THE PURCHASE & APPLICATION OF ARTIFICIAL MANURES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2985, 31 May 1911, Page 14

THE PURCHASE & APPLICATION OF ARTIFICIAL MANURES.

Taking up almost any of the manure catalogues it will be noticed that various mixtures are sent out under the design a Son of some registered brand andbuyers are particularly », *£?%£ ferior mixtures which ha\ eDeei u in refilled bags bearing the ong,.nal biana. How the farmer is to arrive at that the j c,«.ont doe* not say. Usually luc advertisarent cioea■»". j extracts a P closer knowledge of the value of these units, such mixtures are ***%**™l Ug, nee gurchMK -ive^f 'by analysis which is bound to accom pany each invoice provided that-h *en L the analysis. But how oav any attention to such invoices, ana how many of those invoices are ever questioned? Not one in a hundred demand Jo get it along with their purchase, 01 examine it after they get it; and a considerable number would if fchsv did They have tried that partici I, manure They know it did well on their ground, and their order for the incoming year is repeated for larger quantities thai ever. They do not pause to consider that perhaps slaked hme at 18s Per ton was probably all their land needed, X would have served the same purpose as their £7 manure; nor do they imagine that what they have been putting on contains perhaps 30 per cent, of the cheaper material. In ordinary business matters they pride themselves on their shrewdness and ability. If you. were to offer them 6d per pound for their clip they would immediately denounce you as a lunatic, and no man of business. Their, own action in reference to artificial manures would justify that description, and exactly applies to their own case. It is not good business to take artificial manure on trust, no matter how reputable the firm dealt with The firm may he perfectly honest, and build up their compound on what was a ture analysis at Home of the component parts, and yet deliver a manure which is nht value for the price charged tor it. Such a mixture would not be very tar astray, but in the case of artificial manures generally there is too large a field tor the Unscrupulous dealer. The law really protects him, and he has nothing to fear from it If he is found out he immediately silences his accuser by reducing his price, and apologising. The procedure necessary to procure a sample for analysis is prohibitory to any reasonable check being made on the sale of it.. The vendor knows already what his instructions have been in reference to mixing a manure, and his. presence should not be necessary when a samph is taken. The necessity of procuring his attendance and wasting several days over the matter debars action. Various other stipulations make the act a dead letter, and the farmer is not protected in any way. On the other hand, the manufacturer sometimes gets scant justice. The action of artificial manures varies so much with the season that only one chance, is given to ascertain whether value has been received or not. Very wet or very dry seasons are alike unfavourable for the proper action of chemically-pre-pared manures to be exhibited. In the one case valuable constituents are washed into the drains before they are- incorporated with the soil, and in the other they remain inactive for want of moisture. Farmers have got into the habit of measuring the value of their manure by its success, but the above shows that that may be an unreliable basis to estimate on. A perfectly genuine manure may be unsuitable to the soil or crop to which it is applied, and its application a failure. That would only prove that the wrong mixture had been used, and perhaps only one ingredient required by the land was wanting. But in spite of all that can be said on both sides, the farmer must protect himself from paying high prices for what is useless to his land. He should understand that although many ingredients are required for the growth of the plant, the ground invariably supplies all of these except nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash, and his business ability must be displayed in finding out what proportions of ..these, or which of them, is necessary in each of his fields, and, having acquired that knowledge, he spends his money to the best advantage. Some little guide to him may be given by quoting Mr A. D. Hall's remarks on these separate ingredients. He says that "nitrogen is mainly concerned with the vegetative development of the p'ant, and increases the tendency to form leaf and stem. Thus if a plant is given an excess of nitrogenous manure, the leaf system becomes excessive, a great number of shoots are formed, and the plants tend to go on growing rather than to turn to the production of flowers and fruit. Phosphoric acid, _ on the other hand, hastens the maturity, and favours the reproductive side of the plant's development. Phosphatic manures never give rise to the immediate burst of growth and the dark colour and look of -vigour which follows the application of nitrogen. Their effect is only to bo seen at harvest time, and par-

tirularly in the proportion the fruit or seed bears to the rest of the produce.

" Potash is particularly concerned in the manufacture cf carbo-hydrates by the plant It is, therefore, particularly valuable to crops which, like mangolds, contain a good deal of sugar, or, like potatoes, a good deal of starch. Being so necessary 'to assimilation by the plant, potash tends to keep them 'growing, especially in light soils and in dry climates, under which conditions it exerts its maximum effects. It is also found to help in stiffening straw of cereals and grass, and it increases the disease-resisting power of all plants." These particulars may possibly assist the farmer to experiment, with a better chance of arriving at what his particular land requires. He knows how his previous crops have grown, and can judge which ingredients are required most by his land, and act accordingly.