The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-05-21

rich In plant 1000 Gna6 was uOb prO
ductive if other essential conditions
were good"
1t is interesting to note that the
analyses of the Mississippi soils show
those from the ''brOwn-lOam" region
to contain four to five times rs much
potash as phosphOric acid, and the
sandy soils of the pine woods section
have three to five times more potash
than phosphoric acid. The field ex-
p~erience of farmers and a limited
amount of experimental evidence are
in accord with the analytical results
in showing that potash is not needed
by these soils, especially the sandy
soils of the coastal plain, for the pro-
duction of ordinary crops, but phOs-
phoric acid generally increases the
product very materially.
In Louisiana a great deal of exper-
mental work, mostly actual tests
in the field, has been carried out to
determine the fertilizer requirements
of different crops and soils. AS a
general result of these Investigations,
DR.. Stubs says that the crying
need of Louisiana soils is for phos-
phoric acid. The upland and worn
soils, of course, need nitrogen, but
potash is the least effective in crop
production of any of the three valu-
q h1o oO-O%;%-o~% re CF s. -%i1Tro-z Tl;C
State has taken up in the last two or
three years the analytical side of soil
work, and is classifying and group,
ing mainly in cooperation with the
division of soils of the United States
Department of Agriculture, it's soils
and making chemical and physical
analyses of the soils from the vari-
Gus areas. This investigation will
no doubt throw much light on,
strengthen and make more largely
applicable the valuable results al
ready obtained in Louisiana. Because
of the proximity of Mississippi, Lou
isiana and Alabama and the similar
ity OF considerable portions Of their
soils, it is interesting to note some
results obtained by Prof. Duggar, of
the Alabama Experiment Station, in
tests continued on the same land for
two or three years to determine the
fertilizers best suited to cotton and
corn. Onsandy land, with and with
out clay subsOil, nine tests with cot
ton seed showed nitrogen to be the
most needed constituent, phOsphOric
acid being second, while potash was
of but little value, though more
effective on this class of land than
on mulattO or more clayey soil. In
three years experiments phOsphOrlc
acid nor potash increased the yield
of corn, though nitrogen was very
beneficial. On reddish clay or mu
laJtO soil (of which there is consider
able around Raleigh), in seven tests,
covering three years, with cotton,
phOsphOric acid was the most effect.
i've constituent of the fertilizer appli-
cation, nitrogen being next, while
potash vas of very little benefit to
cotton on this sail.
Bearing upon, and in line with the
experiences already discussed, is the
following extract from a bulletin of
the New York (Geneva) Experiment
Station, issued in December, 1900,
summarizing the results of four
years tests with Irish potatoes an
tour widely separated farms on the
sandy soils of Long Island:
'In 1898, the first year, when the
yield of potatoes was fairly large,
the entire absence Of potash from the
fertilizer was without influence on
any one of the four farms. Forty
pounds of nitrogen and eighty pounds
Of phOsphoric acid per acre without
potash caused as large an increase of
the tubers as when accompanied
by one hundred pounds of potash.
In the two succeeding years, while
the crops were small on all plats,
potash, either in small or large pro-
portions, had little effect. It must
be conceded that up to this point to
which these experiments have been
Carried on, nitrogen and phospnoric
acid, n or both, we're the ingr3di-
ents upon which dependence could
be placed as ii source of profit"
"Experimental results no more ex
t7nsive than those herewith reported
should not be taken as justifying the
exclusion of potash from commercial
fertilizers. This is, in any case, Il
local question, There are good rea.