equal 100 lbs. Nitrate of Soda. 
 The new fertilizer is not yet on our market and 
 therefore need not at present receive further con- 
 sideration here. 
 
 The Articles which comprised the first Edition of 
 this book remain unaltered in the present, as no 
 change was considered necessary, except in amplify- 
 ing the contents by the appended article on mixing 
 and applying fertilizers. 
 
 Without further comment, therefore, we submit the 
 second edition to the reader in the hope that it will 
 prove a simple and reliable guide to the proper 
 understanding of the fundamental principles and 
 application of Commercial Fertilizers. 
 
 B. L. E. 
 
ARTIFICIAL FERTILIZERS : 
 
 THEIR NATURE AND USE 
 
 Article No. I. 
 
 The question as to whether it pays to use artificial 
 fertilizers in Canada is being answered in very tan- 
 gible form by the rapid increase in their consumption 
 of late years, and there can be no doubt that this rate 
 of increase will be more than maintained for years to 
 come. The use of fertilizers in Canada has been per- 
 manently adopted, ju^ as some 50 years ago in 
 Europe and 25 years ago in the United States, arti- 
 ficial fertilizers came to stay, despite the fact thax 
 then, as now, many otherwise apparently reasonable 
 and intelligent men condemned their use. But then, 
 nothing of universal importance was ever introduced 
 without receiving severe and adverse criticism; no 
 measure for the advancement of the welfare of any 
 community was ever adopted without it, so it is not 
 to be expected that anything affecting the prosperity 
 of the large agricultural populace of any land will be 
 allowed to go unchallenged. 
 
 CAUSES OF PREJUDICE. 
 
 The prejudice which some may entertain against 
 artificial fertilizers has, in many cases, arisen through 
 failure to obtain the desired results from their use, 
 which failure is, in the majority of cases, due to an 
 insufficient knowledge of the nature and functions of 
 the various fertilizing ingredients. It is essential that 
 the farmer know something of what constitutes the 
 fertility of a soil in order to properly understand the 
 use of artificial fertilizers. 
 
 That there may be other causes of prejudice 
 suggests to my mind an incident, related in a well- 
 
known book in my "mither tongue," of two farmers 
 going to kirk one Sabbath morning, and, taking a 
 "short-cut" through a neighbor's farm, discovered 
 some ' ' manure in bags, ' ' which their neighbor had got 
 to apply to his turnip land. Never having seen 
 "Gruano" before, they became deeply interested, and 
 closely examined the wonderful stuff. One of them, 
 surnamed Peter, not anticipating the consequences of 
 his rash act, placed a handful of the Guano in his 
 pocket for future reference, and the two hurried off 
 to church, where they arrived rather late, and took 
 their places beside their respective spouses, who had 
 arrived some time previously in a wheeled con- 
 veyance. 
 
 Now, Guano, unlike the more popular concen- 
 trated fertilizers of to-day, has a very strong and 
 decided odor, and the sample in Peter's pocket, being 
 true to kind, emitted a stench which pervaded the 
 whole building, seriously interrupting the attempt at 
 devotion on the part of the worshippers. 
 
 Peter's better half, being ready at any time to lay 
 blame on her husband for any misfortune, of which 
 he was, of course, not always guilty, was not kept long 
 in doubt as to the origin of the disturbance, and, on 
 arriving home, her righteous indignation had full 
 sway in the most awful curtain lecture which Peter 
 ever endured. 
 
 As Mrs. Peter held the purse-strings, it is unlikely 
 that her spouse ever summoned up courage enough 
 to suggest the purchase of some Guano for the farm, 
 and, to those without "inside information," he would 
 naturally have been known as "prejudiced." 
 
 "Well, as already mentioned, in order to use fer- 
 tilizers intelligently, one must have some knowledge 
 of what constitutes the fertility of a soil. 
 
 THE ELEMENTS OF FERTILITY. 
 
 Now, the farmer's object is to make his soil grow 
 plants of various kinds, and the substances entering 
 into the composition of the plant will indicate approxi- 
 
mately what substances must be present in a ''fer- 
 tile" soil. If we take any living plant and reduce it 
 to its elements, we find only a small range of sub- 
 stances. Water forms the greatest portion of the 
 plant; the rest is almost wholly composed of 
 compounds of carbon, with hydrogen and oxygen. 
 
 Nitrogen constitutes, on an average, about 2 per 
 cent of the dry matter; the others, which are found 
 in the ash when the plant is burnt, make up a further 
 2 per cent. 
 
 The ash constituents comprise potassium, sodium, 
 calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, sulphur, silicon, 
 chlorine, and a little iron and manganese. Traces 
 of other substances occasionally occur in the ash of 
 plants growing on soils which happen to contain them, 
 but they are not essential. 
 
 Carbon is the chief element in the plant's com- 
 position, and this, is obtained from the carbonic-acid 
 gas in the atmosphere by means of specialized cells in 
 the leaves of the plants. Wdth the exception of nitro- 
 gen, potassium (or potash), phosphorus (or phos- 
 phoric acid) and calcium (or lime), the average soil 
 contains sufficient amounts of plant-food substances 
 for crop requirements. * 
 
 The four essentials mentioned, however, of which 
 the soil becomes depleted in the ordinary process of 
 cropping, must be returned to the soil in some form 
 if the fertility of that soil is to be maintained. The 
 value of a fertilizer, therefore, must be assessed on the 
 amounts of nitrogen, phosphoric acid, potash, and (in 
 some cases, also) lime, which it contains. 
 
 Here it may be mentioned that lime is only in a 
 very small measure a direct plant food, its chief 
 virtue lying in the fact that it has a beneficial influ- 
 ence in counteracting the harmful effect of an excess 
 of vegetable acids in the soil, and also to some extent 
 in liberating plant-food substances. 
 
 Every pound of butter, every bushel of grain, 
 every hundredweight of beef, pork or mutton, and 
 every ton of hay, sold off the farm removes so much 
 
fertilizing material, and, unless the latter be returned 
 to the soil in some form, the soil will ultimately become 
 exhausted and barren. 
 
 COMPOSITION OF STABLE MANURE. 
 
 In ordinary farm practice, the stable manure pro- 
 duced on the farm is applied to the soil, and by this 
 means some fertilizing material is restored. One ton 
 of stable manure may contain, on an average, 12 
 pounds nitrogen, 12 pounds potash, and 7 pounds 
 phosphoric acid, or as much nitrogen as is contained 
 in 75 pounds of nitrate of soda, as much potash as is 
 contained in 24 pounds of muriate of potash, and as 
 much phosphoric acid as is contained in 40 pounds 
 acid phosphate. Since the most valuable part of the 
 fertilizing ingredients of the manure is in the liquid 
 portion, great loss is certain to occur through leaching, 
 so tha4: in the end the stable manure contains a small 
 percentage indeed of fertilizing matter. 
 
 Perhaps the greatest value of stable manure lies in 
 its physical action, whereby a stiff clay soil is rendered 
 more open and porous, and a light, sandy soil is bound 
 together thereby, and made more retentive of mois- 
 ture. Besides this action farmyard mianure provide.? 
 the soil with humus, and furnishes a feeding- ground 
 for the valuable bacteria. 
 
 SPECIAL DEMANDS OF CERTAIN CROPS. 
 
 Some people may contend that, where a large 
 supply of farmyard manure is available, it is unneces- 
 sary to apply artificial fertilizers, but this argument 
 doesn't always apply. Take, for example, the turnip 
 crop, the success of which depends so much on a large, 
 readily-available supply of phosphoric acid; to apply 
 the required quantity of farmyard manure, supplying 
 the necessary amount of phosphoric acid, would incur 
 a great waste of nitrogen, the latter ingredient being 
 much in excess of the needs of the crop. It is quite 
 evident, then, that the most economical practice will 
 
be to apply a light dressing of stable niianure, balanc- 
 ing the same with some artificial fertilizer containing 
 phosphoric acid and potash, and the extra stable 
 manure conld be profitably applied on another part of 
 the farm. 
 
 ONE ELEMENT CANNOT SUBSTITUTE 
 ANOTHER. 
 
 The most important fact for the farmer to know 
 and remember in connection Avith artificial fertilizers 
 is, that one ingredient cannot replace another, and to 
 ignorance of this fact is due almost all cases of failure 
 to get profitable returns. 
 
 To many farmers in Canada to-day, all fertilizers, 
 be they nitrogenous, phosphatic or potassic, are simply 
 known as "phosphates," for the reason that phos- 
 phatic fertilizers were the first intToduced, just as in 
 Scotland any kind of fertilizer was known as 
 ''Guano," because the latter was one of the first 
 forms of commercial fertilizer which came into use 
 there. 
 
