UMASS/AMHERST # 3l^DbbOD5fl^t35fla LIBRARY OF THE MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE No. SO urceU^ S 633 G43 v.| CARD yim ^ ;~ ■Til^. o^?"*^-? ^ S ^w^*^*^' FARMER'S NOTE BOOK This booklet is prepared especially for the farmer and should prove of value not only as a memorandum book — but useful also for the information it contains ^ PRESENTED WITH COMPLIMENTS GERMAN KALI WORKS MEMORANDA Dsefnl Hints About Mannring;. Potash, Phosphoric Acid and Nitrogext are three substances needed by all plants and crops for their food. These are taken up from the soil by the roots of plants, and are contained in the crop which is harvested and removed from the farm. Hence it is that by continued cropping a soil becomes depleted of these plant foods, or ^'worttout** and unproductive. These three plant foods can be giveit back to the soil and be restored to it either in the form of natural or artificial manures, ail of which contain one or more of these plant foods mentioned. Fertilizing, there* fore, means the replenishing of the soil with, Potash, Phosphoric Acid and Nitrogen. Potash, Phosphoric Acid and Nitrogen- all are equally important as plant food, and neither one of them can take the place of the other. Hence, if Potash be lacking in the soil, good crops cannot be grown, even if Phosphoric Acid and Nitrogen be fur- nished in abundance. Potash is necessary for ihe formation of starch, sugar and woody fibre in plants. Phosphoric Acid is especially needed for the formation of seed, and Nitrogen is necessary for the production of leaves and stalks. But when Nitrogen is in excess, k will cause a rapid and excessive, but watery and unnatural growth of wood at the ex- pense of fruitfulness. All stable manures contain Potash, Phos- phoric Acid and Nitrogen, but nearly al- ways too much Nitrogen in proportion to the mineral fertilizers, that is, Potash and Phosphoric Acid. Therefore, when using stable manure, it is best always to add Potash and Phosphoric Acid to it, so that the manure may have its full effect. It is not necessary to apply plant food in the form of stable manure. Potash, Phos- phoric Acid and Nitrogen can be bougie and used in the form of commercial fertil- izers usually at less expense than in the iorm of manure. Potash, Phosphoric Acid and Nitrogen are not used as fertilizerc in their pure state, but always in some chemical com- bination ; hence it is that only a part (expressed in per cent) of chemical fer- tilizers is plant food. The principal sources of Potash are the Potash Salts from Germany, and the most important of the Potash Salts are Sulphate of Potash, Muriate of Potash and Kainit ; the former two contain about 50 per cent of pure Potash, and Kainit contains about 12J per cent. Sulphate of Potash is best for tobacco and some other specialties, while Muriate of Potash is somewhat cheaper than the Sulphate and is useful for most crops. Kainit, in addition to its effect as a Potash fertilizer, is useful in killing grub worms and other insects living in the soil and is a remedy against cotton blight. Wood Ashes are also a source of Potash, containing from 2 to 7 per cent pure Potash. Their composition is varied and uncertain. The main sources of Phosphoric Acid are the large deposits of Phosphate rock in South Carolina, Florida and Tennessee. The Phosphoric Acid in these rocks is insoluable and must be made soluble by chemical treatment before it can be used to advantage. The Phosphoric Acid in the rock becomes then *' available". Other sources of Phosphoric Acid are Bone-Meal- Bone-Black and Thomas Slag. The most important Nitrogen fertilizers are Nitrate of Soda, Sulphate of Ammoniaj Cottonseed Meal and animal refuse, such as Dried Blood, Dried Fish, etc. For the permanent improvement of soils it should not be overlooked, that Lime and organic matter (humus) are also frequently needed. Lime is especially useful on sour soils and makes them sweet. Humus is the product of decaying plants and is useful to make soils more loose