Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1896-12-31
FARMER AND PLANTER.
THE COTTON PLANT.
some Hats In Regard to Its Proper Fer
tiiization.

y
was director of the South Carolina ex-
pertinent station, there was an ex-
haustivc series of experiments made
on the proper fertilization of cotton.
The results Of these experiments have |
been lately published in Farmers bull
letin No. IA by the United States agri-
cultural department. The investiga-
tions were carried ON upon several diff
ferent tracts OF land, and the results
explain the reasons of the poor results
that have often been had by farmers
in the use of fertilizers. The ex-
periments showed that while cot
ton requires nitrogen, potash and
phosphoric acid that neither potash
nor nitrogen viii have their proper ef-
feet if phosphoric acid is absent. That
good dressing of phosphoric acid
enables the plant to use more potash,
and hence to make better growth
and more fruit 1t is found that the
proper proportions of these fertilizing
matters in fertilizer for cotton should
be between three-sevenths and four
seventies of one per cent. nitrogen, AZ
phosphoric acid and one-half potash;
or, in other words, q crop OF only 800
pounds of lint per acre takes 20 pounds
of nitrogen, SO pounds of phosphoric
acid and IL pounds of potash. The
amount of nitrogen and potash that
can profitably be used is determined
by the amount of phosphoric acid used.
The notion that the chlorides or pot
ash are in furious was shown to be an
error, for the potash used as kainit
and as muriate gave just as good re-
suits as the sulphate, and the state
ment is made that the muriate is the
cheapest form in which potash can be
used. Preference is given to acid phos-
pilates containing the largest proper
tions of soluble phosphoric acid. Iu-
soluable acid in Stag, floats or mari is
of little direct value to the crop.
Cotton seed meal was found to
be better fertilizer than cotton seed.
1 Mari used alone on cotton has no good
effect, and mixed with acid phosphate
alone was an actual injury, in making
the latter insoluble, but used on II pea
crop preceding the crop of cotton,
mari and potassic fertilizers had fine
effect. The bulletin deals only in fer
tilizers to produce moderate crop Of
cotton on thin sandy soils, and its ten
dency is to encourage the old waste
full and destructive method of using
fertilizers solely to get crop, a
practice that has brought more
ruin in the south than any
other. The following statement is
made: According to the best agri-
cultural experience of our day, the bet
ter plan is to use such fertilizers as
will meet the demands Of the crop
upon which they are applied" Now,
we protest that 'the best agricultural
experience" has demonstrated nothing
of the sort. On the contrary, the OK
perience of all who have brought ur
farms from poor condition to one OF
productiveness is that the true use oil
fertilizers is TO enable the farmer tc
accumulate fertility in his soil by en-
couraging the growth of crops like
peas and clover, that will add humu'
and fix nitrogen for him. Tha'
the small percentage Of nitrogen need
ed by the cotton crop can be had more
cheaply by using the cheaper fetilizers
potash and phosphoric acid, literally
to get heavy growth of legumes pre-
ceding the cotton crop. II any extr;
amount of the potash and phosphate
is used it will not be lost, for the alb
sorbtive power of the soil will keel
these until some plant wants them
and they will be there ready to en-
courage growth of some kind and re
deem the soil from barrenness. /
the waste places of the south are eve
to be redeemed it must be by u farm
ing that will accumulate fertilit,
in the soil, and never by the men VIII,
only aim to put on just enough fertil
izer to make 300 pounds of lint cottol
; per acre. am a thorough believer il
farming with chemical fertilizers, ant
/ am unalterably opposed to the prac
I tice of adding only enough of com
I plete fertilizer to squeeze out from tn
:. soil a moderate crop, to be sold off an
e leave the latter state Of that sol
S worse than the first. This kind O
! farming may DO in chemical exper
r ments, but 1t is ruin in practice, an
: is more than anything else the caus
a of barrenness in much Of the countr
d to-day.
Acid phosphate and potash in liberia
e amount to grow heavy crop Of Il
n gumes, and by their agency get all tn
e nitrogen farm crops need, must be tn
n rule of the farmer of the future in TIL
4 south. He can not afford to buy TIL
q costly nitrogen with four-cent cottor
and he can not afford to buy it at an
= time, when he can get 1t free Of co:
g and u goood lot of forage thrown il
r 1t il farming, and not homeopath
20 fertilizer dosing that the cotto
g interest of the south needs Il
g day. Knowing from these admir-,
q bly-conducted experiments what I'll
!. crop needs, let us get the food
v the cheapest way, by buying onl
i those forms we cannot capture fro
- the air, and to use them with liber
:, hand to enable us to get the ever flee
I, ing nitrogen in equally liberal quaint
y ties. Then we will not be Statistic
900 pounds of lint per acre, but wi
get more, and the cattle food beside
al While dealing in futul es" is ordin
d. rily risky sort of business, the farr
lie err who does not deal in futures wit
m his soil will inevitably "get lefty
mr. H. MASSEY South Carolina Eyne,
" ment Station.
he "
ir THE FARMS FERTILITY.