The Tupelo journal., 1904-03-04
FAR ERAND PLANTER.
FOR THE COTTON PLANTER.
Rational Fertilization of the Cotton
Plant as Opposed to IRA
tiOnnI Meth0Is.

nous with %judicious, intelligent, and
profitable, and as opposed to irrational
methods, practices of any and every
kind Inc character. For instance,
fertilizers are purchased 'irrationally"
when bought by the brand name in
stead of by the analysis. The brand
name has nothing to do with 1t, 1t
is the stuff inside the sack and no
the brand printed On the outside thai
determines the value. They are pur-
chased irrationally whenever and
wherever low grade (8-2-1 or 8-2-2
goods are bought under the SUPPOSE
ton that they are cheap, because COM
paratively low in price.
On all old, well-worn soils, where
humuS is deficient, a well-prepared
compost will give better results than
the more concentrated, purely chemical
fertilizer; and the same is equally true
of what are known as BLACK lands"
after they retrograding. In
stead of compost, the N (either
stable or lot) may be hauled out dur
ing the winter and applied literally to
the land-broadcast, then apply the
more concentrated chemical fertilizers
just as if no manure had been applied.
On ordinary upland or well-worn
creek or branch bottom landst lands
that make an average-siZed stalk and
a yield of from 400 to 800 or even 1000
pounds of seed cotton per acre. a
complete" fertilizer, Analysing 1888
or 9-3-3 or 1879 will give far better
results than the lower grade S-2-l or
S-2-2 goods. Again, instead of using a
paltry 200 pounds of S-2-1 or 1922
goods per acre; 400 to 600 or even 800
or 1000 pounds of the higher-grade
| goods may be used per acre with man
ifest advantage and positive profit.
On all rich lands, making a large
stalk and upward of 1000 pounds seed
cotton per acre without fertilizer, the
nitrogen should be omitted and a
bone and potash" fertilizer" analyz-
ing 1914 should be used at a rate OF
about 900 pounds per acre. We have
ourselves on this class of soils in
creased the yields from 1000 to 1920
pounds of seed cotton per acre by an
application of 900 pounds acid phos-
plate and 100 pounds of muriate OF
potash per acre, applied broadcast. Two
bales per acre.
Although placing great reliance in
fertilizers of any and all kinds, we do
not believe that fertilizers ever did
or ever will put in their very best work
where humus is deficient. An album
dance of humus present in the soil is
essential to large crop yields, as two,
three and four bales per acre, but
where there is plenty of humus, to-
gether with a liberal amount of ap-
piled fertility, properly balanced, given
deep an thorough preparation, fire.
quent, yet shallow culture, good seed,
all work that is done at the right time
and in the right name and a favor
able season, the four bales per acre
could be far more common than they
now are. Whenever and wherever
above essentials can be brought to-
gether there is absolutely nothing to
hinder these truly enormous crop
yields being obtained or many thou
sands of acres scattered about here and
there throughout the entire cotton belt.
1t can not be done on every acre, but
with the right kind of management,
two bales per acre can be made on each
and every acre throughout the entire
south that is adopted 70 cotton culture.
Where rust abounds humus and pot
ash are both apt to be deficient, and
this is the only instance We know Of
,,lo-1 I-o;-;+ oatr hNttAr tha~ 1nac +hn
muriate. Plenty of potash in the soil
induces such a vigorous and healthy
growth that 1t lenders the plant large
ly disease-resistant, or. in other words,
rust-proof. At the Alabama expert
ment station in checking rust, 200
pounds of kainit per acre was better
than 100 pounds, and 10C pounds bet
ter and more beneficial than 60 pounds.
In 1899 the yield with potash was at
least double that of the plots receiving
none of this material, but little of
which increase can be attributed to the
rust retaining effect as potash. In US
ing potash as a preventive of rust, it
may be applied Immediately in advance
of planting, but would be better applied
in the fall or early winter, or at least
several weeks in advance of planting,
so as to insure their diffusion through
the soil.
The more humus present the greater
quantity of fertilizer may be profit
ably applied per acre, and conversely,
the less humus present the smaller
quantity Of fertilizer that can be safe
ly used, and the greater the necessity
for a thorough preparation and cul-
ture hat will insure as nearly as prac-
ticable a perfect mechanical condition
of the soil.
(The figures S-2-1 used refer to the
percentage of phosphoric acid, nitro
gen and potash (plant food bought
in fertilizers. &c. H. Turner, in Farm
and Ranch.