The Savannah morning news., 1904-02-29
FARM,

Comm e rcfal Fert1l1Iers-HOW TO Ap-
ply.
There are only two ways of applying
commercial fertilizers-the good way
and the bad way, and it Will go with
out saying that the good way must
be the best way. Now. if one could
get fertilizers without stint, with lit
tie more trouble than the hauling and
applying the best way would be to
haul in four, six, eight or ten tons
at once and spread it broadcast over
the land and then pillow and harrow
ii in until every cubic inch of soil
was properly enriched. In this way the
land could be made so rich that it
would produce large and profitable
crops for a number OF years without
any further application of small guam
titles yearly. But as commercial fer
tilizers are not to be had for the haul
ing, but rather cost a price that justi-
fes the use of only a limited quantity.
especially on the ordinary staple crops.
the question always must be how to
use that small quantity to the best
advantage for the one particular crop
that it is desired to increase. OF
course, If we applied as much as ton
or two of any good fertilizer one year
We should expect a considerable benefit
10 the crop the next year. and some
little, even the third year. This bene-
fit may accrue in an indirect way some
time. but as commercial fertilizers are
usually combined or made UP there
is generally a residue Of potash and
phosphoic acid available beyond the
first year. because of its reverting to
an insoluable shape temporary during
the first year and another year through
the influence of soil water, etc, again
rendered soluble. 1t depends altogether
upon the materials that comprise the
fertilizers and the thoroughness of cul-
tiYation of a crop the first year,
whether there will be much or little
residue of plant food remaining in the
soil for the use of a second crop. If a
fertilizer is made up of nitrate of
soda. muriate of potash and a high
grade of superphosphate there will be
less likelihood of a residue of any of
the three valuable elements after the
first year than if il We're made up of
ground raw bone. acid phosphate Tor
fiOats) and Canada hardwood ashes.
The latter substances affording the ell
ements of food in a less soluable condi-
ton on first being applied are not so
fully exhausted by the first crop.
For the past forty years it has been
a custom almost universal for farmers
to use 200 pounds of commercial fer
tilizer per acre for cotton, regardless
of the quality of the soil. For corn,
however, the quantity varied. Though
many used the same as for cotton,
there were a large number who used
only a hundred pounds, arguing that
as corn rows were twice as wide apart
as cotton, only half the quantity of
fertilizer was necessary.
AS to the manner of application, the
practice was universal, whether one
or two hundred pounds was used, to
drill the fertilizer in the bottom of a
single furrow through the medium of
a "guano horn" the result being a lit
tie vein of fertilizer, running through
the soil at a distance of three or five
feet, according to whether it is cotton
or corn. Il certainly amounts to very
little in the way of soil fertilization
AS a rule, it had very little effect in
increasing the yield much more than
the cost of the fertilizer. Some sea-
sons, very dry ones, it did not do even
that.
Where the soil is very poor the effect
Of this fertilizer drilled along in the
bottom of a furrow is to cause an
along this line, instead of being thrown
out uniformly in every direction. Such
an excess of roots soon exhausts all
moisture along their course. When dry
weather comes the result is cotton
sheds it's squares and corn fails to
set its ears.
A small quantity of fertilizer and a
large quantity, too. for that matter,
may do more harm than good when
it's used in the manner as above indi-
Gated. In tens of thousands of in
stances it has failed to do any good
the first year, even.
Applied only in the drill it also has
the very bad effect of promoting the
growth of weeds right in the place
where it is less easily destroyed
among and close to the young plants
Commercial fertilizers, or any other
kind, if not applied broadcast, should
be applied in the siding burrows or
either side of the row.
1t is easily done by one time going
by spreading it over the list or halt
bed. 1t is equivalent to broadcasting
over a space twelve to fifteen inches
wide. There is considerable need fol
a revolution in the manner of using
fertilizer in such small quantity and
with the aid of a "guano horn
Downup Farm. I. Martel.