 Bear in mind Liebig's ''Law of Minimum," viz., 
 "The substance in minimum rules the crop," which 
 means that the plant-food substance present in the 
 soil in smallest quantity will determine the amount 
 of crop which can be grown on that soil. For in- 
 stance, if the soil be deficient in either one of the three 
 essentials (nitrogen, potash, or phosphoric acid), then, 
 no maitter how much of the other two ingredients 
 were applied, maximum yields could not be obtained, 
 since this is only possible when the plant's appetite 
 for each essential has been satisfied.' Another way of 
 expressing the above-mentioned law is, "The strength 
 of a chain is that of its weakest link." 
 
 If a farmer wishes to fatten a bullock, he does not 
 reason thus: "Well, straw is cheap, and water doesn't 
 cost anything; I'll give the bullock all the straw he 
 can eat and all the water he can drink until he is fat." 
 No, the feeder knows that straw and water do not 
 
contain all tbe essential elements reqnired to fatten 
 a bullock; although straw or hay is a valuable part 
 of the diet, he knows that other materials are neces- 
 sary in order to produce a fat bullock. Then, why 
 does not he exercise the same judgment in the case 
 of his plants, for the same law holds good in both the 
 plant and animial kingdom? 
 
 Asi one kind of animal differs from an'other in 
 respect to its requirements and uses of the different 
 elements of nutrition, so one kind of plant differs 
 from another in its demands upon the various ferti- 
 lizer ingredients in the soil. The benefits of a crop 
 rotation are due to the fact that different crops have 
 different requirements, e.g., a crop of clover will 
 chiefly depend on its available siupply of phosphoric 
 acid and potash, but has no difficulty in obtaining its 
 nitrogen, since the clover belongs to an order of plants 
 (Leguminos^e) w^hich can assimilate the free nitrogen 
 of the atmosphere with the aid of certain bacteria 
 living in little nodules on their roots. 
 
 Clover, then, not only secures all the nitrogen 
 necessary for its own growth, but leaves in the soil, 
 in the remains of its deeply-ramifying roots, a valu- 
 able stock of organic nitrogen for the next crop. 
 
 Now, wheat is a crop which greatly depends for 
 its success on a large supply of nitrogen, so the clover 
 crop is obviously a desirable predecessor for wheat. 
 
 Turnips seem to have most difficulty in getting 
 their phosphoric acid, and, therefore, respond readily 
 to an application of phosphoric acid in an easily- 
 available form, such as acid phosphate (superphos- 
 phate). 
 
 Of course, some nitrogen and potash ought, also, 
 as a rule, to be applied, but phosphoric acid is the 
 dominant ingredient in a fertilizer for turnips. Potash 
 is an important ingredient of a fertilizer for all crops, 
 especially for clover, peas, beans and root crops, and 
 is the dominant essential in a fertilizer for potatoes, 
 tobaccos, etc. 
 
 10 
 
SPECIAL NEEDS OF VARIOUS SOILS. 
 
 The cliaracter of the soil is a very important factor 
 ill determining the proportions of nitrogen, potash 
 and phosphoric acid which a fertilizer intended for 
 application to a certain crop on that soil shall contain. 
 
 A light, sandy soil will naturally be poor in all 
 elements of fertility, and especially poor in potash. 
 On the other hand, a clay soil wdll be naturally com- 
 paratively rich in potash, although the latter is fre- 
 quently largely present in unavailable forms. 
 
 A peaty or swampy soil will be rich in nitrogen and 
 poor in potash, lime and phosphoric acid. On such 
 soils, basic slag, as a source of phosphoric acid, in 
 conjunction with a potash fertilizer, has given very 
 good results, on account of the free lime which the 
 slag contains destroying the harmful effect of the 
 vegetable acids naturally present in such soils. 
 
 SUMMARY. 
 
 If the reader has been able to follow these reason- 
 ings clearly, he will -know^ : 
 
 That plants, as well as animals, recjuire a variety 
 of substances for their proper nourishment and 
 growth. 
 
 That the ordinary soil contains a sufficiency of 
 these for crop requirements, except nitrogen, potash, 
 phosphoric acid and lime, of which the soil becomes 
 depleted in the ordinary process of cropping. 
 
 That these substances are not interchangeable ; one 
 ingredient cannot replace another, but a complete 
 fertilizer must contain proportions of all th? 
 essentials. 
 
 That the value of an artificial fertilizer^ therefore, 
 depends on the amounts of these substances which 
 it contains. 
 
 That different kinds of crops have different re- 
 quirements in respect to nitrogen, phosphoric acid, 
 potash and lime, and that the various classes of soil 
 differ in the amounts of these substances entering into 
 their composition. 
 
 11 
 
Article No. II. 
 
 In the previous article the writer endeavored to 
 explain the fundamental principles of fertilizing:, and 
 in the present proposes to discuss the sources of the 
 essential manurial ingredients, nitrogen, potash, phos- 
 phoric acid and lime. 
 
 FERTILIZERS EMPLOYED AS A SOURCE OF 
 
 NITROGEN. 
 
 Nitrogen is the most expensive element in a fer- 
 tilizer, and one of the most useful. The atmosphere 
 contains about 78 per cent, of nitrogen, 21 per cent, 
 of oxygen, a, very small quantity of carbonic-acid gas 
 (COo), and traces of other gaseous substamces. 
 
 We have already seen that plants derive their 
 supply of carbon from the oarbonic-acid gas of the 
 atmosphere, but the power of assimilating the valu- 
 able nitrogen, existing there in such abundant volume, 
 seems to be limited to one special class of plants, 
 known as Leguminosai, including the clovers, peas, 
 beans, alfalfa, etc. 
 
 It will be readily seen that a knowledge of this 
 fact, viz., that there is at least one class of plant which 
 can avail itself of the atmospheric nitrogen, is of 
 paramount importauice to the farmer. Its importance 
 prohibits here the discussion which it merits, so we 
 shall leave it till later on. 
 
 NITRATE OF SODA. 
 
 (contains 15% to 16 per cent, nitrogen). 
 
 This is probably the best known and most popular 
 source of nitrogen amongst farmers in Canada. 
 
 Its origin is the extensive deposits of crude nitrate 
 of soda discovered in the rainless districts on the west 
 coast of South America. 
 
 12 
 
Since all nitrogenous compounds must first be con- 
 verted into nitrates before being assimilated by plants, 
 nitrate of soda contains its nitrogen in an easily assim- 
 ilable form, and is, therefore, quick in action. 
 
 Owing to this fact, it almost invariably gives best 
 results when applied in two or more applications, the 
 first being given at the commencement of growth, and 
 the succeeding ones at intervals of from two to three 
 weebs. 
 
 This method not only provides the plants with 
 a more regular supply of available nitrogen, but also 
 prevents loss of this valuable substance by drainage, 
 since nitrate nitrogen, unlike potash and phosphoric 
 acid, is not firmly retained in the soil. 
 
 SULPHATE OF AMMONIA. 
 
 (contains about 20 per cent, nitrogen.) 
 
 The origin or source of this material is coal, which 
 contains 1% to 2 per cent, of nitrogen. It is chiefly 
 a by-product of gas works. It is slower in its action 
 than nitrate of soda, since, in order to render the 
 ammonia available to plants, it must first be converted 
 into a nitrate, which process is performed by certain 
 soil bacteria. 
 
 In a moist climate or in a wet season, sulphate of 
 ammonia is often preferable to nitrate of soda. 
 
 LIME NITROGEN (Kalkstickstoff) 
 
 (contains about 22 per cent, nitrogen). 
 
 This new nitrogenous fertilizer is produced by 
 combining the free nitrogen of the atmosphere with 
 lime and carbon, by a process devised by Prof. Frank, 
 Berlin, Germany. 
 
 The principle is this: Air is conducted over 
 heated copper filings; the copper forms a compound 
 with the oxygen of the air, and the nitrogen passes 
 
 13 
 
on into an electric furnace containing lime and car- 
 bonaceous matters, when, at the high temperature, 
 the nitrogen is induced to combine with the lime and 
 carbon, to form the substance, known in Germany as 
 "Kalkstickstoff." 
 
 In view of the possible exhaustion of the nitrate of 
 soda deposits (which some claim to foresee) and the 
 very limited production of sulphate of ammonia, 
 kalkstickstoff may yet become of great commercial im- 
 portance. It has, however, certain undesirable qual- 
 ities not possessed by either nitrate of soda or sulphate 
 of ammonia; and here the writer can speak from ex- 
 perience, having conducted experiments in Germany 
 to test the efficacy of the new nitrogenous manure in 
 comparison with nitrate of soda and sulphate of 
 ammonia : 
 
 1. Kalkstickstoff is an exceedingly fine black pow- 
 der, which character renders it difficult of application. 
 
 2. If mixed with other fertilizers, such as acid 
 phosphate, the mixture rapidly generates a great heat 
 and gases are given off, some nitrogen being lost as 
 ammonia and oxides of nitrogen. 
 
