Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1903-03-05
FERTILIZER FOR COW PEAS.


CONDENSED from Bulletin of the N.
C. Experiment Station)
The cow-pea has been so long
known in Georgia as renova-
tor of exhausted soils, and is so COM
monty recommended for green ma
nuring, that many imagine that this
plant needs no fertilizer to assist in
it's own growth.
Although it draws nitrogen from
the air for it's own use, for each pound
Of this ingredient it requires more
than a pound of potash and consider
able phosphoric acid, each of which
it must receive artifcially where not
supplied in the needed quantity by
the soil. A part of the nitrogen nee
essary for complete growth must also
come from the soil. If there be lack
of nitrogen, the beans will take on a
yellowish hue, and the plant will in
dicate it's lack of vigor by a general
sickly appearance. About rs pounds
of nitrate of soda applied to each
acre will prove quick remedy for
this trouble.
Trials at the Louisiana Experiment
Station have shown that one acre Of
average cow-peas contains So pounds
of nitrogen, III pounds of potash and
20 pounds of phosphorIc acid, of which
the roots and stubble alone contain
pounds of nitrogen, Is pounds of
potash and 5 pounds of phosphoric
acid. These figures vary, of course,
with different yields but represent
about the average.
There is always some waste in the
application of fertilizers and 1t has
been ascertained by many experiments
that in order to enable cow-peas to
take up and assimilate 65
pounds of nitrogen, there must
be provided about 167 pounds Of
actual potash and 40 pounds of phos-
phoric acid, which are equivalent to
394 pounds of muriate of potash and
| 800 pounds of acid phosphate.
Phosphate and potash fertilizers
should always be applied before the
seed is planted, whether this be done
broadcast or in drills.
A good mixture for cow-peas is 300
pounds of acid phosphate and 100
pounds of muriate of potash per acre;
or, if kainit is substituted for mu.
riate, 400 pounds will be required to
furnish the same amount of actual
potash.
Where a commercial brand of fer.
tilizer is used for cow-peas, perhaps
the best proportions on average soils
are, about per cent. of available
phosproric acid and 6 per cent. actual
potash, applied at the rate of 400 to
500 pounds to the acre and thoroughly
mixed in the soil before the peas are
sown.
If the young plants present a sick.
ly appearance, about Is pounds of nj
trate of soda, mixed with four or five
times it's bulk Of dry earth, should
be used as top dressing.
On sandy soils, when cow-peas are
to be planted, good use can be made
of 500 to 900 pounds of kainit and
300 to $50 pounds of acid phosphate
to the acre. If muriate of potash be
used In place of kainit, 1875 to 15C
pounds will answer. On dry soils less
potash and more phosphoric acid may
be used.
Planting Cow-Peas.
Cow-peas may be planted any time
in the spring when the soil is warn
enough for planting beans and there
after until within two months of tbs
time when fall frosts are expected.
According to common saying
early planting makes vines, but latc
planting makes peas" So tie farmer
will be guided in his choice of tins
for planting by the purpose for which
hn T11nnfc