The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1895-04-18
FERTILIZERS.

EDS. JOURNAL What is tie cause Of the
present financial EN- barrassment OF large
per cent of the farmers in the South Is it
live cent cotton, or is it the iniudicious
use of commercial fertilizers?
1t seems that the use OF commercial MAJ
nures, especially in the south, has become
kind of second nature or rather mania
among the farmers, without regard, in my
judgment, to any practical common sense
in its use.
Commercial or artificial fertilization, in>
telhgently and judiciously administered to
all GROWING crops, under certain condi>
tons uud circumstances, is undoubtedly
beneficial But it is absolutely essential
that the farmer should know to a certain
extent at least, just what those necessary
conditions and circumstances are before
he can use commercial fertilizers benefic.
tally to his crops and advantageously to
himself.
II the farmer did not have to pay out so
per cent of the total receipts from his cot,
ton crop for fertilizers, he could afford to
sell it for 5 cts pound and make money,
provided he could grow as good a crop
| without its use as he can with it
| | claim that comm ercial manures is of
no practical benefit whatever to the cotton
crop or any other crop in the prevailing
custom of applying it throughout the
| country.
In order for plant to obtain any
nourishment from an element of plant
food, arti6cially applied, it must be dis
solved. AS soon as it made available,
which is done by the first rain, the plant
must be there with its fbrous or feeding
roots to feed on it, or the benefit is lost.
The majority Of farmers admit that the
young cotton plant grows and thrives as
we'll in its earliest stages of life without GU
ano, as it doas with it use But the general
cry is that the cotton wont open in the fall
il you don't use it. Take the average com.
mercal fertilizer that is used IN the State
today and there is not to exceed 10 pounds
OF available plant food in 200 Id. sack.
That means just one four hundred and
fittieth part OF pound Of plant food to
each cotton plant on ar acre of ground,
which simply means starvation and death
to any plant that has to depend entirely
upon the nourishment obtained from such
a source for its existence. And as for as
the guano having any effect whatever upon
the opening of the cotton in the fall. it is
simply humbug. There is no question
but that the young cotton plant has con>
sumed every iota OF plant food contained
in the guano before it is six weeks old.
This being the scientific fact in the case,
would like to have some farmer tell ME
what possible effect the guano could have
toward forcing the boil TO open in the fall,
do not attempt to dispute the analysis
of any brand of fertilizers upon the market
and am perfectly willing to give the mans
ufacturer credit for every mound of plant
| food that he claims his fertilizers contain,
but take all the available plant food out of
sack OF guano and divide it into eighteen
thousand particles of equal size aud how
much benefit would a cotton plant, or any
other plant obtain from one of those par>
! ticles, that is the number OF plants per
acre.
believe that just as good if not better
crops OF cotton can be grown upon every
acre of average land in the State without
the aid OF commercial manure than can be
grown with its use, especially as practiced
at present tine.
In the first place, plant leguminous
crops, like peas and clover, and pillow them
under with a two horse common sense
turning pillow throw away every scooter"
"twiStei and scrape' you have on the
place. and buy good cultivator, Plnw
your land deep and thoroughly pulverize
1t before planting. cultivate our cotton
exclusively, but thoroughly and often with
, a cutivator and hoe and always cultivate
shallow. Remember that the proper and
only time to cGltvate any crop deep, is
before it is planted, and the great secret
OF success in horticulture is to constantly
STIR the soil, most especially in drouth.
hrmly believe that every acre of land
IN Georgia has more and better necessary
elements OF plant food hidden few inches
beneath ,ts surface thal can be found in
any brand OF commercial fertilizer, and
the trouble with the average farmer is he
has never been able to scoot' or twist"
VI up in n shape so as to make it available
for the use Of his crops, nor he never will
until he takes more pains and uses better
plows IN the preparation OF his soil before
! planting. Before any man can use COM
mercial manure benefcially and proGtably
he must know jus; what particular ele-
ment Of plant food his land is deficient in,
and also what element certain kind OF
( plant requires, just how much, when, and
how best to apply it to get best results.
| He must also know whether it is the lack
OF sufficient plant TODD in his soil niece ssary
10 produce crsp, or whether the FAULT lies
in improper, reckless, don't care, cultiva.
ton. CSC. b. NIGH.
Mari':tA Gu