VOL. XX.
INDIANAPOLIS, IND., SATURDAY, SEPT. 12,1885.
NO. 37
Written foi the Indiana Farmer.
iBone Dost as a Fertilizer for Wheat.
Tested in Six Counties Under the Direction of the State Agricultural College.
BT PROF. W. C. LATTA, OF PURDUE UNIVERSITY.
A bulletin giving fall results ol our wbeat experiments Is being prepared for publication. Those who
desire copies should send postal card, giving name
and address.
For several years the Agricultural Department of Purdue University has been
testing various commercial fertilizers ou
the college experiment farm. Thus far
the results have not been nattering to these
fertilizers.
Realizing that the character of the soil
has much to do with the effect of a commercial manure it was decided last fall to
try a single fertilizer on different soils in
various parts of the State. Six farmers
volunteered to join in testing the fertilizer.
Their names and addresses areas follows:
W. S. Katliff, Richmond, Wayne county;
W. J. Quick, Columbus, Bartholomew
<county; A. W. Jessnp, Mud Lick, Jefferson county; Hon. Samuel Hargrave,Union,
Pike county; D. E, Pry, Liberty^ ..Union
county, and J. Keily O'Neal, Lafayette,
Tippecanoe county.
The Indianapolis Fertilizer Company
kindly donated the fertilizer—"Banner
Bone Dust"—for the experiment. This
fertilizer contains 9.8 per cent insoluble
and 2.38 per cent reverted phosphoric acid,
and 3.15 per cent ammonia. It is finely
pulverized, dry, and sows easily through
the fertilizer drill; and I judge from the
reports received, that it was properly distributed in each case. Those joining in
the experiment were instructed to divide
the fertilizer into two equal portions of 100
pounds each, and apply the same to two
plats of about one-half acre each, as shown
in the accompanying diagram:
11.   So fertllizerT
I 2.   100 pounds Banner q0ne Dust.
I 3.   No fertilizer.
I 4.   100 pounds Banner Bone Dust.
I 5.   No fertilizer.
The unfertilized plats (1, 3 and 5) were
for comparison merely. The plats were to
be located on worn land, as nearly uniform
in every respect as possible. Although
the above instructions were not followed
to the letter in every case, the arrangement of the plats was such as to give, in
the opinion of the experimenter, a fair
basis for comparing the fertilized and unfertilized plats.
The reports received are substantially as
follows: ,
REPORTS PROM WAYNE COUNTY.
Mr. Katliff writes: Fertilizer applied
with fertilizer attachment to drill at time
of seeding, September 25-26,1884. Soil in
good condition—one-half of each plat
clayey and the other half a dark loam.
Plats arranged according to diagram and
were exactly one half acre each. Previous
corn crop, which was cut before seeding.
The weather was uniform during the sowing, and a nice shower fell on the evening
of the 20th. Wheat of the "Nigger" variety. Fall growth a little more thrifty on
the fertilized plats. Little difference in
the effect of the winter—all plats seriously
winter-killed. Wheat ripened a little
earlier, was taller, andthe grain more
plump on the fertilized plats.
The yields per ac re were as follows;
UNTHRESHBD GRAIN.
Average of two fertilized plats, straw
and grain, '2,438 pounds; average of three
unfertilized plats, straw and grain, 2,402
pounds; average increase from using fertilizer, 30 pounds.
THRESHED GRAIN.
Average of two fertilized plats, 14.08
bushels; average of three unfertilized plats,
13 82 bushels; average increase from using
fertilizer, 0.20 bushels.
REPORT PROM UNION COUNTY.
Mr. Fry reports the wheat crop nearly a
failure in his section. Chiefly winterkilled. The late wheat seriously damaged
by rust. The fertilized plats were some
earlier than the unfertilized. The previous
crop was corn, which was removed.
