Soil Fertility. 53 ‘ A
xty- such may prove to be the case. There are numerous cases ‘ 3* I
_ in this State where rock phosphate is being used with great  
s to A success by farmers who have manure or green manure crops ‘  
ip a A to use with it. Bone meal is an-effective form of phosphate, ll? ._,
gime  i but the supply is exceedingly limited compared with the  
·t of _ amount of phosphates that should be used. `  
is it It should now be evident why we lay such stress on the use I   '‘l·  
 c of phosphates. It is for the reason that nearly all Kentucky  
·mer i soils outside the Blue Grass Region are very deficient in phos- I  
iple, , phorus and some within the outer circle of the Blue Grass » ?* 
s of  · Region. Phosphorus in these soils is the first limiting element. ` h if  
re of · Under this condition, without the liberal use of phosphates, I  
»unt, ‘ it is impossible to produce large growths of leguminous and  
ch it  i other crops to restore nitrogen and organic matter to the soil. ii.-ii
iired _ The use of phosphates, therefore, is the very foundation gil
gen-  , of permanent soil improvement on such soils. In view i  
One , of the fact that the returns from the use of phosphates .  
ogen J are so much greater than from potash, granting that the  
ntain latter does give returns in some, cases, we cannot  
 I recommend the buying of potash until the farmer has first  
such Q  bought sufficient phosphorus to use on all of his soil. A fact  
n the _ worthy of notice in passing is that three-fourths of the phos— .  
otas— , _ phorus required for grain crops is in the grain itself. Hence  
;es, I if grain is sold there is a large loss from the soil. Animals   _
il the i retain on the average one-fourth of the phosphorus of the  
f the feed given them, so that both. in grain farming and live-  
e soil stock farming there is an unavoidable loss of an element  
— already deficient in nearly all soils.  
ently Our teachings always emphasize permanent fertility,and the  
. that . absolute necessity of providing nitrogen and organic matter.  
than We recommend the use of limestone on acid soils as a ‘  
most I means of increasing the growth of nitrogen—gathering crops ` _ E 
arms. A and through them all other crops. However, all the evidence  
nt in 5 We have at hand indicates that on soils deficient in phos·  F
is re- I phorus, limestone does not prove profitable without the use   `
more I of phosphates but when used in connection with phosphates I  
Erock I it is highly profitable. We can unhesitatingly recommend  
e that  
 sg-