The Atlanta constitution., 1900-01-15
The Judicious Use of Fertilizers.

The Judicious Use of Fertilizers.
In last weeks issue an article on the
ahave .opic was halcway promised. In
that editorial the general expectancy oI
huNin., ana using fertilizers with especial
regard To the ADVICE often given to farm
ers t. 'quit buying" fertilizers. was dls-
,.,Issed AT short length. ana the reader Of
this is respectfully referred 10 that
have been using commercial fertilizers.
more. or less, since the year lNta, and nave
paid as high rs Sl00 per ton. in gol" Tor
Peruvian cuano. and so a son for am
moniated surerphospnai". that were no
better taan fertilizers that can now be
bought for SIS 30 $50 per ton. During this
long period all sorts and kinds were used
mone during che war;. Some of the
brands used paid very handsomely, nearly
all Of them gave good dividends. and 4
very few were frauds and cheats. The
farmers II thirty TO forty years ago knew
precious little about the science of making
and using these concentrated manures. In
truth chare were very few even of the
scientists of tha- period that knew much
about them. The knowledge that has
been gained in the last thirty years. the
summing up of ;he results of scientific in
y.~ti.ation. actual experience and Wis
don, learned by hard knocks. compared
er II 1870. IS like comparing the stature
and knowledge of "a fullgrown man WIKI
that OF his ten-ycar-old child.
What IS meant by the 'judicious use
IF fertilizers IL the same using these
aids to farming wisely and well. in some
important respects the identical preeau-
lions used and the same conditions OBJ
served IN tho use of commercial icr.ln-
zers. apply as we'll also 70 ordinary farm
tNsk
USei commercial fertilizers judiciOusly, 50
Tar ss their actual handling and applica-
iion 20 the soil = concerned. really knows
ue-ter how 10 handle ana apply farm
lnauures than ;he man who mas never
used trtilzeTs.
1 First and foremost in Importance
smong the requirements Is that the use
OF commercial fertilizers should bc consid-
cred as supplementary 10 a careful system
of saving and utilizing every home-manu-
rial resource 20 the utmost. The farmer
who buys fertilizers ana lets his stable
and baruyard manUrcs so 10 waste. Is but
littIe wiser than the fa.mer who uses
neither fertilizers nor home manures.
2 The next requirement. is a regular ro-
tation system. by which * meant reSu-
lar Succession of different crops on The
same fields 50 that no land shall pe plant
ed twice iu succession I'm the same crop.
Almost any rotation Is better than none
at all but the thrce-year system ~ founu
To b. excellent and convenient as ioi-
lows. l1rst year. small grain. well fertil-
izcd AMI followed by cowpeas. the vines
10 be converted into hay. second year.
cotton or tobacco. weu feruLzed. and
>ovsu down in September or october IN
some cover ctop. such as rye or vttches.
or crimson clover. third year. corn with
eowneas put IN at last plowing. the corn
ts bt. moderately fertilized. the crop har-
vested 10y cutting and shocking and final
ly sAredding the stOver. This brings the
rotation 10 small grain again, for which
the corn land can be prepared IN october.
er early in November.
/. What should be the composition of
-h.. fertilizers th.tt are - be bought. The
answer 10 this question depends nrst, on
tA,. crop upon wnich IL is 10 be used and
SECOND un the character anu condition of
the -ui. To be planted. \ fertilizer well
fs-.. .r.srtiuucd Tor COTTON would not answer
So ..eu for suru or wneat; and one that
is we'll suited Tor "A sum. clay soil, would
uur le Just the thing Tor a light. sandy
SOIL 50 a fertilizer Tor Did. worn upiands
yuU.d uot De at All suited go a field Of
fresh land. or low ground. These points
should an Doe considered, and Information
from every available source should hc
Tu. experiment stations of each state are
as "a uiie prepared To give sound advice
on Llis line.
T. As "A rule the mixed fertilizers on the
market are rather short ia nitrogen tum-
nouiub ami pota>n. and Not well proper
toned although generally good. Corn
anu y heat, oats and rye. grass and gar
den truck. require more nttruscn-eNen
twice or three timcs dS mu"h in some
cslscS-.ts would be sufficient for cotton.
1But the commercial brands rarely con
tain even enough nitrogen Tor cotton.
.. The intciliseT.. readIng farmer should
buy th- standard ingredients. such as acid
phosphate. mUriate Of potash Cor KaniD,
c,ttou meal. dried blood. etc. and mix
lhem at home in such proportions as VIII
Jest susc tine lands ana the crops ne cN-
poets -o cultivate. For all practical pur-
posses hc ran mix them gust as Well as
,an .he manufacturer ana At cost of
less than - cents "A con. Last year there
y.,'. hundreds of 1houSaucs of tons ol
fertilizers soid at SIS 10 So = ton and up
w.lrI. OH "A cash basis. the ingredients of
y4lic.l would TOT have cost the easn buyer
-Scce,i-ng So To Sl7 "A ton.
q How tu apply fertilizers Is not 50
important as many think. Old David
Dickson used To say that he didn'; care
-, they were mot put I'm a hole OF water.
or ON "A rock or "A stump" But even tins
question has been asked and satisfactor-
uv answered. Every .drmer. an every
state. should avail himself of the help
that is anorCed by his state experiment
station.
All uf the foregoing points have been
Inore or less thprOushiy Investigated by
.Xcry station. ana the results printed aad
freely distributed To every person actual
Is engaged in farming who may ask foT
th,, bulletins. Moreover. the directors and
otI.er Office rs OF the stations are ready and
willing TO give all Information Ia their