ALL REGION
file not found - ppiweb/usawest.nsf
The History of American Fertilization Practices
The response of corn to added phosphate and potash fertilizer is dramatic
After the fish were cooked and the oil extracted- the remaining scrapmeal was dried and bagged for use as fertilizer
The dramatic response of corn to fertilizer (on right) lead to rapid and enthusiastic adoption by farmers eager to improve yields and profitability
By the late 19th century the large meat packers also were among the nations largest fertilizer producers
Once commercial inorganic fertilizers became available to farmers the numerous advantages were obvious Cotton growing at right had added fertilizer
Animal manure was a primary source of nutrients for many years- although the expense/ the labor requirements and declining number of farm animals made this option less attractive after fertilizers became widespread
Early fertilizer advertisements highlight that the nutrients come from animal products The unsalable parts of the animal carcass were first rendered to remove commercially valuable fats then the remaining material was dried- ground- and sold as tankage
Farmers were urged to take advantage of the phosphate derived from bones- the only commercially available P source until P sources were discovered in South Carolina in the 1860's
Clover growth is enhanced (Rear) with soil fertilization compared with native soil (Foreground)- even when used as a green manure for N additions- clover must be supplied with the other essential nutrients
Poudrette- a euphemism for human excrement- has been used as a nutrient source for centuries
Ground bones were treated with sulfuric acid to form single superphosphate
The burdensome requirement of time and labor for manure management was a significant factor that favored the adoption of fertilizers
Early cotton fertility trial with medium fertilization rate (left) no fertilizer (center) and recommended fertilization rate (right)
Uniform manure spreading requires considerable time and labor
Manure application to a young orchard
Direct application of fresh animal manures to edible crops is not recommended for health reasons
Early application equipment for precision placment of fertilizers- to improve nutrient efficiency (1928)
Animal-drawn farm implements were essential for all field operations... including cotton cultivation to eliminate weeds
Plowing prarie soil with horse-drawn implements. Plowing stimulates mineralization of soil organic matter... releasing native stores of nutrients

Copyright © 2011 International Plant Nutrition Institute. All rights reserved.
IPNI, 3500 Parkway Lane, Suite 550, Norcross, GA 30092-2844 USA | Map | T 770.447.0335 | F 770.448.0439

Follow @PlantNutrition on Twitter.