 3. In storing, it must be very carefully protected 
 from moisture for the above reason. 
 
 4. Being at first rather poisonous to plants, kalk- 
 stickstoff is totally unsuited for application to a grow- 
 ing crop, and should always be applied to the land at 
 least two weeks before seeding. 
 
 If these precautions are observed, kalkstickstoff 
 may give resiults equal to nitrate of soda and sulphate 
 of ammonia on most crops: and soils. 
 
 Some of the slower acting sources of nitrogen are . 
 
 RED DRIED BLOOD (containing 13 to 14 per 
 cent, nitrogen). 
 
 BLACK DRIED BLOOD (containing 6 to 12 
 per cent, nitrogen). 
 
 HOOF MEAL (containing 12 per cent, nitrogen). 
 
 TANKAGE (containing 4 to 9 per cent, nitrogen). 
 
 14 
 
CONCENTRATED TANKAGE (containing 10 
 to 12 per cent, nitrogen). 
 
 The above are all produced from slangliter-house 
 refuse. As will be seen, the lower grades of these 
 substances, viz.. Black Dried Blood and Tankage 
 (ordinary) are very variable in composition. They 
 also contain varying percentages of phosphoric acid. 
 
 There are numerous other sources of nitrogen, such 
 as the various fish manures, some of which are valu- 
 able, if they do not contain too much oil, which is 
 detrimental to the soil, as it hinders decomposition. 
 
 Then there are others, such as leather meal, wool 
 and hair waste, and horn meal. The nitrogen in 
 these is, however, so slowly available that their value 
 as fertilizers is small. 
 
 It is none the less necessary, however, that the 
 farmer should know of these sources of nitrogen, as 
 they are largely used in fertilizer mixtures, for, as 
 already mentioned, nitrogen is the most expensive 
 ingredient in a fertilizer, and it is a great temptation 
 to the less scrupulous fertilizer manufacturer to get 
 his nitrogen fromi the cheapest source, and in a mix- 
 ture it is difficult for a farmer to detect the various 
 substances of which that mixture is composed. 
 
 FERTILIZERS EMPLOYED AS A SOURCE OF 
 
 POTASH. 
 
 KAINIT (contains 12^ per cent, pure potash). 
 
 POTASH MANURE SALT (contains 20 percent, 
 pure potash). 
 
 MURIATE OF POTASH (contains 50 per cent, 
 pure potash). 
 
 SULPHATE OP POTASH (contains 50 per cent, 
 pure potash). 
 
 SULPHATE OF POTASH-MAGNESIA (con- 
 tains 26 per cent, pure potash). 
 
 All these have their origin in the Stassfurt Potash 
 Mines in Germany. 
 
 15 
 
The Kainit is a crude potash salt, very largely 
 ased as a fertilizer in Europe, but, on account of its 
 low potash content and high cost of transport, is less 
 extensively used in Canada, the concentrated salts, 
 Sulphate of Potash and Muriate of Potash, being pre- 
 ferred. Muriate of Potash finds the largest sale, 
 being rather cheaper than the sulphate, but, for 
 tobacco, potatoes and sugar beets, Sulphate of Potash 
 ought to be used, the chlorine content of the muriate 
 sometimes having a detrimental effect on the quality 
 of these crops. Especially is this true in the case of 
 the tobacco crop, since the best-burning leaf is associ- 
 ated with a large percentage of potash and small 
 chlorine content. 
 
 WOOD ASHES are largely used in some parts of 
 Canada as a source of potash, but the total potash 
 content is so small (about 5 per cent, on an average) 
 and so variable that it is difficult to tell what one is 
 purchasing. 
 
 The form in which the potash of wood ashes exists, 
 viz., carbonate of potash, is very suitable, as in this 
 form it is readily available to the plant. Some claim 
 that wood ashes are apt to produce "scab" on 
 potatoes, but as to the reliability of this assertion the 
 writer canont vouch. 
 
 In extensive experiments conducted some j^ears 
 ago at Toldo, Japan, kaindt, in every case, gave larger 
 and more profitable returns than wood ashes 
 
 IG 
 
Article No. III. 
 
 FERTILIZERS USED AS SOURCES OF PHOS- 
 PHORIC ACID. 
 
 BONES. — The virtue of bones for manurial pur- 
 poses was known to the Romans, so that they are one 
 of the very oldest phosphatic fertilizers. Though no 
 longer the only source of phosphoric acid, bones are 
 still a very important factor in the fertilizer trade. 
 They are sold chiefly in three forms: (1) After treat- 
 ment with acid; (2) in the raw, ground-up condition, 
 only the fat having been removed, as bone meal; and 
 (3) after they have been degelatinized and the greater 
 part of the nitrogen removed, as steamed bone flour. 
 
 BONE MEAL contains about 22 per cent, of phos- 
 phoric acid and 4 per cent, of nitrogen. This is a 
 rather slow-acting form of phosphoric fertilizer, espe- 
 cially if the particles are large. Being an organic 
 substance, its decomposition is facilitated by bacteria. 
 but the process is necessarily slow. 
 
 STEAMED BONE FLOUR contains 28 to 30 per 
 cent, phosphoric acid, and IJ to If per cent, nitrogen. 
 This is a more useful form of phosphatic fertilizer 
 than pure raw bone, since, in the steaming process, 
 besides losing the fat (which is detrimental), it is 
 reduced to a fine state of division, thus presenting a 
 larger surface to bacteria and other agents of decom- 
 position in the soil. 
 
 BONE BLACK.— Contains 32 to 36 per cent, 
 phosphoric acid. 
 
 BONE ASH.— Contains 27 to 36 per cent, phos- 
 phoric acid. 
 
 The two latter are only produced to a limited ex- 
 tent. Bone Black is the residue of bones which have 
 been used in clarifying sugar; it decays slowly in the 
 
 17 
 
soil. Bone Ash results from burning bone, in order 
 to reduce its bulk and thus facilitate transportation. 
 It is more variable in composition than Bone Black. 
 
 MINERAL SOURCES OF PHOSPHORIC ACID. 
 
 In England, in 1845, the attention of agricultur- 
 ists and fertilizer manufacturers was called to the 
 coprolites which occurred over a considerable area of 
 the eastern counties. These coprolites, which re- 
 semble pebbles in form and appearance, containing 
 50 to 60 per cent, calcium phosphate, consist of con- 
 cretions of phosphate of lime deposited around ex- 
 creta, fragments of bone and shell, sharks' teeth, etc., 
 and were for many yeans mined in Bedfordshire, 
 Cambridge, Suffolk, etc., though now it has entirely 
 ceased, owing to the richer deposits which have been 
 discovered in Florida, Tennessee, and South Carolina. 
 
 CANADIAN APATITE.— Contains about 40 per 
 cent, phosphoric acid. This is mined to some extent 
 in the Provinces of Quebec and Ontario, but, as it 
 occurs in varying proportions with other materials, it 
 is not uniform in character, and is very expensive to 
 mine. 
 
 SUPERPHOSPHATE OR ACID PHOSPHATE. 
 — Contains 13 to 18 per cent, available phosphoric 
 acid. 
 
 Natural phosphate of lime is insoluble in water, 
 and only slightly soluble in dilute acid, so that in this 
 condition it would be very slowly available to plants. 
 By treating the ground mineral phosphate with strong 
 sulphuric acid, part of the lime is displaced and sub- 
 stituted by water, which renders a great part of the 
 phosphate soluble in water, and therefore readily 
 available to plants. The change may be illustrated 
 thus : 
 
 Ordinary tri-calcic Limel 
 
 phosphate Lime ^ Phosphoric Acid. 
 
 Limej 
 
 18 
 
Treated with siilphiirie acid, produces: 
 
 Superpliospliate or Lime ] 
 
 mono-calcic phosphate . . . Water V Phosphoric Acid. 
 
 Water 
 
 When applied to the soil, superphosphate tends to 
 revert again to the tri-calcic phosphate, but first of all 
 to the di-calcic phosphate, which may be illustrated 
 thus : 
 
 Lime 1 
 
 Lime ^ Phosphoric Acid, 
 
 Water J 
 
 lime having displaced one part of the water. In this 
 form it is still available to plants, being soluble in 
 dilute acid. 
 
 Superphosphate, or acid phosphate, is deservedly 
 one of the most popular sources of phosphoric acid 
 for plants, its quick action giving immediate returns 
 in the season of its ^application ; this naturally recom- 
 mends it to the farmer. 
 
