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Show I By Lloyd Smith DOES YOUR SOIL NEED PHOSPHATE? Now is the time to determine phosphate needs for 1956, reminds Dr. Paul D. Christensen, extension conservationist at Utah State Agricultural College. He says the need for applying phosphate to soil depends on several sev-eral factors. These include the phosphate supply in the soil, crop grown and fertilizer practices during dur-ing the past few years. "If you haven't applied phosphate phos-phate for several years, you will probably profit by applying it to alfalfa, potatoes, sugar beets, and some other crops." Dr. Christensen says. "If you are a consistent phosphate phos-phate user, you may not need apply ap-ply any next year. Phosphate is not all used the first season. Part of it remains available to plants over several years." A scientific appraisal of phosphate phos-phate needs can be had at low cost. Just send a properly-prepared sample of soil to the Soil Testing Labratory at the Utah State Agricultural College, Logan. Lloyd Smith, Duchesne District Agricultural. Agent, can give instructions in-structions on how to take soil the sampling instructions carefully the smpling instructions carefully so the soil tests will more closely reflect the actual phosphate picture pic-ture on the farm. If samplqs are sent in now, the analysis will be completed in a few weeks. If the analysis shows no need for phosphate, your phosphate problem will be solved for 1956. Fruit growers are especially advised ad-vised against applying phosphate where the soil contains sufficient amounts. Zinc deficiency often occurs where the supply of available avail-able phosphate is too high. If the analysis shows a need for phosphate, you can broadcast applications ap-plications of superphosphate in the fall and winter months during the slack periods. Where moisture is limited, fall and winter applications applica-tions may give earlier response than spring applications. This is particularly true with alfalfa. |