MINUlTES OF T'HE, BOARD OF T::UST1EES



State in the purchase of fertilizers containing low percentages of nitrogen and

potash. These small percentages of nitrogen end potash add a great deal to the cost

of the fertilizer and do not give returns at all commensurate with their cost. This

bulletin further points out that ten times our annual expenditure could profitably

be made for fertilizers, but it should be made generally for phosphate and potash salts

to supply deficiencies and in the growing of leguminous crops to furnigh (furnish)

humus and nitrogen. our fertilizer manufacturers need to recognize the truth of this

statement and begin at once to supply these materials in unmixed condition to the

farmers at the lowest possible prices.  The immediate cause of this present dissatis-

faction on the part of the fertilizer trade with regard to the teaching of the Experiment

Station regarding the use of fertilizers and soil amendments has grown out of the recent

teachings of the county agents respecting the use of acid phosphate instead of complete

fertilizers. As a matter of fact it is well known to all who have ever investigated

this subject, that outside of the blue grass region, the soils of Kentucky are poor

in phosphorus. In a sense, phosphorus is the limiting factor of plant growth in soils

outside of the blue grass region. The problem, therefore, resolves itself into a lib-

eral application of acid phosphate or ground rock phosphate with a crop rotation con-

taining one of more leguminous crops for the purpose of maintaining organic matter

(humus) and available nitrogen, or in the return of the manurial equivalent of the crop

removed. Obviously, these teachings are objectionable to the fertilizer trade for the

reason that they strike a blow at the use of complete fertilizers and at the use of

potash salts of which we have an abundance in all of the soils of the State and against

the use of organic nitrogen which is entirely too expensive to be used by the farmer for

general fertilizing purposes. From present indications, I am inclined to think that an

effort will be made on the part of the fertilizer industry in Kentucky to repeal the

tax of fifty cents per ton on all fertilizers manufactures (manufactured), sold or

offered for sale in the State, on the ground, first, that this tax is in excess of that

which is charged by other states for the carrying on of this work, and, second, on the

ground that their industry has been attacked by the teachings of the Experiment Station



JTune 9, 19115