 THOMAS' PHOSPHATE POWDER OR BASIC 
 SLAG (PLgh-Grade).— Contains 18 to 24 per cent, 
 available phosphoric acid. This material is a by- 
 product in the manufacture of steel. Its peculiarity 
 is that it contains its phosphoric acid in the form of a 
 tetra-calcic phosphate, or in the proportions of four 
 parts of lime to one of phosphoric acid, thus : 
 
 Lime^ 
 
 Lime 
 
 Lime 
 
 Lime^ 
 
 This peculiar form of phosphate of lime is easily 
 broken up, rendering the phosphoric-acid part assim- 
 ilable to plants, but it is not so quickly available as 
 that in acid phosphate, so that, to secure the best 
 results, basic slag ought to be applied in the fall or 
 early in spring. 
 
 The chief value of basic slag depends on fineness 
 of grinding, and a good sample ought to be so finely 
 divided that not less than 80 per cent, will pass 
 through a sieve having 10,000 meshes to the square 
 inch. h 
 
 19 
 
 Phosphoric Acid. 
 
CHEMICAL ANALYSES OF SOILS. 
 
 At one time it was thought that a chemical analy- 
 sis of the soil ought to indicate exactly the manurial 
 requirements of that particular soil, but this theory 
 was very soon upset, when it was observed that cer- 
 tain rich clay soils, which on analysis showed a very 
 high total potash contents, were still benefitted by an 
 artificial application of potash, as proved by the 
 increase in crop production. 
 
 Some soils, also, which analyzed high in phos- 
 phoric acid, were found to respond readily to an 
 artificial application of an available phosphatic fer- 
 tilizer. 
 
 Now, while a general chemical analysis will show 
 the total amounts of plant food in the soil, it does 
 not indicate what proportions are available to the 
 plant, so that the quickest way to find out the 
 manurial requirements of a soil is to conduct fer- 
 tilizer tests on the farm. 
 
 PLAN FOR A FERTILIZER EXPERIMENT. 
 
 The following plan of experiment would show 
 whether any ingredient may be profitably dispensed 
 with, in the case of the particular crop on that par- 
 ticular soil : 
 
 Plot 1. — Unfertilized. 
 
 Plot 2. — Complete fertilizer (phosphoric acid, pot- 
 ash, nitrogen). 
 
 Plot 3.- — Without potash (phosphoric acid, nitro- 
 gen). 
 
 Plot 4. — Without nitrogen (potash, i)hosphorie 
 acid). 
 
 Plot 5. — -Without phosphoric acid (potash, nitro- 
 gen). 
 
 The sources of phosphoric acid, potash and nitro- 
 gen ased in the experiments may be any of those 
 previously enumerated; for example, Acid Phosphate, 
 Muriate of Potash, and Nitrate of Soda. 
 
 20 
 
Tliis plan of experiment may be extended or cur- 
 tailed; as desired. If the farmer simply wishes to 
 study the general effect of a complete fertilizer on his 
 soil, then plots 1 and 2 will be sufficient; but should 
 he desire to observe the effect of omitting any in- 
 gredient, he must have a third plot in which that 
 ingredient is left out. To extend the plan, plots 
 could be added to which each ingredient would be 
 separately applied, but the average farmer will be 
 content with the more simple tests, necessitating only 
 two or thrC'C plots. 
 
 ADVANTAGES OF HOME MIXING OF 
 FERTILIZERS. 
 
 When the Canadian farmer becomes sufficiently 
 interested in the fertilizer question to want to make 
 his own mixtures at home, it will be a good thing 
 for the farmer and for the country in general. Then, 
 fertilisers will be more largely and, at the same time, 
 more economically used, for the farmer will be able to 
 adjust the various fertilizer ingredients to suit not 
 only the nature of the soil, but also of the crop to 
 which they are to be applied. 
 
 He will be able to supplement his farmyard 
 manure with some phosphate and potash without 
 applying at the same time a wasteful excess of nitro- 
 gen, and, besides all this saving, the separate fertilizer 
 ingredients will cost much less than when combined 
 in a ready -mixed fertilizer. 
 
Article No. IV. 
 
 IMPORTANCE OF LEGUMINOUS CROPS IN 
 THE ROTATION. 
 
 As already observed, nitrogen is by far the most 
 expensive plant food on the market. It has also been 
 indicated that the natural order of plants known as 
 Legnminos^e, to which belong the clovers, alfalfa, 
 hairy vetch, beans, peas, etc., are peculiarly endowed 
 with the power of extracting the nitrogen of the 
 atmosphere by the aid of bacteria living in small 
 nodules on their roots. 
 
 HELLRIEGEL'S DISCOVERY. 
 
 For this valuable discovery we are indebted to the 
 famous German Agricultural Chemist, Hellriegel, of 
 Bernburg, and his assistant and successor, the late 
 Prof. Dr. Wilfarth. 
 
 Briefly stated, the discovery was in this wise : 
 Plants of various kinds were grown in pots filled 
 with pure sand, the sand being, of course, free of 
 all traces of plant food. The plant nutrients were 
 applied to the pots in solutions containing different 
 quantities and proportions of the same, in order to 
 ascertain the actual plant-food requirements of the 
 plants. It was observed that legumes grown in pots 
 which had received applications of phosphate and 
 potash, but no nitrogen, continued to thrive, and 
 ultimately yielded as well as the legumes in other 
 pots which had received an application of nitrogen 
 in the solution. 
 
 Furthermore, it was found that the -soil in which 
 the legumes had grown was finally far richer in nitro- 
 gen than at the commencement of the experiment. 
 
 Hellriegel naturally argued from this that the 
 legumes have some means of obtaining their nitrogen 
 
 22 
 
supply not possessed by other orders of plants. It 
 had already been noticed that the roots of clovers 
 and other legumes were usually covered with small 
 tuberous growths or nodules, and to these Ilellriegel 
 directed his attention. He found that these nodules 
 contained myriads of bacteria, and were exceedingly 
 rich in nitrogen, and succeeded in establishing the fact 
 bej^ond a doubt that these bacteria were instrumental 
 in obtaining for the plant its supply of nitrogen. 
 
 A NITROGEN FACTORY IN THE SOIL. 
 
 The importance of this discovery to the whole 
 world cannot be overestimated, for.it indicated to the 
 farmer a means by which he could establish a nitro- 
 gen-producing factory in his own soil — a factory 
 which would actually ''work while he slept." By 
 growing a crop of clover, alfalfa, beans or peas, not 
 onl}^ do these crops obtain the nitrogen necessary for 
 their own development without any expense to the 
 farmer, but leave in the soil, in the crop residue, a 
 supply of nitrogen for the succeeding crop. 
 
 It is very obvious, then, that the introduction of 
 a leguminous crop as frequently as possible in the 
 rotation is an admirable policy. 
 
 CLOVER IN ANNAPOLIS VALLEY ORCHARDS. 
 
 This policy has for long been in force in many 
 parts of Canada, and for one notable example we can 
 point to the famous Annapolis Valley in Nova Scotia, 
 whej?e for years the fruit-growers have grown and 
 plowed under clover crops in their orchards, thus 
 supplying the soil with nitrogen and humus. 
 
 The only fertilizers which they apply are those 
 containing phosphoric acid and potash, usually in the 
 forms of bone meal and muriate of potash, which are 
 applied annually at the rate of 400 to 600 pounds 
 bone meal and 200 to 400 pounds muriate of potash 
 per acre, the larger amounts being for orchards in 
 full bearing. 
 
 23 
 
The clover is usually seeded down in June, and 
 occupies the ground until May of the following year, 
 when it is ploughed under and the land thoroughly 
 cultivated. Sometimes the clover crop is only grown 
 once in every two years, which allows of the soil being 
 more thoroughly cultivated and cleaned during the 
 summer season. 
 
 CONSERVING THE MOISTURE IN SOILS. 
 
 Frequent stirring of the surface soil is very effec- 
 tive in conserving the moisture, as, w^hen a soil is 
 tightly packed, the water tends to rise to the surface 
 and escape by evaporation. The breaking of the sur- 
 face crust prevents this. 
 
 A COMPARISON OF VARIOUS LEGUMES. 
 
 COMMON RED CLOVER is unquestionably one 
 of the best nitrogen-gatherers. An analysis of its 
 stems and leaves shows a percentage of 0.92 nitrogen, 
 and of its roots 0.88 per cent, nitrogen, and, as the 
 weight of its roots is more than one-half that of its 
 stems and leaves, quite an amount of nitrogen is 
 stored up in the underground part of the plant. 
 
