The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-08-17
No. %


tact. II applied the fell before, there
need be no fear-of the materials being
lost, for the absorptive power of the
soil is such that it will hold on to these
matters while the nitrogen may lesCh
away. Experience has proved that
there is much more in the previous
preparation of the land and the build
ing up of the fertility of the soil by
means OF legumes than in the direct
fertilization of the cotton crop. On a
soil from which the greater part of the
humus or vegetable matter has been
removed no commercial fertilizer will
have as good an effect as on a soil that
has been stocked with organic matter.
And there is no way in which we can
get this organic matter as economically
as by the cultivation of the cow pea.
The greater growth then of the peas
we can get on the land the more of this
organic matter they will furnish and
the more nitrates they will fix in the
| soil. 30 we have the double advantage
OF getting the soil in condition for the
and at the same time get the greater
nitrityiug effect from the increased
growth Of the legumes. 1t is getting
to be a Common practice with our mar
ket gardeners who use large quantities
of potash and phosphoric acid, to ap.
ply it all in the fall of the year. The
sodium or common salt which formsso
large a part of crude kainit is then
allowed to leach away, and in the
teaching renders soluble certain other
matters Of value in the soil, while the
potash and phosphoric acid remain in
the soil and get so completely diffUsed
that no possible harm can result from
the heavy quantity used, which would
occur if the same amount was applied
at the time Of planting the crops. In
this way the truckers are enabled to
use kainiE as source Of potash with
out damage from the excess Of sodium
chloride associated with it. But away
from the seaboard the kainit soon be,
comes the more costly source of pot
ash, for in transporting it the farmer
must pay freight on the large percent
age of salt it contains. Farmers are
apt to look at the price per ton aa the
measure Of real value, forgetting that
it is the actual potash that they are
after, and that the concentrated muri.
ate, while the higher priced per ton is
soon with little transportation from
the seaboard added to both far cheaper
than the kainit that is four times as
bulky. In buying a ton of muriate
OF potash the farmer gets from
80 to 50 per cent. Of actual potash
while in the kainit he gets but about IL
per cent. Of potash. But with the pur-
chase of the more concentrated form
there is increased reason for the Rppli-
cation being made sometime before the
planting Of the crop, as we have found
in our experiments with fertilizers
what it seriously interferes with the
termination of the seed when applied
direct just before or at the time of
planting. It has also been shown by
actual experiment that the stable ma
nure like the organic matter from the
pea crop is Of more value in the build
ing up Of the land previous to the cot
| ton crop than as a fertilizer direct for
the cotton. Hence, we always advise
the use of the home made manures on
the corn crop the previous year, and
this to be followed by the crop Of win
ter oats, which in its turn is followed
by the pea crop the same season, on
which the mineral fertilizers are to be
used. The most profitable use that
can be made OF the pea crop is to cure
it for hay and use the resulting ma
nure from the feeding of the hay on
the corn crop broadcast. The complete
diffusion of the manure in the soil by
the cultivation of the corn crop will
bring it into just the condition best
adapted to the use of the oats crop fol-
lowing and then if the peas following
the oats are fertilizad with potash and
phosphoric acid there will be prepa.
ration of the land for the cotton crop
that cannot be improved upon, pro-
vided the proper attention is paid to
the mechanical preparation and pull.
yer z 'ng of the soil. Thorough tilth by
repeated blowing and narrowing in
connection with renovating crops is
the key of success in the improvement
of the lands of the South.
W. T. MASSEY.
N. @. College and Experiment Station.
Too many farmers ALLOW shrewd,
slicx topor,ed aoents IN nersuade them