THE FUNCTION OF FERTILISERS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 211, 30 May 1908, Page 3

THE FUNCTION OF FERTILISERS.

' EACH HAS ITS SPECIAL WORK. SOME INTERESTING FACTS. Tho West Australian " Journal of Agriculturo " reprints from a publication of the Ontario Board of Agriculture tho , following , outline of the functions of the chief fertilising elements:— Nitrogen. "In the absence of this constituent the plant makes no appreciable growth. Wit J only a limited supply, the plant commences to grow in a normal way, but as soon as the available nitrogen is used up, tho lower ahd smaller leaves begin gradually to die down from tho tips and all the plant's energy is contred in ono or two leaves. Nitrogen _is ono of the main constituents of protein, which is possibly the most valuable part of a plant. It is also a constituent of chlorophyll, the green colouring matter of plants; hence with a limited supply of nitrogen tho leaves will • have a sickly yellow colour. Plants , with , large, well-developed loaves are not suffering for nitrogon. An abundance of this substance will produce a luxuriant growth of leaf and stem, but it will retard maturity, and, with cereals, will frequently cause.the crop 'to lodge.' Therefore, when crops such as cereals, tomatoes, potatoes, etc., are to be matured, an over-supply of nitrogen is injurious.; but with crops such as lettuce, cabbage, otc., which are harvested in the green condition, an ■ abundanco of 'nitrogen will, other fertilising constituents being present, .tend to j)roduce_ a 'strong vigorous growth, and, givo crispness or quality to these crops. Potassium. ' * "This is one of the most important and least variable of all. the elements of the. ash plants. It. is quite evenly distributed throughout ;tho leaves, stem, and seed, and generally occurs in-tho'entire plant in the largest proportion of any of the essential ash constituents. The function of potassium, is apparently to aid in tho production and transportation of the carbohydrates. Tho flavour and" colour of, fruits are _ generally credited to potassium. In fact, this element seems to supplement the action of nitrogen by filling out tho framework established by the latter. Potash with nitrogen is always an important fertiliser with small crops whero tho object is to produce sugar-starch '—as with-sugar beets and potatoes. It is also apparently essential for the formation of protein, and thus indirectly aids in the formation of all organic matter. Phosphorus. "In tho form of phosphates this is found in all parts of the plant, but tends to accumu-late-in the upper parts of the stem and leaves, and particularly in the seed. Its function is apparently to aid in the production and transportation of the protein. It also seems to aid the assimilation of tho other plant food elements. An insufficient supply of phosphoric acid always results in a poorly-developed plant, and particularly in a poor yield of shrunken grain; Nitrogen forces leaf and stem growth, and phosphoric acid'hastens maturity. Lime. ■ " Calcium, or lime, is a constituent of tho stem rather than of the. seed, and seems to impart hardness to tho plant... It 'has been noticed that- soils containing an abundance of lime usually produco well-nourished crops that are capable of withstanding unfavourable climatic as drought and early frosts, better than aro crops not so well supplied with lime. .The exact function of lime -is not clearly understood, but it seems to, aid in the, .construction of the cell walls. According to some its absence is - felt in less time than either potassium or phosphorus: It i 3 claimed that a supply •of' lime is .just,as essential, to tho plant in order that it may form coll walls from'sugar and starch.as it is for the formation or bone in animals. It also'has a 1 very -decided influence'on the mechanical condition of tho soil, and is a liberator of plant fooij, particularly potash, held in insolublo forms .in tho soil. ~'. . "It is calculated that tho weight ,of the free nitrogen of- tho atmosphere •is equal to about 121b. to each square inch of tho earth's surface. This is tho inexhaustiblo supply ■ which is now being tapped by tho processes for tho manufacture of-calcium cyanamido, and nitrate of lime." ?

.1 . ' ■ CONDENSED MILK FACTORIES. SERIOUS RIVALS. Taranaki farmers ia whoso district con-, densed milk establishment's are expected to , appear shortly will be interested in the following paragraph , from the " Canadian Dairyman'>':— , "Condensed Milk v. Cheese.—Reports from "Wnstoni Ontario indicate that some chceso factories aro up against . a rather serious problem. Tho demand for condensed milk has caused'hew establishments for producing .this product to bo erected-at Tillsonbiirg and Aylmer. _ A condensed milk'-factory has been in operation at Ingorsoll for several years and greater expansion may bo looked for.if tho demand both foreign and domestic for. this product keeps up. A oondensed_ milk factory pays from 10 cent to 25 cent per hundredweight moro ■ for milk. than the cheese factory or creamery does, and consequently, tho latter under ordinary, conditions cannot successfully compete 'with it: Many of tho factories around Till- , sonburg, Aylmer, and Ingorsoll are owned by private individuals, somo of them makers. They have this money in tho business, anci aro protty'hard hit when a condensed milk factory pomes, into tho locality and their milk supply is. cut off; So serious has tho situation become at tho points named that, soma factory owners contemplate making skimmilk cheese and probably whey butter; with tho hope of being able to compete with the condensaries. "This is how one correspondent puts it:— !' I know of a couple of factories near Tillsonburg that are going ,to manufacture whey butter, simply to conipeto with tho condensary at that point. They havo their, money invested, and they feel bound to do every-thing--.they can to savo their business. They admit that manufacturing whey butter and skim milk.cheeso is detrimental to the. dairy, industry, but say that just as soon as patrons aro_ offerod a'few cents more per cwt. for their milk than cheese factories can pay under ordinary conditions, they leave the latter and go to tho condensary or anywhere else. The factory owner simply throws aside all sentiment in tho matter as to the future .of the dairy industry, and goes in for saving his business at all hazards.'" BLENHEIM ECC-LAYINC CONTEST. A Press Association message states that at tho Blenheim egg-laying contest the total eggs laid during tho week numbered 943. Tho grand total is 5887. The highest layers for tho week were Edelston's white leghorns 33, Brown's white, leghorn's 32, Sorman's white leghorns 30, Padman's whito leghorns 29. Tho highest layers to date aro:—Miss Brown's black orpingtons 224, "Poultry Journal's", 214, Sturrock's black orpingtons 206, Brown's white leghorns 194, I<\ Edelsen's white leghorns 170. OUR DIARY. SHOWS. May 29.—Tokomairiro Farmers' Club (Milton). \ ' Juno 2, 3, 4. s.—Otago A. and P. Winter I Show (Dunedin). Juno 12, 13.—Ashburton A. and P. Winter Show. June 16, 17—Southland A. and P. Winter Show (Invercargill). June 23 to 26.—National Dairy Show, Palmerston North. , . ' July 8, 11- —Waikato Winter 'Show (Hamilton). , Oct. 21, 22.—Hawke's Bay A. and P. (Hastings). October 28, 29.—Wairarapa A. and P. (Carterton). i Nov. 4, 5, 6.—Manawatu. Nov. 11, 12, 13. —Christchuroh.-