The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1895-04-18
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE,
ATLANTA, April l, 1895.
NATURAL PLANT FOOD"

ATLANTA, April l, 1895.
NATURAL PLANT FOOD"
QUESTION There is fertilizer be-
ing offered for sale in the state under
the name of Natural Plant Food. :"
Please tell us something of it, its con-
stltuents, and if it is what it claims to
be.
ANSWER 1.-The Natural Plant
Food" is masquerading under false
colors. The name is most misleading,
and If the goods is still kept on the
market, will render the parties selling
liable to prosecution for misdemeanor.
Tne goods is Florida soft phosphate
which claims l per cent of potash and
21.6O per cent of insoluble phosphoric
acid. But carefulanalysis reveals the
fact that it has no potash and about
2.37 per cent. only. of available phos-
phoric acid.
The department has already notified
the manufacturers that they cannot
legally sell it under its present name
Ii they put it ON the market in its true
character with correct analysis and
farmers choose to buy it as such, there
can be no objection urged.
INSPECTION OF CoTToNsEED MEAL.
QUESTION 2.-Does not the law re-
quire that all cottonseed meal sold in
this state shall be inspected, analysed
| and tagged with printed guarantee
OF ammonia on each sack?
ANSWER 2.-Yes. inspectors have
been instructed to exercise great Wig
lance in order to detect violations of
the law, and have discovered that at
tempts are being made to ship meal
into this state from Texas, and in Or
der to avoid the 10 cents inspection
fee, efforts are being made to sell this
meal without inspection or guarantee.
It is to the interest of farmers to report
all such cases, as the meal varies in
ammonia. The law requires first grade
8 1-2 per cent of ammonia, second
| grade z 1-2 per cent, but in some sea
sons the meal runs below this stand
ard, and instances of authorizations are
also reported.
| VETERINARY SURGEON.
QUESTION 3.-Has the state a veteri
nary surgeon in its employ? We wish
| to know because our stock are suffer
ing from some unknown disease and
| we want information and direction a!
| to treatment etc.
| ANSWER 3.-No provision is specifi
cally made for a veterinary surgeon
but under the terms of the law the
commissioner is Empowered to investi
gate all such diseases, and will, wher
called upon, use funds from the depart
ment to send competent surgeon who
will examine and prescribe and report
results to the department..
CROP STATISTICS.
QUESTION 4.-Can you give me the
latest crop statistics for this state?
| ANSWER 4.-The crop statistics foA
1893 tell in an eloquent way the story
of its agricultural possibilities, and
show the wide diversity of its produc.
tions, and are as follows: Wheat, BUSH
els, 1888, 900; corn, S3,678, 900; oats, 2,
s47, 9S7; rye, 131, 1914; potatoes, 483, 1856;
hay, tons, 224,117; peanuts, bushels,
624, 528; cotton, bales, 1881, e46. 1t has
105, 1884 horses, 1924 mules, 1913, 926
meat cattle, All, 1859 sheep and 1,79 |, 567
hogs. The wool clip was 831, 141
pounds; the butter product, ID, 8483, 323
pounds; honey, 1,O56,O34 and 1895
pounds of beeswax. The poultry stock
numbered 1857, 934 and the egg product
1852, 78S dozen of eggs. The rice
product was IA, $50, 432 pounds, and of
tobacco 1858, 1852 pounds.
These figures show better than any
mere words that Georgia is well adapt
ed to all branches of husbandry, and
further comment as to its agricultural
possibilities is superfluous.
UPLAND RICE.
QUESTION Cam you tell me some.
thing of the culture of upland rice:
There Will no doubt be good deal OF
rice planted in this section of Georgia.
as we have good rice 'huller and mill
ANSWER 5.-The following is the
successful plan pursued by South
Carolina planter, who says:
II consider upland rice a fine and
profitable grain to grow-the grain for
the table and forage for cattle. I Sc
lect the stiffest land ON my farm for
rice culture. 1t would grow equally as
we'll if not better on swamp land.
break up my land very thoroughly,
then run off rows three feet wide, bed
ding the land as if for cotton, and u.s.
ing about 200 pounds commercial or
other fertilizer to the acre. l then
open the bed with small plow and
drill the rice seed in the drill, using
only about half a peck to the acre.
Then putting board on my plowstock
/ drag it over the furrow, covering the
seed about l.2 inches deep l plant