----- Original Message -----
From: Allan Balliett <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Saturday, February 08, 2003 11:53 PM
Subject: Re: sheep know, so do cows
> >I'm
> >trying to make is that there is more problem in the way that chemical
> >fertilisers have been used and promoted for use, than there is in the
actual
> >product in many instances.
>
> Dear Lloyd -
>
> Do you mind stating that a little more clearly...or do I mean
'exlicitly'?
>
> -Allan
>
Allan
Martha got it OK but a couple of fr instances may help
1. Dolomite is widely and actively promoted as a soil amendment, and called
lime, where often the product used should be high calcium ag lime (starts
at the home gardener level) and the people doing this KNOW that the use of
excess available magnesium will deplete nitrogen and thus generate sales of
bagged nitrogen
2. Nitrogen fertilisers started life as disposal problems from industry -
Sulphate ammonia (while a good product used in the right place in
moderation) was a by product of steel production - and later synthetics,
nylon manufacturing. Ammonium nitrate is a high explosive base - excess
wartime capacity left a problem - how to keep the plants open ? geee lets
sell it to the farmers!
3. Anhydrous ammonia (gas) is invariably drilled into farm soils using a
chisel plow or similar implement (to hold it in the soil) it goes in deeper
than normal cultivation in most cases, particularly the first time over,
there is usually a significant yield improvement the first time a farmer
does this and he's hooked! Little thought is given to the possibility that
the chisel plow cultivation may have had something to do with it and maybe
the gas tap could have been turned off and got a similar result, once the
farmer is on the bandwaggon tho' the use of gas burns out organic matter,
fumigates the microbes and ensures an ongoing demand for the product. The
scientists and agronomists behind the scenes know all this, but soil health
is not part of the agenda.
We can go out and use anhydrous with very little ill effect if its first put
through water to make liquid ammonia and used in small amounts combined with
biologicals and carbon material - you dont get this info at the local
fertiliser coop!
Lloyd Charles
