Jasper County Democrat, Volume 7, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 October 1904 — POTATO EXPERIENCE. [ARTICLE]

POTATO EXPERIENCE.

The Most Useful Fertilizer Combination and How to Apply It. By EDWARD B. VOORHEES, New Jersey Experiment Station. In the growing of early potatoes it is essential that an abundant supply of nitrogen be at the disposal of the plant. The experience of growers has clearly demonstrated this fact, and until commercial fertilizers came into general use most growers used large quantities of yard manure in order that the plant should suffer no* lack of this element. With the introduction of commercial fertilizers the question of greatest importance has been the source of nitrogen best suited to meet the demands of the special early growth. The experiments which have beeii conducted with a view to answering this question have shown clearly that, while nitrate is most useful, a combination of the nitrate with quickly available organic forms, as dried blood, or with both organic and ammonia forms is preferable to the use of any single form. On good potato soils, therefore, a good fertilization should consist of from 800 to 1,000 pounds of a fertilizer containing nitrogen 4 per cent, available phosphoric- acid 8 per cent and potash 10 per cent, one-third of the nitrogen at least to be derived from nitrate of soda and the remainder from quickly available organic forms. On soils in good condition the fertilizer may be applied in the row at the time of planting, though many prefer to apply one-half of the desired amount broadcast previously and the remainder in the row with the seed. Brome Grama. Brome grass is a valuable variety and has been tested over a wide area in the United States, but it finds its best development in the region from Kansas northward in the great plains and west into Montana and eastern Washington. It gives fair results east of this region, but in the eastern states is unable to compete with timothy and blue grass. In the southern states it has not given satisfactory results. It Is stated by A. S. Hitchcock, agrostologist, that if the soil is in proper condition brome grass may be sown in Nebraska any time from April to the Ist of October. Fall Seeding? of Gnu. In some parts of New England fields are frequently seeded to grass in the fall. This is done withont any crop and in some cases is found to be more successful than spring seeding along with a crop of grain. This work should be done In August or early in September on ground well prepared—that is. made of fine tilth, smooth and well fertilized. Where this system works well there should be good success with the crops of hay to follow, as they will have the entire benefit of the fertilizers applied, remarks American Cultivator. •