The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1907-03-29
WIEN rEaTILixEne SHOULD u
APPLIED. RI

~ general rule, witch has bus 1sW
exceptions. the greater part Of the fer-
tfliser should be applied to the soil -
foys planning the crop n y intended tc
with theorefical considerations. but Is also
a~bundantiy Sustained In actual practice.
~ shown By carefully conducted Geld ex.
periments instituted for the express pur-
KS = Rs ssdi Director asorsis az Expsri.
ment Station. Department Of Agriculture
In Virginia Carolina Fertiiizer Almanac.
The theory underlying the rule u the
fact that most Of he ingredients compos-
mediately soluble and avail!ble, but must
undergo certain chemical changes In the
soil before the plant food will BE- In the
proper condition 70 be taken up BY the
true in regard to salts Of potash. and IN
less degree to acid phosphate. 1t fS .
fact. also. that some forms OF potash.
notably kainIt. cause chemical changes
present in q soil, whereby the before In
soluble n non available plant food al
rea iy in the soil. becomes available.
The organic substances which are largo
ly Used In the make up Of commercial
fertilizers for the purpose Of supplying
nitrogen to the plants such as cotton
seed meal, dried blood. fsh scrap. tank
age, etc, also require time In which to
undergo chemical decomposition and such
change Of form as will enable the roots
to appropriate the nitrogen. Even sui
phate Of ammonia, q highly soluble chemi-
cal salt, which sometimes enters into
the composition of q fertilizer in a very
limited amount must undergo q complete
chemical decomposition in the soil before
the plants can make any use Of the nitro
gen, which It contains in the form of
ammonia sulphate. This must be con-
verified into nitrate. or nitrate Of lime.
Nitrate NJ soda In the Nna rnpntral |
fertilizer salt that Is Immediately avail
able. producing a very prompt effect when
applied to a growing crop (and It should
be applied to none other).
Acid phosphate and potash may be ap-
Piled to the soil and bedCsd on from two
to SIX weeks before planting time. It
is claimed BY some experts that potash
salts may be applied with better results
more practical and convenient rule. how-
ever, Ia to apply q complete fertilizer
from one to three weeks before planting
the crop, when the latter Is a corn, cot
crop, always taking care to mix the fer
tilizer thoroughly with the soil Of the
open bedding furrow in which 1t shall be
applied and then listing" or throwing
two burrows on II.
Experiments on the farm Of the Georgia
Experiment Station, projected for the
purpose OF comparing on the one hand
the effectiveness of a complete fertilizer
applied two weeks before planting, and,
on the other hand, the effectiveness OF
applied in the burrows with the seed,
were followed by an unexpected and SUR
prfsing result-vfz., the cotton seeds plant
ed on the plats In which the fertilizer
. more uniform stand Of moro vigorous
plants than resulted on the plats In which
the fertilizer was applied in the burrows
with the seeds. While this result was not
contemplated, II was quickly explained
been In the ground two weeks had under
gone the chemical changes all ,adx2sluudyIlrA
ed TO. and its plant fooSs6 Nt0FF
tne immediate wants 20dng plants.
pe anss fei IN 4 AMIN may . b. sm e.,
auantity.5s 70 8 %pounds1of nitrate
or SOC 1Natlfe Same furrow with the cot
To- okNcorn seeds, which may be done
I'm perfect safety with cotton seeds,
md without danger to corn II not placed
In immediate contact with the seed.
APPLYING FERTILIZER AT THE
TIME Of PLANTING.
This may be understood to mean either
applying the fertilizer. bedding on 1t and
Immediately planting the seed; or 1t may
refer to the practice Of putting the fer
the latter case. there ID always a mani
TEST danger that the coming growing sea-
son may be unusually dry, In which event
the fertilizer. being 30 lightly covered,
may not be dissolved and properly dis
follow that the fertilizer being SO concern |
masse, as 1t were-around the I,
tender rootlets Of the u plants that !
the latter may be injured. Or ''burned'- |
2 not inconsiderable danger. The plan =,
y not advisable except when a very !
application Ia to be made per acre. ]
caution II especially applicable to :
that are planted In very shallow !
suftows and bit lightly covered. such az
pose some soil. or. better, deposit the fer
liiixer In M furrow and plant the seeds
IN q furrow Immediately beside; or, vice
versa. plant the seeds first In the furrow,
beside II. But the preferred plan Il to
oed on the fertilizer. and then plant the
after narrowing down the beds.
! have often applied 20 to 100 pounds of '
complete fertilizer per acre in the n
away back" in the late sixties and early r
seventies when fertilizers sold at $40 to $50 b
! ton, and very light applications were
supposed 70 be IN the interest Of q wise
economy. w. did not know much about Q
In those days, and were afraid :
put too much glano on the cotton"
That time has passed and gone. and the 8
p-to-date farmer has found that 900 and a
y pounds OF fertilizer for cotton, . !
ach acre of cotton Is not dangerous or q
but simply liberal and Judi .
ious. Indeed. It - q question Of simple
Irfthmetic. II 100 pounds per acre IL d
'~rofltable. and It costs no more labor to
an acre with 800 pounds Of ap-
med fertilizer, then why not increase
ne amount invested In fertilizers, and, \,
thought advisable. reduce the area and =
he labor account?
Now, the weli-informed farmer only
wants to know II the fertilizer be proper
row, and IL sold at q fair price, and "a
invests literally. Just as he would do Ia :
'uying anything at such a price that ne q
nay sell at q profit Of from 50 to 100 per .
enturn ana upward. A h~igh-grade. hon
ut fertilizer will meet this requirement.
There Is another Justification for the