Distribution of fertilizers

Fertilizers are required where soils are deficient in plant food elements. When land is planted to crops over a long period of years, the plant food elements are reduced and yields of crops lower.

It is now recognized that higher yields can be expected from most soils in all areas if the right type of fertilizer is properly applied. This is commonly done by the application of farmyard manure, liquid manure and artificial or organic fertilizers.The distribution of each of these categories of manure presents its own problems.

The main methods of appying fertilizers to crops include:

1) broadcasting solid fertilizer and working it into the soil before sowing;

2) injecting liquids or gases into the soil before sowing;

3) applying the fertilizer at the time of sowing, either in contact with the seed or quite close to it;

4) surface distribution (liquid or solid) to a growing crop; and

5) njecting the fertilizer (mainly liquid or gas) into the soil or alongside the growing crop.

Most fertilizer distributors are broadcasting machines, and object is to secure a uniform broadcasting of the manure over the surface of the soil.

In order to achieve a good distribution, whether the aim is to distribute the manure over the surface or to arrange it in some pattern, it is essential that the fertilizer be in good condition.A good distribution is done with special fertilizing equipment.

Answer the questions:

1.Why are fertilizers required?

2.What methods of applying fertilizers do you know?

3.How is a good distribution of fertilizers done?

 

TEXT 7.

FERTILIZER ATTACHMENTS

Fertilizer can be applied to the soil in several forms, such as barnyard manure, granular and pelleted fertilizers of various formulae, and fertilizers in liquid and gaseous form. Special equipment is required for the handling of these types of fertilizers, which are applied to the soil and crop in various ways at different stages of culture. For example, barnyard manure is usually broadcast over the land with a manure spreader before seedbed preparation. It is then worked into the soil, either by plowing or by disk harrow. Granular fertilizers are applied with granular-fertilizer distributors.

Fertilizer attachments are available for most tractor-mounted planters and cultivators. Attachments are also available for grain drills and some types of plows. Fertilizer attachments have been designed to work in conjunction with most tractor planters.

Fertilizer attachments for grain drills consist of a specially constructed hopper having a partition extending lengthwise through the middle. The planting unit is in the front half of the box, while the fertilizer unit is in the rear half.

A better method is to release the fertilizer through separate tubes which will place the fertilizer in the drills above the seed.

Thе equipment for applying liquid fertilizers consists essentially of tankers for transport; holding tanks on the farm for temporary storage, and a distributor which may be capableof broadcast application, or below-ground placemen.

A. typical modern machine has a tank, a pump, driven by hydraulic motor, capable of delivering over 100 gallons per minute through several nozzles in the boom.

 

Answer the questions:

1. What forms of fertilizers are there?

2. When is barnyard manure broadcast?

3 For what implements are there fertilizer attachments?

TEXT 8.

Threshing Mechanism.

The threshing mechanism, which separates the. grain from the stalks, consists mainly of revolving cylinder and the concaves. A feeder-beater is usually located in front of the cylinder and at the upper end of the elevator-feeder to assist the elevatorfeeder in feeding the grain to the threshing mechanism.

Most combines are provided with the rasp-bar-type cylinder and concaves. The grain is rubbed from Hie stems without materially cutting the straw. Tooth-type cylinder and concaves are available on some combines. Adjustments are provided for varying the speed of the cylinder to suit the kind of crop being harvested. V-belt variable-speed drives are used on most combines. The straw is thrown back onto the separating mechanism, while the grain falls through the concaves onto a grain pan or grain carrier and is conveyed to the cleaning mechanism.

On the small straight-through combines, the cylinder and concaves extend almost the full width of the cutter bar while on the larger machines, the cylinder and concaves are only about 30 m (76.2 cm) in width and 18 to 24 m (45.7 to 61.0 cm) in diameter. All machines provide means of adjusting the con­caves to the cylinder. The peripheral speed of combine cylinders ranges from 2000 to 7000 r/min, depending upon the type of crop and its condition.

Answer the questions:

1. What does the threshing mechanism consist of?

2. What is provided for varying the speed of the cylinder?

3. On what combines do the cylinder and concaves extend almost the full width of the cutter bar?

 

TEXT 9.