The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1894-01-25
What Commissioner Nesbitt Has to
Say to Georgia Farmers for the
Month Of January, 1894.
PLANS FOR THE COMING YEAR.
Experiments in Farming, Renova.
ton and Rotation, Success in
Cotton Planting, Fertilizers. ,
Orchard and Garden.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
ATLANTA, Jan. |, 1894

the things of the past, was ushered in
WIN many hopeful and encouraging
signs. Southern farmers had more home
raised supplies; their Indebtedness had
been reduced; cotton, their main money
crop, commanded fairly good price;
average grain crops had been made:
throughout the length and breadth of
the land the farmers were at last aroused
to the Importance of supplying humus
TO the worn fields; acres upon acres of
starved land were absorbing the renoya-
ting crops, more especially of peas, often
Of clover and grasses.
Other hopeful factions were the reduc-
ton of the cotton acreage and the wide
spread sentiment in favor of home raised
supplies of meat and bread. Encouraged
and hopeful, our people entered on the
work before them, believing, that with
proper and well directed energy and
economy, success would crown their la
bors. But, unpropitious seasons, short
crops, the low price of cotton, and other
reasons difficult of explanation, here have
precipltated period of dependency and
Encouragement, from which we find it
difficult to rise.
Let US look these conditions squarely
IN the face. Let us frankly admit any
errors we may have made and take steps
to avoid such future mistakes. Let us
also mark our successes, and build upon
them for future prosperity. Every farm
is or should be
AN EXPERIMENT FARM.
A knowledge of the results from the
state experiment farm at Griffin is of
great value to the body of farmers. But
soils and conditions Son different farms
ana In different localities vary greatly,
and even on the same farm, different
fields require different treatment.
On all farms of waning fertility, and
what Georgia farm is not more or less
depleted? it is important to know in what
the deficiency consists, and each farmer
should make, as it were, his own soil
tests. Study the requirements of each
crop, and then carefully note the effect
Of each applied fertilizer. 1t is true that
in commercial fertilizers there is what
Is termed the perfect fertilizer" con-
tanning all three elements of nitrogen,
acid and potash.
But. suppose we have discovered that
there is enough of even one of these ele-
ments In certain soil, or that by certain
process we can draw them to the surface.
what is the use of paying a high price
for material already within our reach?
Experimental plats need not be trouble
some or expensive, and they may be
made to tell us more certainly than any
general soil test, no matter how scientif-
cally made, of what plant element the
land stands most in need.
For instance, one plant may be ferti-
liked with nitrogen alone, another with
phosphorlc acid, another with potash, a
fourth with nothing. Then combine
these elements, two of each, then try all
three
These experiments bear directly on the
economical side of farming, besides be-
ing full of interest and pleasure. To one
who has been accustomed to look upon
the soil as simply inert matter they open
the door for fuller and broader view.
and lead to more careful study of and
moro extended interest in the beautiful
yet simple laws of nature To those
who have never given this subject much
thought, the statement that II inches
below the surface of each average acre
of GLAND i'll Georgia there lies at
least two tons of phosphor; acid, three
times as much potash, and even more
than that amount of lime, is almost be-
You'd belief, and at once the inquiry is
suggested:
Why buy these elements at all? WHY
not plow deep, bring them to the sur
race and add only nitrogen? The reply
IS, these elements are not in soluble
form, the ordinary crops cannot appro-
pirate them because plants do not eat
they drink. Therefore, knowing these
two facts, /. e., that the elements can he
placed in reach, and yet the plants be
unable to appropriate them, it follows
that our chief study should be how to
put these important elements in soluble
form, that they may enter into the struc
ture OF our growing crops. And here
we have the broad field of
RENovATING CROPS
opened for our inspection and thought
full study.
Our ordinary crops of corn and cotton
and small grain cannot appropriate these
locked up stores, but leguminous plants
can. In this class are peas and clover.
When the roots and stems of either of
these are left to decay in the soil, the
laboratory of nature begins at once s.
lently but surely to convert the stores
OF phosphoric acid, potash and nitrogen.
which have been gathered gathered b.
these plants from the earth and atmos-
phere, into available plant foot; that is.
large per cent of the original insolubln
dement's are put in soluble form and
made fit for plant food.
FALL AND WINTER FLOWING.
In former talks have urged the i'm
portance of deep fall and winter blowing
on stubble land, or on land where there
was an accumulation of vegetable mat
ter to be turned under. Recently there
has come under my observation an illus
tration so pertinent. that l give it for
the benefit of those who are still disposed
to question the wisdom of this plan. In
certain locality in north Georgia, and,
may as well mention, situated In the
heart of the drouth stricken region,
farmer began last January to turn under
broom sedge field. He was new
conner in that section, and when his
neighbors saw him burying deeply, with
two horse plow, the heavy mat of
sedge, roots and tops, they assured him
that he was running his land