The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1893-07-20
INQUIRIES.
Answered by Georgia Department of
Agriculture


Relating to the Farm, Garden,
Dairy, Etc
These columns will be open toinquiries
and answers, and we hope to make it of
interest to all farmers and gardeners.
and that they will avail themselves of
its use.
Necessarily answers may from time
to time be crowded out. but when such
is the case they will appear in subse-
quent reports
CLOVER AS 4 FERTILIZER,
would be glad if you would explain
TO me how clover renovates land and
renders it more fertile? j. C. c..
Fouche, GA.
Nearly the entire dry weight of clover
aside from the constituents of water is
carbon, which is obtained from the at
mosphere, and if the crop is plowed un-
der and allowed to remain a portion of
this carbon is deposited in the soil. If
the hay is removed the amount of car
bon deposited by the roots on we'll sod
ded field would still be very large.
The agricultural value of carbon to
the soil has thus been given:
l. 1t makes the soil more retentive of
manures.
2. 1t causes it to appropriate larger
quantities of the fertilizing gases of the
atmosphere.
8. 1t gives it greater power to absorb
moisture.
d. 1t renders it warmer
In addition to the carbon the organic
matter deposited in the soil by clover
contains larger amount of nitrogen
than that of other plants except those
that belong to the same family.
The plant is legumen which is now
generally admitted to have the power of
appropriating free nitrogen, which, in
the process of decay, is deposited in the
soil in the form of ammonia. While
value of carbon does not depend on its en-
tering into the composition of the plants
but upon its effects upon the mechanical
condition of the soil; nitrogen is indis-
penslble to the growth of plants. Thus
weAhave an improved physical condition
and direct contribution to the fertility
of the soil.
1t may not be amiss to add that the
cowpea, which is one of Gods greatest
blessings to the southern farmer, -four
ishing as it does where neither weather
or soil will admit of clover, also has the
power of extracting from the costliest
element of pant food nitrogen.
POTASH.
How does potash make plants grow9
B. M. D.,
T,a(TranOa GA
Your question is one that will not adj
NIT of general answer if you desire in
formation as, with what part of the
structure of plants potash enters. But
if you only desire to know whether the
method of appropriation of potash by
plants differs in anyway from it's method
of feeding upon other elements it is
sufficient to say that in taking up potash
the method of appropriation is the
same. In regard to what part of the
plant potash enters no general rule can
be given, as the quality of potash diff
fers very much in various plants. In
the cereals potash while entering into
the formation of the grain plays a more
important part in the formation of the
straw to which it adds much strength.
In cotton potash is part of both plant
and seed.
VALUE OF FERTILIZERS.
What is the best method of ascertain
ing the value of fertilizer?
SD. w.
Cason, GA.
Your question as to the best method
of ascertaining the value of fertilizers
admits of two constructions and in this
light of two answers. That is the
method first of arriving at.the CONNER
cial value of the fertilizer, and second
to arrive as to its value to the soil of a
particular farm. The one furnishes
simply the value of the plant food con-
tanned in the mixture the second its
adaptability to the soil upon which it is
used.
The actural worth of the fertilizer
may be high, and yet by supplying plant
food which the soil already contains and
not those elements in which the soil is
deficient its value to the crop may not
be seen and the yield fall short of what
the farmer has reason to suppose would
be the natural result of its use.
The question of actual value in the
elements of plant food is one easily set
tied and about which there need be no
controversy. Analysis by competent
chemist gives the quantity of nitrogen,
phosphoric acid and potash the mixture
contains and the relative value.
In the case of the state of Georgia
and nearly all the states this analysis is
furnished by the state chemist through
the department of agriculture ana by
referring to tie bulletins sent out there
need be no questions as to what the
fertilizer contains. The question of
adaptability is much broader one and
requires careful study and experimental
work on the part of the farmer himself
There are those who desire the state and
government by soil analysis to furnish
them with proper knowledge of the
character of their soil. The value of
soil analysis considering the variety of
the land even in the same field has been
seriously questioned, and certainly
without an enormous outlay could not
be practically carried out, while such
analysis by sections might properly es-
tablish general rules, it seems to us at
present impracticable for individual ap-
plication. We therefore advise that
each farmer, by experimental work on