 MAMMOTH RED CLOVER, although a heavier 
 yielder than the common red, contains a smaller 
 percentage of nitrogen than the latter, so that, as a 
 rule, a larger total amount of nitrogen per acre is left 
 in the crop residue from common red clover. 
 
 CRIMSON CLOVER, as a fixer of nitrogen, is 
 less desirable than the tw^o former, since its root 
 system is not nearly so extensive. 
 
 The same may be said of hairy vetch. 
 
 ALFALFA — The root system of this crop is very 
 extensive, and penetrates to a great depth in the soil. 
 The total weight of roots isi, in fact, equal to that of 
 stems and leaves, and the percentage of nitrogen in 
 
 24 
 
both is similar, so that, while approximately one-third 
 of the total nitrogen content of the clover crop is in 
 the roots, one-half of the nitrogen of alfalfa is con- 
 tained in the roots of the plant. 
 
 HOW TO STIMULATE PRODUCTION OF 
 NITROGEN IN THE SOIL. 
 
 If the farmer grows a crop of clover or other 
 leguminous crop, having in view the enrichment of 
 the soil in nitrogen, he will naturally wish to have as 
 big a crop as possible, and the way to insure the 
 proper development of a nitrogen-gathering crop, so 
 as to enable it to rob the atmosphere of the maximum 
 quantity of valuable nitrogen, is to see that the crop 
 is provided with a sufficient supply of the other plant 
 foods, viz., phosphoric acid and potash. No factory 
 can be kept going unless regularly supplied with the 
 motive power necessiary for the evolution of the fin- 
 ished product; no more can this nitrogen factory in 
 the soil maintain its productive capacity unless a 
 regular supply of power in the form of phosphoric 
 acid and potash be available. 
 
 Legumes, although independent of an artificial 
 source of nitrogen, are nevertheless very dependent 
 on an easily-assimilable supply of the other plant 
 foods. 
 
 A FERTILIZER FOR LEGUMES. 
 
 It might be well to give here a fertilizer prescrip- 
 tion adaptable, under average conditions, to clover 
 and alfalfa. 
 
 The following mixture might be found very profit- 
 able : 
 
 300 pounds Acid Phosphate. 
 
 120 pounds Muriate of Potash, per acre. 
 
 25 
 
This would cost about $6.00. 
 
 In soils iuclined to sourness, Basic Slag may be 
 substituted for the Acid Phosphate. 
 
 For a mixture of clover and timothy hay, some 
 artificial supply of nitrogen will, as a rule, be necessary 
 to aid the timothy. If a medium dressing of barn- 
 yard manure be given, no further supply of nitro- 
 genous fertilizer would be required, but in case of 
 no barnyard manure being available, 75 pounds of 
 Nitrate of Soda could be* applied, in addition to the 
 above quantities of phosphate and potash. The latter 
 may be applied broadcast as early in spring as pos- 
 sible (especially if basic slag be the form of phos- 
 phate), since there is no danger of the potash and 
 phosphoric acid being washed out of the soil; but, on 
 account of its extreme solubility, and owing to the 
 fact that it is readily leached out. Nitrate of Soda 
 should not be applied until growth has commenced 
 
 26 
 
Article No. V. 
 
 Character of a Soil as Affecting- its Fertilizer 
 Requirements. 
 
 FORMATION OF SOILS. 
 
 Soil formation may be said to take place in two 
 ways, either by a process of disintegration or break- 
 ing-down, or by a process of construction or bnilding 
 up. Both these processes of natural change are in 
 constant operation, yet so slow and gradual in their 
 advancement that their effects are almost impercept- 
 ible within the comparatively short span of a human 
 life. 
 
 The physdcal character and chemical composition 
 of a soil wall naturally depend on the manner and 
 origin of its formation. Soils formed by a process of 
 disintegration will partake of the nature of the rock 
 from which they were derived, and according to other 
 conditions attendant on their formation. Others formed 
 by a process of construction will likewise vary iu 
 character for similar reasons. In the latter class are 
 included the alluvial deposits formed by the silt of 
 rivers, etc., excellent illustrations of which may be 
 found in the fertile Deltas, and the swamp and peat 
 soils, which have been gradually built up through 
 organic agencies, by the successive grow^th and decay 
 of mosses and other simple forms of plant life. 
 
 EXHAUSTION OF SOIL FERTILITY. 
 
 The origin of a soil wull then to a certain extent 
 determine its fertilizer requirements, but the nature 
 of the crop to be grown, as well as that of preceding 
 crops, and previous treatment of the soil are also 
 important determining factors. It must also be borne 
 
 27 
 
in mind that the larger the crop grown the more 
 fertilizing materials will be removed from the soil. 
 However fertile the soil may be originally, continuous 
 cropping is bound to exhaust it, unless measures are 
 taken to restore the fertility. 
 
 Many farmers imagine that by occasional dress- 
 ings of barnyard manure they are fully satisfying 
 their debt of obligation to the soil for the substances 
 which the soil has yielded up to the crops grown 
 thereon, when an intelligent view of the matter would 
 show them that while barnyard manure restores a 
 small proportion of the fertilizing ingredients, the 
 larger part has been permanently removed from the 
 soil in the sale of produce from' the farm, and in losses 
 by evaporation and leaching from the manure itself. 
 Other farmers acknowledge that barnyard manure 
 alone is insufficient, but maintain that the growth of 
 clover crops adds fertility to the soil. While this is 
 very true with respect to the atmospheric nitrogen^ 
 which the clover plant assimilates and fixes, clover 
 adds nothing to the soil's supply of potash and phos- 
 phoric acid. The growth of clover or any other crop 
 will render some small portion of the soiPs stock of 
 phosphoric acid and potash available to the succeed- 
 ing' crop, but at the expense of the aggregate supply 
 in the soil, and sooner or later the stock will give out. 
 
 The fact remains that resource must be had to 
 artificial fertilizers if the requirements of the soil for 
 all the elements of fertility are to be satisfied, and 
 the sooner a farmer becomes cognizant of this, the 
 less trouble will he have in restoring a runout soil. 
 
 Last fall the writer happened to be discussing the 
 fertilizer question with a farmer, who owns a farm 
 of a very light, sandy-loam character, when the latter 
 made the remark that if it were not for artificial ferti- 
 lizers, of which he uses large quantities annually, his 
 land would not be worth farming. 
 
 The same day, in conversation with another 
 farmer, he happened to inquire whether the farmer 
 used artificial fertilizers, to which question the latter 
 replied to the effect that there was too little money 
 
 28 
 
to be made at farming to warrant its expenditure 
 for fertilizers. Here are two different opinions, the 
 one made by a mian who had used fertilizers and 
 proved their value, and the other by a man who knew 
 nothing of the benefits to be derived from a judicious 
 use of fertilizers, and who at the same time made the 
 statement that farming was unprofitable. 
 
 RETURNS FROM MONEY INVESTED IN 
 THE SOIL. 
 
 Many farmers would get higher interest on their 
 money if deposited in the shape of fertilizers in the 
 soil than if they placed it in the bank, the interest 
 being paid in increased crops. The returns are surer 
 than if the money were invested in a gold mine, yet 
 how few seem ready to make the investment ! 
 
 FORMS IN WHICH TO APPLY FERTILIZERS 
 UNDER SPECIAL CONDITIONS. 
 
 Something has already been said in previous 
 articles on the adaptability of certain forms of fer- 
 tilizers to certain classes of crops and soils. 
 
 For instance, peat or swamp soil, containing 
 naturally a large quantity of vegetable acids, ought 
 not to receive fertilizers of an acid nature ; hence, for 
 such soils, basic slag as a source of phosphoric acid is 
 preferable to acid phosphate, the free lime in the 
 slag having a tendency to counteract the acidity of 
 the soil. On soils inclined to excessive moistness sul- 
 phate of ammonia will be a more suitable form of 
 nitrogen than nitrate of soda, on account of the sul- 
 phate of ammonia being less soluble and thus not 
 easily leached out. 
 
 On peaty and swamp soils, or where a large amount 
 of vegetable matter is present in the soil, very little 
 or no artificial application of nitrogen will be neces- 
 sary. 
 
 29 
 
For potatoes, tobacco and sugar beets, potash 
 ought to be applied in the form of sulphate of potash. 
 
 RULES TO BE OBSERVED IN PURCHASING 
 ARTIFICIAL FERTILIZERS. 
 