Ground was then harrowed and wheat
and fertilizer sown with drill, September
26th. Lands clay knolls intermixed with
sand. Plats nearly one-half acre each, extending north and south. No difference
in lay and exposure of plats. One hundred pounds of bone dust sown one and
one-half bushels to the acre. No difference in fall growth, but the fertilized plats
produced a stronger growth in the spring
than the others. • Wheat a little taller on
the fertilized plats. Wheat not yet
threshed. Judging from the shocks the
fertilized plats will probably yield at the
rate of 13 bushels per acre, and the unfertilized 10 bnshels per acre.
REPORT FROM PIKE COUNTY.
Mr. Hargrave reports an almost total
failure of the wheat on tbe experiment
plats. Wheat and fertilizer sown on clay
soil, with drill, September 29, the former
at one bushel, and the latter at 200 pounds
per acre. Three fertilized strips alternated
with three not fertilized. Plats were situated on a gentle slope to sonth and west.
No difference perceptible in exposure of
plats or character of soil. Owing to the
winter-killing the experiment was abandoned, only a portion ofthe wheat being
cut. What the fertilizer would do here in
a favorablo year is, of course, a matter of
conjecture.
REPORT FROM BARTHOLOMEW COUNTY.
Mr. Quick writes: Wheat and fertilizer
sown with a drill. The 200 pounds of bone
dust were applied to one full acre, with
five pecks of Fultz wheat. Soil well prepared same as rest of field. The fertilized
wheat grew more vigorously in the fall
than tho other. The difference in growth
was easily seen, but the severe weather of
February and March destroyed the wheat
so completely that the field was plowed
up and planted to corn last spring. The
fertilized acre looks well at this writing,
August 5, and will be*gathered separately
this fall and the difference in yield reported. Am sorry that the experiment
which promised so well in the fall is a
partial failure owing to the hard winter.
REPORT FROM JEFFERSON COUNTY.
Mr. Jessup gives au encouraging report.
He says: Wheat and fertilizer sown the
•middle of October with drill on clay land.
Sowed five pecks of wheat and 300 pounds
of fertilizer to the acre. The previous crop
was corn, which was cut, when the ground
was harrowed, with rolling harrow, and
seeded. Fall growth very good. Winterkilled badly, but the fertilizer plats came
out wonderfully in the spring, resulting
in a heavy crop of straw  and  heads woll
filled. Where no fertilizer was used there
was no wheat to thresh. Where I used the
200 pounds of bone dust per acre the yield
waa 24 bushels to the acre. Wheat entirely winter-killed this season where no fertilizer was used. Have used bone dust
for eight years getting from 16 to 35 bushels of wheat per acre on the same land
which before averaged only 13 bushels to
the acre.
REPORT PROM TIPPECANOE OOUNTY.
1. Experiment on Mr. O'Neal's farm.
Mr. O'Neal tried the bone dust on a large
scale. He applied it at the time of seeding
—September 25-26—to all of a 25 acre field
except a narrow strip, extending the entire length of the field midway between
side fences. The unfertilized strip was
left for comparison. His statement is as
follows: Previous crop,clover. Soil chiefly
clay, with gravel subsoil—is excellent
wheat land. Ground well prepared in
high condition. Sowed Martin's Amber
wheat two and one-half pecks to the acre,
and bone dust"200 pounds per acre. Strong
growth in f all,the fertilized ground leading.
Wheat generally regarded too thick last
fall. The January "thaw" and subsequent
"freeze" killed the wheat to the roots, and
the severe spring weather apparently completed the work of destruction. Contrary
to my expectation, the wheat started up
on the return of growing weather, but
presented a marked difference in favor of
the fertilized part.    "
So thoroughly had the winter dono its
work, however, that a poor crop is the result. I did not think it worth while to
harvest the fertilized and unfertilized portions separately for the above reason.. I
am well pleased with the fertilizer and
believe it to be in the line of success in
wheat culture. I would suggest that the
experiment be repeated and that only one-
forth or one-third of the fertilizer be applied in the fall and the rest in the spring.
I applied some of the bone dust to corn,
last spring and will report results whon
obtained
2. Experiment on the college farm.
Three brands of fertilizer were used on
the wheat last fall. They were tried under
like conditions on area of about one-half
acre each, and unfertilized plats alternated
with the fertilized for comparison. The
previous crop was hay, timothy and clover.
