, 1892-08-06

a long, deep tap roOC, seems 10 nave tne
power Of ARE sting the downward tendency
at the time Of planting. 1t is also plant
cd much later than either corn or cane,
and more quickly springs into vigorous
growth.
Cane and corn are, on the contrary, hbrous-
rooted, and the tendency of growth in the
roots of these plants is in lateral directions
rather than downward. Hence they have been
frequently benefited by two or more applica-
tions, especially upon loose sandy soils and
in very wet weather. Upon loamy or clayey
soils the tendency to leach is not so great
and hence, with an average of years upon these
soils, not much will be lost By one application
given at planting or during the early growth
of the cane.
Summing up our results and applying them
to cane, we would advise using a mixture of
nitrogen and phosphoric acid, both in highly
available forms, upon both plant cane and
stubble. With the fall plant a portion, at least,
Of the fertilizer should be applied at the time of
planting, and the rest in the late spring when
sucktring begins. We have used a full
ration in the fall with success. With spring
plant there is but little use of division. In
applying fertilizers before planting, pains
should BE- taken to see that it was evenly dis
tributed throughout the furrow and well
mixed with the soil-simultaneously with the
sprout Of he cane and the nodular ~rootlets,
which supply the young shoot until the later
develops roots of its own.
Readily available fertilizers in close prox-
unity are seized with avidity by these r~ootlets
and larger and M ole vigorous shoots are de-
veloped. The crop is pushed in its infancy,
and an early day by, SO essential to large
sugar content, is assured. When fertilizers
80 ,o01ioI ~ In t,xCxviror V1op4 a0na or
stubble, it hal been found that scattering the
fertilizer across the row from the bar fur
row on one side to the bar turrow on the other
side has pro duced better results than deposit
ting it IN The open furrow on each side Of
the cane.
The custom of depositing it by machinery
on both sides Of the cane IN rolls or drills is
Objectionable. An Improvement might cas-
ily be made by adjusting at the end of each
spout a Continuance by which the fertilizer
might be distributed III the furrow. Stub
bles should pot be fortified much before the,
cane is large enough to shoot out its own Ioot
since the roots Of last year are inactive and
there are no undeveloped modal %rootlets. In
applying fertilizers to the growing cane stub
bic or plant. the side burrows should not be
over two to four inches deep. If deeper than
this, a one horse plough can be used advan-
IdS0OuolJ III Holto4iJ hAAlHS 1hC ~
Tn closing this hastily written paper, per-
nit me to ~felicitate the sugar planter upon
his good fortune of having within his reach
two unfaiIing sources of nitrogen, COW peas
and cotton seed meal. The former are now
being sought by the entire sugar world. The
station has recently by request sent samples
to Australia and Mauritius.
1t has been shown beyond cayil that the
cow pea has enormous capacity of abstracting
and appropriating large quantities Of nitrogen
from the air. Examine the roots Of this
plant and YOU will find il full Of nodu,es.
Ia these nodules are myriads Of bacteria,
which, while they take away the juices Of the
plant, vet restore one hundred fold. This
living together, technically called 'symbio-
sis, y is now a common property of all ~legumes,
and among the latter your COW pea is empha-
tically the prince.
These bacleria accomplished the difficult task
of transforming the free nitrogen of the air
into vegetable alhuminoids, and the decay of
the pea transfers the latter to the succeeding
crop. 1t has been found by the station that
crop ofcow peas sown broadoas and turn
ed under, conveyed to each acre Of land an
amount Of nitrogen equal 10 800 pounds
cotton seed meal. No wonder the world
covets our great nitrogen gatherer."
To our neighbouring cotton planters are