A Common Fertilizer' . • . Phosphorus Required by All Living Phosphorus has long been re cognized as the “sparkplug” m the fertilizer mixture. Without it, crop yields will be limited al though levels of nitrogen and potash may be high. Phosphorus is present in all living tissue. It is particularly concentrated in the younger parts of the plant and in the flowers and the seed. However, phosphorus is one of the least understood and most complex of the elements used as fertilizer, despite the fact that it is so necessary. This is because phosphorus will not “stand alone” m the soil as nitrogen, potassium or calcium do. It tends to form a compound and remain in the soil until ex tracted by the plant root. PHOSPHATES DO not move readily m the soil, and accumula tions are usually in the first foot of soil Some soils that have been in production long enough to de plete the total phosphorus supply will have a phosphorus layer con siderably deeper. Most of the total supply is tied up m a form that is not usable by the crop in a single growing sea son—it is not available to the growing plant. The available soil phosphorus originates from the breakdown of soil minerals, from soil organic matter or from the previous addition of phosphate fertilizer The available soil phos phorus usually is only about one per cent of the total soil phos phorus. IT IS THE PROBLEM of get ting fertilizer available to the plant that is greatest concern to most farmers Traditionally the use of superphosphate, contain ing 20 pounds of phosphate per 100 pounds of material, has been recommended Recently, however, the use of a new material, lock phoshate has come into the picture Many farm ers still are not quite clear on rU use and what they can expect from it in return In work at Penn State done some years ago by Dr Merkle, it was found that rock phosphate worked veiy well m Pennsylvania soils The only objection was in price The Penn State work also re flected findings at Beltsville and BIG WHITE i k > V shcfpkhty ofzfn P. L ROHRER & BRO., INC. SMOKETOWN, PA. Ph. Lane, EX 22659 oiher experiment stations in sug gesting that the best use for rock phosphate was in deep rooted le gumes and on forage crops. THE LONGER the rotation, the better the rock phosphate will be utilized. It takes eight to 10 years' to wear out, although the bulk of the phosphorus will be released in the first few years. Soil acidity or pH is also a fact or to be considered when using rock phosphate. The best results with rock phosphate have occur led in the acid soils of the corn belt states. Experimental work has shown that a mildly acid con dition will help in the breakdown ot rock phosphate into a solu able form that the plant can use. The crop to be grown also must be considered when deciding to use rock phosphate- Species of plants differ markedly in their capacity to absorb phosphorus. AT BELTSVILLE phosphorus from phosphate rock was found to be most available to buck wheat. Legumes* (alfalfa, crotal ane and Ladino clover) extracted more phosphorus from rock phos phate grasses (orchard grass, „bromegrass, perennial ryegrass, milet and oats.) Crops with a low capacity to absorb the relatively msoluale calcium phosphates should bene fit if they follow a crop with a high capacity. Planting pasture mixtures that combine these two types of crops may make it pos ROCK PHOSPHATE Bird-in-Hand Siding C 4yp BY BUYING DIRECT V 111 FROM THE CAR. SMUCKER BROS. Bird-in-Hand, Pa, two ways to make top quality GRASS SILAGE BEACON KEEP SWEET for direct cut forage reduces juice run-off 50% or more increases energy content insures lactic acid fermentation easy to apply uniformly Eliminate unpleasant odors! Increase milk making potential! Step up silage consumption— cut grain cost! Fm ther particular s on these Uoo fine silage preservatives are yours for the asking. J. 3VI. Bomberger Elm Farmers Supply Co. 137-39 E. King St., Lancaster , „ tTT . Millport Roller Mills rani H. Lehman _ .... Lititz Denver 0. Kenneth McCracken Osceola Flour Mills Manheim BEACON sible for the species with a low capacity to absorb these phosphat es. At the Massachusetts agricul tural experiment station it was found that oats grown in associa tion with red clover gained 32 per cent in yield and 62 per cent in total phosphorus uptake compar ed to oats alone. GEORGE BERGGREN, agron omy specialist at Penn State, points out that fineness of rock phosphate is very important. The material is relatively insoluable and therfore should be capable of pasing through a 200 mesh screen. Berggren also pointed out the danger of using rock-phosphate on cash crops such as corn where yields must be kept high. While the content of the soil wil be high, most will be un available to the plant. Therefore a normal, or near noimal, application of super phosphate should be made. Another reason for the applica tion of superphosphate at plant ing time is the way the plant uses phosphorus. ABOUT HALF the total phos phorus used in the plant is ab sorbed when only 20 per cent of the total growth has occurred. The smaller root system during the period of early growth and competition for available phos phorus by micro-organisms ex plain the need for large supplies Available Now At See Us Immediately • concentrated for convenient handling • three 50 lb. bags treat average silo • retains up to 17% more carotene, 21% more vitamin £ than untreated silage Fred L. and John E. Homsher J) LD PHILA. PIKE SO 8-3610 \ Ph. BEACON SILO SWEET for wilted forage Strasburg Gordonville ' g Lancaster Farming, Friday, April 25, 195 S of available phosphorus in the early stages of growth. Mentioned earlier was the fact that Penn State research found that rock phosphate was too ex pensive to use. Dr. Merkle and his asociates believed that rock phos phate could be purchased econo mically when the price of one ton of 20 per cent superphosphate was equal to that of two tons of lock phosphate THE PRICE FOR 20 per cent superphosphate this week was quoted at $33.50 a ton m bulk, de in ered and spread. The price for the rock form was $24.50, deliver- If you are Ready To Buy . . . GOOD CHICKS Pick up your phone and call “BILL” BURLING at Oxford, (Pa.) 286 COLLECT Bill will pay the call. Consumers, including buyers for stores, institutions, etc., want the Best Meat and Eggs ... no irregular lots of birds or mixed colors and mixed quality eggs. The final result depends on what you start with, and we have the chicks that will make Premium-Price meat and eggs. Interior quality of eggs is “tops”. Started Pullets Now Ready Carey White Leghorns, White Rocks, Cornish- Rock Cross, Merryknoll and Golden Sex-Links, New Hamps and Barred Rocks. Phone today for a date. BILL BURLING Box F, Oxford, Pa. Now you can have both in one tractor the oper ating ease of a low, step-aboard tractor . . . plus the high clearance of tractois designed for row crop cultivation. Both features are found in Allis-Chalmers’ Low- Line, High-Crop D-14. It’s an entirely new con cept in farm tractor design In addition, the D-14’s Power Director provides live PTO and 8 speeds forward with ability to shift on-the-go between high and low range without clutching. Drive the Low-Line, High-Crop D-14 with full 3-plow power... and you’ll see what we mean. ALLIS-CHALMERS Sales & Service Maim & Grumelli Farm Serv. Quarryville, Pa. L. H. Bmbaker Lancaster, Pa. Snavelys Farm Service New Holland, Pa. N. G. Myers & Son Rheems, Pa. Things ed and spread. This gives a ratio ot about 1 4 to one, somewhat iless than the two to one ratio re commended. More recent ersearch, especial ly in Illinois and Missouri, has' found that the returns are some what greater on rock that was be lieved formerly. Therefore the price spiead may closer as far as value is concerned. Rock phosphate is a long terra investment, just about the same as ground limestone. About three per cent of the phosphorus will be available each year, or about 60 pounds per ton. R. S. Weaver Stevens, Pa. Nissley Farm Service Washington Boro, Pa. L. H. Brubaker Lititz, Pa.