 The purchaser ought always to demand a guar- 
 antee of the percentage contents of the various fertil- 
 izing ingredients in the fertilizer, as well as of the 
 materials used as a source of the same. In nitrate of 
 soda and sulphate of ammonia the nitrogen content 
 will have to be guaranteed. In basic slag, of the total 
 phosphoric acid, 80% ought to be soluble in citrate 
 solution, and the sample should be of such fineness 
 that 75% to 80% of it will pass through a sieve hav- 
 ing 10,000 meshes per square inch. In superphosphate 
 (acid phosphate) the water-soluble as well as citrate- 
 soluble phosphoric acid will have to be guaranteed. 
 The potash salts, both muriate and sulphate, contain 
 50% actual potash, and when purchased in the orig- 
 inal sacks (225 lbs.), w4th lead seal attached , the pur- 
 chaser may be confident that the goods are genuine. 
 
 Potash manure salt (containing 20% actual pot- 
 ash) has been in some cases sold by adventurers as 
 sulphate of potash, hence the necessitj^ of being as- 
 sured as to percentage ! Kainit contains 12.4% 
 actual potash. 
 
 RULES TO BE OBSERVED IN MIXING 
 FERTILIZERS. 
 
 Basic slag or quicklime ought never to be mixed 
 with sulphate of ammonia, since the free lime of the 
 former will combine w^ith the sulphate part of the 
 latter, and the valuable ammonia will escape as a gas. 
 This loss is readily detected by the smell of the escap- 
 ing ammonia. 
 
 A mixture of acicl phosphate and nitrate of soda 
 ought not to be stored for a long time in sacks, as the 
 latter will rot away. 
 
 30 
 
Acid phosphate may not be mixed with quicklime, 
 since the lime by combining with the acid will render 
 the phosphate less soluble. 
 
 The potash salts may be mixed with all other 
 fertilizers, but a mixture of basic slag and either 
 kainit or potash manure salt ought not to .be kept 
 over 24 hours, otherwise the mixture will become hard 
 as cement. 
 
 RULES TO BE OBSERVED IN APPLYING 
 FERTILIZERS. 
 
 1. — Bone meal and basic slag, on account of their 
 comparatively slow^ action, often give better results if 
 applied in the fall, so that their phosphoric acid will 
 be more readily available in spring. 
 
 All phosphoric and potassic fertilizers may be 
 applied in the fall or early spring Avithout danger of 
 serious loss by leaching, but nitrate of soda, on ac- 
 count of its great solubility, ought to be applied after 
 growth has commenced. 
 
 2. — The fertilizers ought, as a rule, to be broad- 
 casted either by hand or fertilizer distributor, being 
 then lightly cultivated or harrowed in. It is not 
 necessary to plow down fertilizers; they will find their 
 w^ay dow^n readily enough. 
 
 3. — A one-sided fertilizer ought not to be given, 
 but a fertilizer containing due proportions of all 
 necessary ingredients, since phosphoric acid cannot 
 replace potash, or vice versa. 
 
 4. — Sulphate of ammonia ought to be applied just 
 before seeding, but nitrate of soda, as above indi- 
 cated, ought to be given as a top dressing, and prefer- 
 ably in two or three applications. 
 
 5. — One must also remember that potash and 
 phosphoric acid are firmly retained in the soil, where- 
 as nitrogen is more or less readily lost. If, owing to 
 
 31 
 
special weather conditions, the potash and phosphoric 
 acid fail to act in one season, they will nv^vertheless 
 prove effective during the succeeding one. 
 
 QUANTITIES OF FERTILIZERS FOR 
 VARIOUS CROPS. 
 
 As already noticed, there are so many factors in 
 determining the fertilizer requirements of a soil, that 
 it is quite impossible to prescribe accurately the exact 
 quantities to be applied, without a knowledge of the 
 soil's condition, previous treatment, etc. However, it 
 ought to be remembered that any excess of potash or 
 phosphoric acid will be retained in the soil for the 
 use of the succeeding crop. 
 
 The following prescriptions for some of the most 
 important crops may be taken as approximating the 
 requirements under average conditions. The smaller 
 quantities may be applied along with a moderate 
 dressing of barnyard manure, or where the soil is in 
 a comparatively high state of fertility : 
 
 Nitrogen 
 
 Potash 
 
 GRAIN CROPS. 
 
 75 to 120 lbs. nitrate of soda, or 
 50 to 100 lbs. sulphate of ammonia. 
 Phosphoric / 200 to 300 lbs. acid phosphate, or 
 Acid. . . ) 250 to 400 lbs. basic slag. 
 
 f 75 to 120 lbs. muriate of potash, or 
 ■ I 75 to 120 lbs. sulphate of potash. 
 
 Nitrogen. . 
 
 Phosphoric 
 Acid. . . 
 
 Potash .... 
 
 POTATOES. 
 
 150 to 200 lbs. nitrate of soda, or 
 120 to 160 lbs. sulphate of ammonia. 
 300 to 400 lbs. acid phosphate, or 
 350 to 500 lbs. basic slag. 
 150 to 250 lbs. sulphate of potash, or 
 150 to 250 lbs. muriate of potash. 
 
 32 
 
BEETS AND OTHER ROOT CROPS. 
 
 Nitrogen 
 
 Potash . 
 
 100 to 150 lbs. nitrate of soda, or 
 80 to 120 lbs. sulphate of ammonia. 
 Phosphoric | 300 to 500 lbs. acid phosphate, or 
 Acid. . . 1 350 to 600 lbs. basic slag. 
 
 100 to 150 lbs. muriate of potash, or 
 100 to 150 lbs. sulphate of potash. 
 
 Nitrogen. . 
 
 Phosphoric 
 Acid. . . 
 
 Potash .... 
 
 CORN. 
 
 / 100 to 150 lbs. nitrate of soda, or 
 
 1 80 to 120 lbs. sulphate of ammonia. 
 
 300 to 400 lbs. acid phosphate, or 
 
 350 to 500 lbs. basic slag.. 
 
 100 to 150 lbs. muriate of potash, or 
 
 100 to 150 lbs. sulphate of potash. 
 
 ALFALFA, CLOVER, PEAS AND OTHER 
 LEGUMES. 
 
 Nitrogen f ^^^^ necessary unless on very poor 
 I soil. 
 
 Phosphoric / 250 to 400 lbs. 
 Acid... \350 to 500 lbs. 
 
 Pnf«o>i / 125 to 175 lbs. 
 
 mash..... ^25 to 175 lbs. 
 
 acid phosphate, or 
 basic slag. 
 
 muriate of potash, or 
 sulphate of potash. 
 
 Nitrogen. . 
 
 Phosphoric 
 Acid . . . 
 
 Potash .... 
 
 PASTURES AND HAY. 
 
 100 to 200 lbs. nitrate of soda, or 
 
 80 to 160 lbs. sulphate of ammonia. 
 
 250 to 350 lbs. acid phosphate, or 
 
 300 to 400 lbs. basic slag. 
 
 80 to 150 lbs. muriate of potash, or 
 
 80 to 150 lbs. sulphate of potash. 
 
 33 
 
CABBAGE AND OTHER SUCCULENT 
 VEGETABLES. 
 
 Nitrogen. . 
 
 Phosphoric 
 Acid. . . 
 
 Potash .... 
 
 / 250 to 400 lbs. nitrate of soda, or 
 I 200 to 350 lbs. sulphate of ammonia, 
 ( 400 to 600 lbs. acid phosphate, or 
 '( 500 to 800 lbs. basic slag. 
 ( 150 to 250 lbs. muriate of potash, or 
 I 150 to 250 lbs. sulphate of potash. 
 
 * Nitrogen. 
 
 Phosphoric 
 Acid. . . 
 
 Potash. . . . 
 
 FRUIT. 
 
 75 to 150 lbs. nitrate of soda, or 
 
 60 to 120 lbs. sulphate of ammonia. 
 
 300 to 500 lbs. acid phosphate, or 
 
 350 to 600 lbs. basic slag. 
 
 r 200 to 300 lbs. muriate of potash, or 
 
 1 200 to 300 lbs. sulphate of potash. 
 
 TOBACCO. 
 
 Nitrogen / ^^^ ^^ ^^^ ^^^' ^^^^^^^ ^^ soda, or 
 
 i 120 to 200 lbs. sulphate of ammonia. 
 
 Phosphoric f 250 to 400 lbs. acid phosi3hate, or 
 Acid... 1300 to 500 lbs. basic slag. 
 
 [ 160 to 320 lbs. sulphate of potash, or 
 Potash 320 to 640 lbs. sulphate of potash- 
 
 I" magnesia. 
 
 ^ Where green manuring, or plowing under of a 
 cover crop, is practiced as a means of supplying the 
 valuable humus and nitrogen, very little or no arti- 
 ficial supply of nitrogen will he necessary. 
 
