The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1897-01-02
! FARMER AND PLANTER.
THE COTTON PLANT.
Some Hints In Regard to Its Proper Fer
tiiixatfon.

A few years ago when DIR. McBryde |
was director of the South Carolina ex-
pertinent station, there was an ex-
haustive 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-
lions 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 win have their proper cf-
feet il phosphoric acid is absent. That
good dressing of phosphoric acid
enables the plant to use more potash,
and hence to make u better growth
ana more fruit. 1t is found that the
proper proportions of these fertilizing
matters in u fertilizer for cotton should
be between three-sevenths and four
sevenths of one per cent. nitrogen, ~
phosphoric acid and one-half potashj
or, IN other words, crop OF only 300
pounds of lint per acre takes 20pounds
of nitrogen, so pounds of phosphorus
acid and Is 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 injurious 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
lions of soluble phosphoric acid. In
soluablc acid in Stag, floats or mari is
OF little direct value to the crop.
Cotton seed meal was found to
be a better fertilizer than cotton seed.
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 pea
crop preceding the crop of cotton,
mari and potassic fertilizers had fine
effect. The bulletin deals only in fer
tilizers 10 produce a moderate crop of
cotton ON thin sandy soils, and its ten
dcncy is to encourage the old waste
full and destructive method of using
fertilizers solely to get a 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 1.-THE best agricultural
experience" has demonstrated nothing
of the sort. On the contrary, the cx.
perience of all who have brought uI
farms from poor condition to one OF
productiveness is that the true use OF
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. If any extri
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. l
the waste places of the south are eve
to be redeemed it must be by 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 thorough believer il
farming with chemical fertilizers. an,
lam unalterably opposed to the prac
tice of adding only enough of a com
plete fertilizer to squeeze out from tn
soil n moderate crop. to be sold off an,
leave the latter state of that sol
worse than the first. This kind o
farming may do in chemical expert
ments, but it is ruin in practice, an
Is more than anything else the caus
of barrenness in much of the countr
to-day.
Acid phosphate and potash in liberia
amount to grow a heavy crop of IL
gumes, and by their agency get all tn
nitrogen farm crops need, must be tn
rule of the farmer of the future in tn
south. He can not afford to buy tn
costly nitrogen with four-cent cottor
and he can not afford to buy it at an
time, when he can get it free of COZ
and goood lot of forage thrown in
1t is farming, and not homeopathic
fertilizer dosing that the cotto
interest of the south needs K
day. Knowing from these admirs
bly-conducted experiments what th
crop needs. let us get the food ]
the cheapest way, by buying onl
those forms we cannot capture froI