Page 75

SOUTHERN WIS. CHEESEMAKERS' & DAIRYMEN'S ASS'N. 75
Phosphorus as a Fertilizer on the
Dairy Farm
Prof. J. E. Readheimer, University of Illircis
Phosphorus must always play an important part in any
system of permanent agriculture. It is a b-;olutely neces-
sary for the growth and development of all plant and ani-
mal life. It is found in every cell and without it none of
the cell activities could go on. Whether the system  of
farming is strictly grain or strictly live-stock, phosphorus
is largely used in the formation of the seed. About three-
fourths of the phosphorus required for the ordinary farm
crops, corn, oats, wheat, goes to form the grain, and the
grain is the part of the crop sold from the farm.  The
grain of a hundred bushel crop of corn requires 17 pounds
of phosphorus while the stalks require only 6 pounds. The
grain of a hundred bushel crop of oats requires 11 pounds
of phosphorus, while the straw requires only 5 pounds. The
grain of a fifty bushel crop of wheat requires 12 pounds
of phosphorus, while the straw requires only 4 pounds.
When the products of the farm are fed to live-stock a
large part of the phosphorus, probably one-fourth, is re-
tained by the animal body to build up the bones and to as-
sist the organs is performing their life activities. Bones
are composed almost wholly of calcium phosphate, a com-
poun(l of calcium, oxyggn, and phosphorus. Of the three-
fourths of the phosphorus that passes thru the animal in
the form of manure, probably not more than two-thirds of
the the phosphorus that through the animal in form of