and retentive of water. It may be furnished either by using stable manures or by green-manuringj especially with leguminous crops, such as peas or clovers. In the case of green= manuring, humus is produced directly through the decay of plants plowed into the soil, and in the case of stable manure indirectly, after the plants have passed through the digestive organs of the animalSo Fertilizers or fertilizing materials, that is, chemicals containing Potash, Phosphoric Acid and Nitrogen, are applied either broadcast to be plowed under or as top- dressing or in the hill or with the drill. Each method has its preference in certain cases. Broadcasting of fertilizers is best where intensive culture is practised and large quantities of fertilizers are used. Applying in the hill or with the drill has been found more effective in case only moderate quantities of fertilizers are given. Top-dressing is practised usually only in case of fertilizers containing Nitrogen, such as Nitrate of vSoda, because these Nitrogea materials quickly wash into the soil through the rains. When unmixed fertilizing materials are used, it is best to apply the mineral fer- tilizers, that is, those containing Potash and Phosphoric Acid, some time previous to planting, in which case there will be suffi- cient time for them to disseminate in the soil and get well mixed. The materials containing Nitrogen are then used at the time of planting or immediately afterwards as top-dressing. When mixed fertilizers are used, it is usually best to apply immedi- ately before planting. The quantities of fertilizers to be used per acre are dependent on the soil and the crop to be grown. Usually to a soil, which is in good condition, larger quantities of fertilizer can be given to advantage than to a soil, which is in poor physical condition, that is, either too hard, void of organic matter, or poorly drained. The amounts of complete fertilizer applied usually vary from about 400 pounds to 3 tons per acre. Plants differ in their requirements of the three essential plant foods. For example, all plants producing sugar and much starchy matter, such as potatoes and fruit crops, need much Potash. Leguminous crops, which have the power of absorbing nitrogen from the air, can get along with a small supply of Nitrogen in the soil. Fer- tilizers must differ in the proportionate amounts of Potash, Phosphoric Acid and Nitrogen, so as to suit the particular crop to be grown. Soils likewise differ in the amount of available plant food already present in them: therefore, a proper fertilizer must suit the soil as well as the crop. Swamp land is very different from othef soil in its plant food requirements. Here the one great deficiency is potash and for corn and grain crops only potash salts need be used. On "bogus" or totally unproductive swamp land broadcast 200 lbs. per acre of Muriate of Potash or 800 lbs. of Kainit before plowing. On lands that will pro- duce 20 to 25 bushels of corn per acre one* half of the above may be used. For onions or truck on swamp land use 200 lbs. Sulphate of Potash, 400 lbs. Acid Phosphate and 150 lbs. Nitrate of Soda per acre. For average conditions the following fer- tilizer and quantities per acre may be advantageously used for various crops: FERTILIZERS RECOMMENDED FOR VARIOUS CROPS. Average Fertilizer for Grain Crops : Use 300 to 600 pounds per acre of a fertilizer »containing : Actual Potash 6 per cent. Available Phosphoric Acid. 8 per cent. Nitrogen 2 per cent. Frequently it is advantageous to give an addi- tional top-dressing of nitrate of soda in the Spring. Average Fertilizer for Potatoes : Use 1000 to 1500 pounds per acre of a fertilizer containing: Actual Potash 9 per cent. Available Phosphoric Acid, 6 per cent. Nitrogen 3 per cent. Average Fertilizer for Beets and other Root Crops : Use 10^00 to 1200 pounds per acre of a fertilizer containing : Actual Potash 9 per cent. Available Phosphoric Acid. 6 percent. Nitrogen 5 per cent. Average Fertilizer for Corn : Use 800 to 1000 pounds per acre of a fertilizer containing : Actual Potash 7 per cent. Available Phosphoric Acid. 6 per cent. l^Iitrogen 3 per cent. Average Fertilizer for Tobacco : Use 1000 to 1500 pounds per acre of a fertilizer containing: Actual Potash 10 per cent. Available Phosphoric Acid. 5 percent Nitrogen 4 per cent. (In the tobacco region of Connecticut, much larger quantities per acre have been found useful.) Average Fertilizer for Cotton : Use 400 to 800 pounds per acre of a fertilizer containing: Actual Potash. 