 The writer trusts that in the scope of these articles 
 he has succeeded in helping some to a clearer under- 
 standing of the nature and uses of commercial ferti- 
 lizers, and that the knowledge gained will be turned 
 to profit, for probably partly through this means will 
 be ushered in the time when ''the land shall yield 
 her increase, and the desert shall blossom as the rose." 
 
 34 
 
METHODS 
 
 OF HOME- MIXING 
 
 AND APPLYING 
 
 FERTILIZERS 
 
 BY 
 
 B. LESLIE- EMSLIE, 
 
 F.C.S., P.A.S.I. , C.D.A, (gLAS.) 
 
 WHICH APPEARED 
 IN THE COLUMNS 
 OF " THE farmer's 
 advocate" OF 17TH 
 MARCH, 1910 
 
 REPRINTED 
 BY PERMISSION OF 
 
 V'THE FARMER'S ADVOCATE" 
 London, Ontario 
 
METHODS OF 
 
 HOME- MIXING AND APPLYING 
 
 FERTILIZERS 
 
 By B. Leslie Emslie. 
 
 As our farmers become more conversant with the 
 principles of fertilizing there is naturally a growing 
 tendency on their part to purchase the separate ferti- 
 lizer ingredients and compound their own mixtures 
 at home. Before discussing the methods employed in 
 mixing and applying these materials, it might be well 
 to briefly review the ARGUMENTS URGED FOR 
 AND AGAINST THE HOME MIXING OF FER- 
 TILIZERS. We shall first take the arguments 
 against the practice and, in our opinion, they are 
 easily disposed of. 
 
 It is contended that : 
 
 1. The average farmer does not know enough 
 about the nature of fertilizers to enable him to in- 
 telligentlj^ do his own mixing. 
 
 2, The manufacturer has facilities (machinery, 
 etc.) for thoroughly mixing the materials which are 
 not available to the farmer at home. 
 
 The first argument, however applicable it might 
 have been 50 years ago, would be a reflection on the 
 intelligence of the present-day Canadian farmer, when 
 farming, in all its branches, has really become a 
 science. Of course, it must be borne in mind that the 
 use of commercial fertilizers in Canada is yet in its 
 infancy, and probably most farmers in first essaying 
 their use, employ some brand of ready-mixed ferti- 
 lizer, but it speaks well for the discernment of our 
 farmers that they soon turn their attention to the 
 separate ingredients. Abundant proof of this may be 
 found in the Maritime Provinces of the Dominion, 
 whose farmers and orchardists are our pioneers in the 
 
 37 
 
use of fertilizers and employ the separate ingredients 
 almost exclusively. 
 
 The second argument has likewise no very substan- 
 tial support, since in our experience no very great 
 difficulty was ever encountered in getting a suffi- 
 ciently fine and thorough mixture with the aid of the 
 simple apparatus usually to be found on the farm. 
 
 ARGUMENTS IN FAVOR OF HOME MIXING. 
 
 1. Economy: Usually at least 25% is saved in pur- 
 chasing the separate ingredients. There is no use- 
 less "Filler" to add to the freight charges; there 
 is no duty on the separate ingredients, whereas 
 the farmer must bear the cost of the duty im^posecl 
 on the ready-mixed fertilizers when these are 
 imported from the United States. 
 
 2. Assurance : The farmer who purchases the sepa- 
 
 rate ingredients, especially if he insists on getting 
 the goods in the original sacks, knows exactly what 
 he is getting for his money ; w^hereas the purchase 
 of a ready-mixed brand is more often like buying 
 a ''pig in a sack." 
 
 3. Adaptation : With a stock of the separate in- 
 gredients on hand, the farmer is enabled to make 
 up his mixtures according to prescriptions which 
 he has prepared to suit the varying requirements 
 of the different crops and soils. 
 
 From this short resume each farmer may judge 
 whether, in his case, it will pay him to purchase the 
 separate ingredients in preference to the ready- 
 mixed goods. 
 
 We do not wish to be understood as condemning the 
 use of every brand of mixed fertilizers, but would 
 caution the farmer who, for some reason prefers to 
 employ the ready-mixed materials, to purchase the 
 same from a RELIABLE MANUFACTURER IN 
 CANADA, thus avoidng the payment of duty on the 
 
 38 
 
same. Let him only purchase high-grade brands, i.e., 
 those showing the highest percentages of Nitrogen, 
 Phosphoric Acid and Potash, in the analysis. In com- 
 pliance with the requirements of the new^ Canadian 
 Fertilizer Act, the guaranteed analysis of the fertil- 
 izer must be stencilled on the sack, or printed on a 
 tag attached to the same, which tag also bears the 
 number under which that particular fertilizer has 
 been registered at Ottawa and by means of which 
 it may be identified. 
 
 For the farmer's guidance, in purchasing ready- 
 mixed fertilizers, he may obtain from the Inland 
 Revenue Department at Ottawa a bulletin, No. 186, 
 entitled '^Fertilizers as Sold." In this bulletin are 
 listed all fertilizers offered for sale in Canada and 
 the guaranteed and actual analysis of each is shown. 
 
 MATERIALS USED IN COMPOUNDING FER- 
 TILIZER MIXTURES. 
 
 The following are some of the more popular 
 sources of Nitrogen, Phosphoric Acid and Potash: 
 
 TNitrate of Soda (about 16% Nitrogen). 
 Nitroffen J Sulphate of Ammonia (about 20% 
 I Nitrogen). 
 [Dried Blood (about 12% Nitrogen). 
 
 Phosphoric 
 Acid . . . 
 
 Potash . 
 
 'Acid Phosphate (about 15% available 
 Phosphoric Acid). 
 
 Bone Meal (about 22 %j available Phos- 
 phoric Acid). 
 
 Basic Slag (about 20% available Phos- 
 phoric Acid). 
 
 Muriate of Potash (at least 50% actual 
 Potash). 
 ' Sulphate of Potash (at least 48% actual 
 Potash). 
 Kainit (at least 12J% actual Potash). 
 
 39 
 
HOW TO FILL A PRESCRIPTION. 
 
 Supposing it is desired to prepare a mixture con- 
 taining approximately 3, 9 and 10% Nitrogen, Phos- 
 phoric Acid and Potash respectively, it could be ob- 
 tained as follows: 
 
 400 lbs. Nitrate of Soda (16% Nitrogen)=64 lbs. 
 
 Nitrogen. 
 1,200 lbs. Acid Phosphate (15% Phosphoric Acid) = 
 
 180 lbs. Phosphoric Acid. 
 400 lbs. Muriate of Potash (50% Potash)=200 lbs. 
 
 Potash. 
 
 2,000 lbs. 
 
 64 lbs. in 2,000 lbs. total mixture= 3.2% Nitrogen. 
 180 lbs. in 2,000 lbs. total mixture= 9. % Phos- 
 phoric Acid. 
 200 lbs. in 2,000 lbs. total mixture=10. % Potash. 
 
 Lbs., of ingredient in mixture x 100 
 
 Thus : = percentage of that 
 
 Divided by total weig-ht of mixture ingredient. 
 
 METHODS OF MIXING FERTILIZERS. 
 
 Machinery for mixing fertilizers is rarely avail- 
 able on the farm, but the operation may be easily and 
 simply carried out without elaborate preparations. 
 THE APPAEATUS REQUISITE FOR THE 
 OPERATION are: (a) the fertilizers, (b) the mix- 
 ing floor, (c) a shovel, (d) a broom,, (e) a wooden 
 post, to be used as a pulverizer, and (f) a weigh 
 scale. In mixing large quantities, the latter may 
 sometimes be dispensed with, if it be remembered 
 that, in the original sacks, the weights of the materials 
 are usually as follows: 
 Nitrate of Soda and Sulphate of Ammonia — 200 lbs. 
 
 to the sack. 
 Acid Phosphate and Bone Meal — 200 lbs. to the sack. 
 Sulphate and Muriate of Potash (always) — 225 lbs. 
 
 to the sack. 
 
 40 
 
As the weigh scale is usually to hand, however, it is 
 well to employ it to check the weights. 
 
 THE MODUS OPERANDI is as follows: 
 
 The mixing may be done on a solid, level part of 
 the barn floor, or, if a cement concrete floor is avail- 
 able, it would be preferable to tfie wooden one, since 
 the shovelling and crushing could more easily be done 
 thereon. One ton will usually be a sufficient quantity 
 to manipulate at one time, to insure thorough mixing. 
 Sweep the floor clean; empty part of the phosphatic 
 fertilizer and spread it level on the floor ; on this put 
 part of the Potash, then the remainder of the Phos- 
 phate and of the Potash. 
 
