Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-01-06

While il is not to he recommended that
farmers engage in too many "eXperi-
ments,' still it is thing to be desired
that the more intelligent cultivators of
thessSil should, from year to year, carry
on few well-conducted experiments in
behalf of the great industry that engages
the attention Of much the larger part of
the civilized world. In fact, it is difficult
to understand how an intelligent farmer
can content himself without making them.
| do not mean the hap-hazard accidental
occurrences, growing out of mere laziness
generally, that are oftentines cited in
print as experiments, but the well-deined
and closely watched operations that in
vOlYe increased attention, and that are
questions fairly put to nature, and which,
as they may be answered, either affiIma-
lively or negatively, are accepted and
valued as facts, and not strained to con-
firm some theory that may have been held
and advocated. Properly made expert
ments are OF very great value to the world,
and to-day the farming world is eager for
the answering of numerous questions that
can only be answered satisfactorily as
honest, intelligent eXperimenters may
put the question; and in many cases the
individual farmer must ask his own ques-
lions before he can be satisfied that a GER
tain general rule is applicable to his soil
in cases where soil may be concerned
questions, say, as to the value of subsOil-
ing; whether potash is more profitable to
buy than phosphate; whether common
salt has any value as manure, and the
like. An experiment to be worth any
thing must be accurate. and all the co
ditI0ns perfectly stated. Guesswork must
have no part in it. Where it is a soil eX-
pertinent, made with a view to determine
whether ammonia, phosphoric acid or
potash, is the most profitable element to
purchase; the plot must be alike through
out and unmanured strips left between
each manfred strip. If the manure is
applied in rows, as is generally the case,
then allot 3 Cor 3 rows to each kind of
manure, having between the same number
of rows unmanured, taking the centre
row OF each plat as the basis Of COMPARE
son when gathering the TrOduct. In max
ing these soil tests it is we'll to use the
| best elementary substances that can be
attained. TO furnish ammonia, either
cOtton-seed meal { or the cOttOn-seed itself,
though the meal is better), nitrate OF soda,
sulphate of ammonia and dried blood
should be used, having in view the analy-
sis of each to determine now much am
mOnia is being applied and at what cost.
To furnish phOsphOric acid the best ma
terial, perhaps, is the acid phosphate, as it
has less OF any other substance TO interfere
with correct conclusion as to the phOspho-
| rlc acid, ground or dissolved bone, besides
! it's phosphorus has considerable ammonia
! and some potash, which would have its
effect on the crop and present a correct
estimate as to the effect of the phosphoric
| acid. The potash salts afford the cheapest
and best source of potash for experiment.
| Commencing with the first plot, use am
| mOnia, say, alone; the next plot Unma-
! nured; and on in this manner until each
| of the substances are applied separately
and then in combination. Measure ex-
actly the length of rows, remembering
that at the distance of feet for rows
the average distance of cotton rows-100
yards is the 4Sth of an acre; weigh the
materials and calculate the quantity of
fertilizer used and the cost per acre.
Other experiments will suggest them
selves to the intelligent farmer who is en-
deayOring to get at the facts bearing on
his profession. Another very desirable
experiment to be made is that of top
! dressing compared with drilling in the
manure deep in the burrows.
HtledgeuttIe. S. A. G.