4 per cent. Available Phosphoric Acid. 8 per cent. Nitrogen 3 per cent. Average Fertilizer for Fruit: Use 600 to 1000 pounds per acre of a fertilizer containing: Actual Potash 10 per cent. Available Phosphoric Acid. 7 per cent. Nitrogen 2 per cent. (On thin, sandy soils use more nitrogen and for Oranges increase the Potash to 12 per cent.) Average Fertilizer for Clovers, Peas and other Legumes : Legumes, having the property of absorbing Nitrogen from the air, as a rule need little Nitro- gen supply in the soil. However, top-dressing in the Spring with Nitrate of Soda has been fre- quently found useful with legumes, especially green peas and other vegetables. For the supply of Potash and Phosphoric Acid use 600 pounds per acre of a fertilizer containing: Actual Potash 9 per cent. Available Phosphoric Acid. 8 per cent. On very poor soils an addition of from 1 to 3 per cent of Nitrogen will help to make a * 'catch" more certain. ft. w O ''^ ,1 ^ << w h H ^ 2 O i "*1« d) IL. 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Every Fanner can obtain free of charge, a copy of the following' agricultural books: Farmers' Guide, Potash in Agriculture, Principles of Profitable Farming, Truck Farming, Plant Food, The Cow Pea, Cotton Culture, Sugar Cane Culture, Tobacco Culture, Fertilizing Tobacco, Value of Swamp Lands, Strawberry Culture, Sugar Beet Culture, Orange Culture, Why the Fish Failed. State which of the above mentio7ied publica- tions you desire, and it will be mailed to ybu free of charge. address : GERMAN KALI WORKS, New York, N. Y. Baltimore, Md, 93 Nassau St. Continental, Bldg. Havana, Cuba Empedrado 30. CALENDAR. FOR 1910. 8 8 V *? a . $' 8 \i ^i V , K V "? s ^ ^ ^ S ^ ^ c^ « f^ ^ S ^ c^ ^ ^ "^^ ,8 &^ S ^ c^ Jan. . . .. .. 1 May 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Sept. . . 1 2 3 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 11 12 13 14 15 1617 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 29 30 31 , , 25 26 27 28 29 30j . . 30 31 .. .. Feb. . . 1 2 3 4 5 June . 1 2 3 4 Oct. .. .. 1 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 9 10 11 12 13 14,15 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 16 17 18 19 20 21|22 27 28 , , , . , , 26 27 28 29 30 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 .. 3U 31 .. Mar. . . 1 2 3 4 5 July . . 1 2 Nov .. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 6 7 8 9 10 1112 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 13 14 15 16 17 1819 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 17 1819 M 21 22 23 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 24 31 25 26 27 28 29 30 27 28 29 30 1 Apr, . . 1 2 Aug... 1 2 3 4 5 6 Dec. . . 1 2' 3 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 4 5 .6 7 8 9 10 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 28 29 30 i 31 25 26 27 28 ..1 29 30 31 CALENDAR. FOR 1911. 8 « «u ^i S 8 s >u "^^ s . «i '8 'U "? s c^ ^ ^ ^^ S ^ ^ c^ ^ ^ ^^ S ^ ^ a ^ E^ &^ S ^ ^ Jan. 1 ?, 3 4 5 6 7 Mar. . . 1 2 8 4 May .. 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 8 9 10 11 12 13 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 29 30 31 26 27 28 29 30 31 28 29 30 31 •• Feb. . . 1 8 2 9 i 4 11 Apr. . . 2 "3 "4 "5 6 '7 1 8 June .. 4 "5 'e '7 1 8 2 3 5 6 7 9 10 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 11 12 13 14 15 16117 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 18 19 20 21 22 23124 26 27 28 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 25 26 27 28 29 30 - 30