 If the Nitrogen, either in the form of Nitrate of 
 Soda or Sulphate of Ammonia, is to be mixed with 
 the rest, empty it out by itself on the floor, and with 
 the aid of the wooden post and the back of the shovel 
 reduce the lumps, for both of these materials are apt 
 to become caked in the sacks. When the material has 
 been reduced to sufficient fineness, spread it over the 
 heap. Then take the shovel and turn the heap, first to 
 one side and then to the other. After doing this a 
 couple of times, the whole heap may be put through 
 a sieve, any lumps remaining on the sieve being 
 thrown to one side and afterwards reduced and again 
 added to the heap, which may then be again turned a 
 couple of times. It is not always necessary to use the 
 sieve, but it is usually a great aid to thorough mixing. 
 
 After completing the operation in this way, fill the 
 material into the empty sacks and proceed with the 
 next batch. 
 
 PRECAUTIONS NECESSARY IN MIXING. 
 
 Never mix Sulphate of Ammonia with Basic Slag 
 or Quicklime, for the free lime contained in the 
 latter materials will enter into chemical combination 
 with the Sulphate part of the former, thus setting free 
 the Ammonia as a gas. 
 
 41 
 
Never mix Acid Phosphate witH Quicklime, since 
 the lime by combining with the available Phosphoric 
 Acid will revert the latter to the insoluble form. 
 
 Never allow, a mixture containing Nitrate of Soda 
 and Acid Phosphate to remain for a very lengthened 
 period in sacks or the latter will rot away. 
 
 The Potash Salts may be mixed with all other 
 fertilizers, but a mixture of Basic Slag (Thomas' Phos- 
 phate Powder) with Kainit ought to be applied at 
 once, as the mixture will soon become as hard as 
 cement. 
 
 WHEN TO APPLY FERTILIZERS. 
 
 This will be determined by (a) the nature of the 
 
 crop, (b) climatic conditions, and (c) the rate of 
 
 availability of the fertilizer constituents. 
 
 Nature of the Crop. — For Hay and Pasture: The 
 
 fertilizers may be applied as soon as the frost is 
 
 out of the ground, and indeed for most other crops 
 
 the Phosphatic and Potassic fertilizers might be 
 
 advantageously applied as soon as it is possible to 
 
 get on the land. "Where this is not convenient, 
 
 however, the fertilizers may be applied for cereal 
 
 AND HOED CROPS at Seeding time. 
 
 For Fruit Trees and Bushes : The application of the 
 Phosphatic and Potassic fertilizers may take place 
 before the ground freezes in the fall, or as soon as 
 the frost leaves the ground in the spring. 
 
 Climatic Conditions: In localities with a low rain- 
 fall the fertilizers ought to be applied as early as 
 possible, in order that their plant food constituents 
 may become available to the plants when the latter 
 are readj to make use of them. In moist climates 
 the fertilizers need not be applied so early, and 
 such very soluble Nitrogenous materials as Nitrate 
 of Soda should be used sparingly. 
 
 Eate of Availability: IN NITRATE OF SODA. 
 SULPHATE OF AMMONIA AND DRIED 
 
 42 
 
BLOOD, we have three nitrogenous fertilizers, 
 placed in the order of the availability of their 
 nitrogen. Dried Blood is the slowest acting form 
 and is, therefore, better adapted for early appli- 
 cation. Nitrate of Soda is exceedingly quick act- 
 ing, and, therefore, ought not to be applied long 
 before the crop is ready to assimilate its nitrogen. 
 In its rate of action, Sulphate of Ammonia is 
 intermediate between the two. It is often consid- 
 ered desirable in making up a complete mixture to 
 put in certain proportions of two or more different 
 nitrogenous fertilizers to insure a more gradual 
 and continuous supply of nitrogen. The special 
 virtue of Nitrate of Soda is due to the fact that it 
 provides a readily available supply of nitrogen to 
 the young plant at a time when nitrification in the 
 soil is only commencing. 
 
 Likewise in ACID PHOSPHATE, BASIC 
 SLAG AND BONE MEAL, we have three carriers 
 of Phosphoric Acid, placed in order of their activ- 
 ity. Basic Slag and Bone Meal, being slower than 
 Acid Phosphate in their action, may be expected 
 to give best results if applied in the fall or very 
 early in the Spring. For late Spring application 
 Acid {*hosphate is to be preferred, unless on soils 
 containing an excess of acid, where Basic Slag 
 would be expected to correct the sour condition. 
 
 BOTH SULPHATE AND MURIATE OF 
 POTASH are moderately quick in their action and 
 suitable for Spring application, although they lose 
 nothing by being applied in the Fall; in fact, if 
 applied at the latter season, their Potash would 
 usually be more available for the Spring-sown 
 crop. 
 
 KAINIT (A CRUDE POTASH SALT) has 
 been found to give best results when applied in the 
 fall. 
 
 METHODS OF APPLYING FERTILIZERS. 
 
 Fertilizers may either be applied by hand or by a 
 machine. Some modern grain seeders, potato and corn 
 
 43 
 
planters have an attachment for sowing fertilizers, 
 and there are now some makes of broadcast fertilizer 
 distributors on the market. Where large quantities of 
 fertilizers have to be applied the machine is a great 
 labor-saver, and hy its use a more equal distribution 
 is insured. Generally speaking, we prefer the broad- 
 casting machine to the drill or to any of the other 
 mechanical devices referred to. 
 
 BROADCASTING BY HAND is easily and sim- 
 ply performed. The sowing ''hopper" or basket 
 might be described as a crescent-shaped, canvas-cov- 
 ered frame, with waist and shoulder straps attached. 
 Both hands are used in the operation, and to obtain 
 the proper rhj^hmical motion it is important to note 
 that the right arm- is swung backwards from the hop- 
 per as the left foot advances, and vice versa. The 
 length of the stride can be adjusted to the thickness 
 of sowing desired. THE BREADTH OP CAST is 
 usually about the width of four potato or turnip rows. 
 
 Preparatory to commencing operations, the fer- 
 tilizer sacks are placed at convenient intervals in the 
 field; two men, or a man and a boy, can perform the 
 work, one man doing the sowing and the other man, 
 or boy, carrying the fertilizer in a pail from the sack 
 to the sower. 
 
 THE BROADCAST SOWING MACHINE manu- 
 factured by a Canadian firm is made in two 
 widths, 6^ feet and 8 feet. The latter is the more 
 convenient size, since in sowing on ridged land it will 
 take four ordinary sized rows. The box of this 
 machine has a steel bottom provided with adjustable 
 openings, controlled by a simple lever near the seat 
 in front. A revolving cylinder with steel blades 
 forces the fertilizers through these openings, and the 
 latter can be adjusted to sow from 500 lbs. to 2,000 
 lbs. per acre by means of the aforementioned lever. 
 
 BROADCASTING FERTILIZERS ON POTATO 
 ROWS. — When the sets have been planted in the row 
 a heavy log, about 9 feet in length, or long enough to 
 take four rows, may be dragged by a horse over the 
 
 44 
 
rows so as to sligMly flatten them and partially cover 
 the potato sets. The fertilizers are then sown and the 
 rows closed. 
 
 BROADCASTING ON THE LEVEL, whether in 
 field or orchard, is an equally simple operation. The 
 fertilizers should be harrowed or worked into the 
 ground with a cultivator, except on sod, where culti- 
 vation is unnecessary. In the latter case, however, it 
 is usually possible to apply the fertilizers rather 
 earlier than on cultivated land, and they will thus 
 have a better chance to get washed into the soil by 
 the Spring rains. 
 
 BROADCASTING VERSUS DRILLING.— For 
 
 various reasons, which shall be stated, we generally 
 prefer to broadcast fertilizers to sowing them in the 
 drill or row, although the latter practice has some- 
 thing to recommend it, chiefly, however, in that it 
 saves time by combining the two operations of seeding 
 and fertilizing. Our arguments in favor of broad- 
 casting may be presented thus : 
 
 1. Broadcasting insures a more thorough distribution 
 of the fertilizers in the soil, encouraging a more 
 extensive root development, which gives the plants 
 a greater feeding area. 
 
 2. The crops succeeding that to which the fertilizers 
 have been applied will grow and ripen more uni- 
 formly. Take the instance of a cereal crop follow- 
 ing a corn crop, to which the fertilizers were ap- 
 plied in the rows or hills, and note the uneven 
 growth; the old corn rows can as a rule be traced 
 from end to end of the field. 
 
 3. Broadcasting prevents an excessive concentration 
 of fertilizers directly under the young plant, 
 which in many cases might have an injurious 
 effect. 
 
 45 
 
MEMORANDA 
 
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 ° FURTHER COPIES S 
 
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 THE DOMINION AGRICULTURAL OFFICES OF 
 THE POTASH SYNDICATE 
 
 1102-1105 Temple Building - TORONTO. ONT, 
 
V