The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1890-04-09
FARMER AND PLANTER.
FERTILIzING CORN.
An Unsettled Question In Corn Culture
Discussed.

An Unsettled Question In Corn Culture
Discussed.
1t is yet an unsettled question wheth-
or corn requires the application of
heterogeneous fertilizer. The results of
carefully-conducted experiments at sew
eral experiment stations seem to iidi-
cate that this plant has the power to
gather its requisite supply of nitrogen
from the soil, or from the atmosphere,
or both. That it must have nitrogen is
proven by the fact that the matured
plant, in all its parts, and especially
the grain, contains nitrogen. The indi-
cations OF these experiments would seem
to be in the very teeth of the expert
ence of all farmers, that cotton and cot
ton-seed meal-whose principal element
of plant food is nitrogen-rarely fail to
produce good yield when applied to
corn. If corn were new plant just in
PRODUCED into cultivation, we would con-
clude by reasoning from analogy, that
1T would respond to heterogeneous
fertilizers, because it belongs to
the same botanical order, or family
of plants that includes wheat, oats,
rye, barley, the various grasses, etc., to
all Of which we have long been accus-
toned to apply highly heterogeneous ma
nure with supposed profitable results
If these experiments are conclusive, or
are to become so, then we will have to
admit that millions have heretofore
been wasted in manuring corn with
stable manure, cotton seed and cotton
seed meal, Peruvian guano, ETC., because
the chief value of all of those is due to
the fact that they contain more or less
nitrogen. We are not inclined to re-
verse our opinion on this point, all at
once, but will leave tho question open,
and Judgment suspended, until more
light is afforded from the most exact ex-
periments. In passing, however, we
will say that in our own experience we
have uniformly got better results from
the use of rotten cotton-seed, even when
rotted without any precaution against
loss of nitrogen, than from green cotton
seed, when applied to corn, which would
appear to favor the view that corn does
not require heterogeneous fertilizer.
If but small amount of fertilizer is
to be applied to corn, say less than ten
bushels of cotton seed, or its equiva-
lent, it is probably best to make but
one application, and that at the time of
planting, taking care to somewhat
scatter the manure around the seed in
stead of dropping it in lump in one
spot. But if liberal manuring is con-
templated we advise two or more appli-
cations. This advice is not based on
tho theory that the plant will take up
! the manure before it is needed, and that
| the supply will be exhausted before
eating time. On the contrary it is quite
probable that the plant can not and will
not appropriate all the applied plant
food until needed. Even if the idea
were correct that the plant will exhaust
the manure during the early stages of
its growth, it is also true that the roots,
stem and blades are safer repository
than the soil itself. Whatever of plant
food is taken into the plant
system will inevitably go into the grain
when the latter requires it. 1t will not
be exhaled into the air and lost. Plants
exhale very little, if any, nitrogen, ard
not a particle of the mineral elements.
1t is true, however, that large stalk
requires more to form its tissues, and
will therefore withhold larger proper
ton of the plant food taken up from the
soil than a smaller stalk; and it is GER
tainly true that liberal, all-at-once,
dose of manure, at planting or shortly
after, tends to produce large stalk.
There is something, also, in the idea
that repeated applications give sue
cessive stimulations to the plant, and
induce successive reactions On the inert
plant food in the soil. Actual expert
ment, however, is the crucial test; and
experience seems to confirm the view
we have suggested. -Southern Cultiva-
tor.