The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1892-02-04
FACTS ABOUT FERTILIZERS.

Mr.. EDIToR:-I wish TO state a
few facts of interest to all who use
commercial fertilizers:
LIST. Phosphoric acid and potash
cooperate neither do they suffer
loss by teaching except ON extremely
sandy soils. Therefore fertilizers
containing only these elements may
be left uncovered without loss, or
may be applied to the grouni some
time in advance of planting.
2. Ammonia will readily co cper-
ate when exposed to air. Cotton
seed and cotton seed meal, therefore,
and other such fertilizers, when left
long exposed, will suffer loss by CO.
operation, as the nitrogen they con-
tain will give rise to carbonate of
ammonia and be lost.
3rd. Ammonia is converted into
nilric acid before being taken up by
plants, and nitric acid is readily
leached olt of the ground by long
continued rains; nitrcgenoussfertili-
zers, therefore, such as cotton seed,
cotton seed meal, dried blood, ground
fish, etc., should not be applied to
the ground in the winter, unless
there is to be growing crop to use
the nitric acid as it is formed.
4th. Nitrate of soda and sulphate
of ammonia suffer no loss by coop
Grafton; they may accordingly be
spread on the surface of the ground
and the rains will carry the nitrogen
down to the roots of the plants.
There is another point that l wish
to mention here, though not exactly
of piece of the foregoing. 1t is
this; farmers, when casting about
for money crop, should bear in
mind that cotton furnishes it's own
fertilizer. If the seed are exchange
ed for acid phosphate and cotton
seed meal, as they should be, and
this acid and meal are applied to the
same number of acres of cotton, the
land will improve, and not cent of
cotton money need be expended FOR
fertilizer. TO illustrate; an acre of
medium land will, with $50 pounds
Of fertilizer 600 pounds of acid and
so pounds of meaD make half bale
of cotton. This halt bale of cotton
contains about eight cents worth OF
fertilizer. The seed, after deductine
SO pounds for planting, leaving 45(
pounds, will exchange at the OF
mills for nearly 800 pounds of acit
and meal, which applied to another
acre of medium land that has a fail
supply of vegetable matter, will give
yield of about two>thirds of bale
of cotton, and one third of ton O
seed. Reserving planting seed at
before, we have left 615 pounds Of
seed which will exchange for about
400 pounds of fertilizer, which ap-
piled to an acre OF medium land will
give yield exceeding two thirds Of
bale Of cotton. BY continuing the
process, We gradually bring the land
to yield of a bale per acre, when
some of the fertilizer may be
given to other crops. We do not
usually give cotton credit for the
seed, but use the seed on wheat,
corn, ETC., and then grumble be-
cause we have to buy fertilizers for
cotton.
The fact is, if nothing be sold but
lint cotton, and if the seed are ex>
changed for meal and acid, and if a
proper rotation be observed, cotton
will furnish fertilizers for the whole
farm, and the land will steadily i'm
prove without any outlay of cent
for fertilizers. OF course the miser-
able cattle must be kept off the
fields.
Without the aid of n,V:how>
ever, land devoted the grains crops
may be kept up at small outlay for
acid phosphate and potash, provided
peas be used to provide the nitrogen.
l am by no means arguing for COM
tinued planting OF cotton on the
same extensive scale as hitherto. |
think its area should be reduced,
and more land and labor given to