Ground was plowed early, and very thoroughly prepared, and in fair but not high
condition. Wheat—Fultz—and fertilizers
sown with drill September 25-26, the
former at the rate of one bushel, and latter
at 200 pounds to the acre. The soil was a
dark heavy loam very uniform, and
underlaid with gravel. The exposure was
the same, the ground sloping gently to the
north. There was no observable difference
in the fall and spring growth, or in the
effect of the winter. About 50 per cent of
all the plats was winter-killed. The only
difference observed was in the ripening,
the fertilized plats being perhaps a day
earlier. The yields are given below by
weight in bushels and hundredths per
acre.
TABLE—OIVINO YIELDS OP FERTILIZED AND
UNFERTILIZED PLATS. 	
Fertilizer Yield bu.
Raw Bone 22,02
No fertilizer _  48.58
Increase from Raw Bone« 3.46
Banner Bone Dust..- _ 23.C9
jfertlllzer. Yield bu.
No fertilizer  _ • 20.18
Increase from Bone Dust. ._.. 2.91
Bone meal „ 17.29
No fertilizer _   19.56
Decrease on bone meal plat 2.27
Average of fertilizer plats .21.13
Average of unfertilized plats. 19.06
Average increase from fertilizers 2.07
With the exception of the bone meal
there is a slight increase from using tho
fertilizers. The increase, however, is not
sufficient to justify their use on the college
farm, unless the soil is also permanently
benefited thereby.
Definite conclusions cannot be drawn
from the experiments of a single year—
especially one so extraordinary as the last
has been. We feel justified, however, in
making the following inferences from the
facts given:
1st. A suitable commercial fertilizer
may be, in some cases, a partial protection
against severe winters.
2d. The effect of a fertilizer will vary
with the kind of soil andthe degree of
natural fertility. • •■.-.:.      ,..■'■
3d. Ou moderately rich soils commercial
fertilizers are of doubtful utility, from the
financial standpoint.     .
4th. Farmers Bhould carefully test various fertilizers in order to determine what
will give best returns.
I respectfully suggest that farmers who
expect to use commercial fertilizers, try
the same in a manner similar to that in
diagram above. The Indianapolis Ferti-,,
lizer Company, and doubtless other firms,
will furnish various brands at low rates
for this purpose.
Lafayette, Ind., Sep. 3d, 1884.
C5f>
aiir gepartwetxt.
BY VINSON CARTER, ESQ., THIS CITY.
In a recent Farmer you said that
where a bachelor dies, without a will, his
estate goes to his brothers and sisters;
"and thou hast well said." But then
when you speak about a bachelor you
strike a tender spot; we know all about it,
for we have lots of 'em, but the trouble is
they do not often die, aud when they do,
they are mad over it a week. They will
growl over it anyway, no.'ditlerence what
you will do with them. Mr. Wolls says,
"that they would growl if they were to bo
hung." But out of that answer grows
another question. Suppose this growling
bachelor does once die, leaving brothers
and sisters, but one brother has also died,
leaving minor heirs, will those minor
heirs come in equally with the rest?
M.
The heirs of the deceased brother take
the share that the brother should havo
taken if alive.
A and B have land joining, B's land
lying on the west side of A's. A cultivates
his land but it is shaded so by B's green
timber along the line that he cannot raise
much of any thing. Last fall A sowed
his ground in barley and the leaves from
B's timber fell on a strip of the barley,
eight or ten rods wide along the lino and
smothered it. A asked the privilege to
deaden the timber but B refuses. Question 1st. Is B liable to A for the damage
his timber does? 2d. Can A compel him
to deaden the timber? J. R. H.
1. No. 2. No.      	
1. Has a dealer the right to iake more
than 68 pounds for a bushel of solid dry
corn, nothing being said in the contract?
2. If not, what is the penalty?     J. H. S.
1. No. 2. There is no penalty, but the
dealer can be compelled to pay at the rate
of 68 pounds to tho bushel.