The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1889-02-20
SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL.
Fertilizers in the South.

How shall we maintain the fertility OF
that which is already of good quality?
Among those engaged in agricultural
pursuits throughout East and South
Florida, fruit-growing, in some of its
branches, is the principal industry.
With all such persons, be they orange
or lemon-growers, vineyardists or
cultivators of peach or plum orchards,
the notwithstanding question is:
"What fertilizer shall use?" Here,
as we'll as at the North, stable-manure,
is usually valued above every other
form of fertilizer. There is one very
important difference, however: At the
North large quantities of stable-ma-
nure are used while perfectly fresh, or
at most, when only partially decayed.
Here, 1t is never advisable to use it
until it is rotted. Our soils are usually
light, and have a tendency to suffer
| from lack of moisture in case of a
drought. On such soils the use of
| fresh stable manure is dangerous, as
in case of drought the soil containing it
will dry out more rapidly than that
which is more compact. Though stable
manure may be considered the best,
theoretically, yet practically it is I'M
available to a large majority of our
gardeners and fruit growers.
1t then becomes necessary to find
some substitute. Some recommend the
use of muck. But muck varies so
much in quality and composition that
widely different results are reported
from it's use. When composted
with stable manure, or with cot
ton-seed meal and potash, it is no
doubt very valuable fertilizer. But
there is often the same objection to
muck that prevents the general use of
stable manure, namely: it can not be
obtained at all in many localities. In
many places the expense of getting it
out of the swamps, hauling and spread
ing it on the land, is so great that the
cost exceeds it's actual value as a fer
tilizer.
These two being out of the question,
there remains only the two alternatives
of green manuring, or the use of what
are commonly called commercial fer
tilizers." The first is often used, but
not nearly so generally nor so thor
oughly as it should be. A gentleman
from an adjoining county told me,
some months ago, that he had kept a
large-bearing orange grove in good,
thrifty condition, with very little fer
tilizer, simply by blowing under two
or three green crops every year. In
the fall he sowed rye or oats. In the
spring, as soon as it was prudent to do
so, the rye was plowed under, and the
land sown with COW peas. AS soon as
they had made their full growth, and
were in bloom. they were plowed I'M
der, and the land again sOwn with COW
peas. The second crop of COW peas
was allowed to grow until fall, and
then plowed under to make room for
another crop of rye or oats. Thus by
the use of a very small amount Of
mineral fertilizer, annually, to supply
the loss sustained by the soil each year
in maturing a crop of oranges, the
blowing under of three green crops
annually would keep the trees in a
good, growing condition.
1t is very common in Florida to SOW
one crop OF cow-peas in the orange
grove some time during the growing
season. These are usually allowed to
grow as long as they will, then to die
and lie on the ground until the vines
are SO decayed that they will break up
readily before they are plowed under.
A very large percentage of the value
of the vines is allowed to go to waste
in this way, which might be saved il
they were plowed under while green.
Commercial fertilizers, as used in
Florida, include every thing except
muck and stable-manure. They range
in price from about SIS to $50 or more
per ton. That sold at the lowest
price is usually the dearest, sc
far as actual value received fol
money paid out is concerned. The
best grades of the ready-mixed fertiliz.
ers are universally held at such high
prices that as rule, believe it will
pay the Florida farmer or fruit grower
to buy his own materials and mix then
to suit himself.
Personally, / prefer for most crops
either of fruit or vegetables. mixture
of equal parts of bone meal and cot
ton-seed meal, with the addition o.
from ten to fifteen per cent. of muriate
or sulphate of potash. A ton Of
ground, pure, raw-bone usually costs
about $3S; a ton of cotton-seed meal,
about $22; and 600 pounds of potash
about $12. Thus the 1900 pounds O
materials will cost about $74, or at the
rate of 1872. 16 per ton, besides the labor
of mixing them. The latter, however
will be very small item, as I;
rule. The best grades of mixed
fertilizers are sold in Florida fol-
from $40 to $50 per ton. Tht
actual value of the above home mixed
fertilizer, as shown by it's effect OF
crops, is fully equal to that of any il
the market. The proportions of bon,
meal, cotton-seed meal and potash ma,
be varied to suit different crops ant