The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1907-03-28

As a general rule, which has but
few exceptions, the greater part of
the fertilizer should be applied to the
soil before planting the crop it is in
tended to benefit. This rule is not
only in accord with theoretical con-
siderations, but is also abundantly
sustained in actual practice, as shown
by carefully conducted field expert
ments Instituted for the express, pur-
pose of a~scertaining the truth, says
Hon. r. J. Redding, Director Georgia
Experiment. Station. Department of
Agriculture, in Virginia-C Carolina
Fertilizer Almanac.
The theory underlying the rule is
the fact that most of the ingredients
composing a commercial fertilizer
are not Immediately soluble and
availables but must undergo certain
chemical changes in the soil before
the plant food Will be In the proper
condition. to be taken up by the roots
of the plants. This is particularly
true in regard to salts of potash, and
in a less degree to acid phosphate.
1t is a fact also, that some forms Of
pOLdSA, AOedUay AaAh4S1 Nbu0O SAC"1
cal changes in the condition of the
plant food already present in a soil,
whereby the before insoluble and
non-available plant food already in
the soil becomes available.
The organic substances which are
largely used in the make up Of COM
mercial fertilizers for the purpose of
supplying nitrogen to the plants
such as cottonseed meal, dried blood,
fish scrap tankage, etc, also require
time in which to undergo chemical
decomposition and such change OF
form as will enable the roots to ap-
propriate the nitrogen. Even sui
plate ofSammonia, a highly soluble
chemical salt, which sometimes
ters into the composition Of a fertil-
izer in a very limited amount, must
undergoia complete chemical decom-
position in the soil before the plants
can make anysuse of the nitrogen,
which itIcontafns IN the form of am
monia sulphatea This must be con-
verified into nitrate4Or nitrate of lime.
Nitrate of soda is the one chemical
fertilizer salt that is Immediately
available, producing a very prompt
effect when applied to a growing
crop land it should be applied to
none other).
Acid phosphate aud potash may
be applied to the soil and Gbedded on
from two to six weeks before plant
ing time. 1t is claimed by some ex-
perts that potash salts may be ap-
piled with better results even sev-
eral months before planting. A more
practical and convenient rule, how
ever, is to apply a complete fertilizer
from n to three weeks before
planting the crop, when the latter Is
a corn, cotton, tobacco or other sum-
mer growing crop, always taking
care to mix the fertilizer thoroughly
with the soil of the open bedding fur
row in which it shall be applied and
then listing" or throwing two Eur
row on 1t.
Experiments Cd the farm of the
Georgia Experiment Station, project
ed for the purpose of comparing on
the one hand the effectiveness Of a
complete fertilizer applied I'VE weeks
4AAAI4AASB 6AAS OA (LS O@A~
hand, the effectiveness of the same
quantity of the same fertilizer ap-
piled in the burrows with the seed,
were followed by an unexpected and
surprising result - viz, the cotton
seeds planted on~the plats in which
the fertilizer had been applied and
bedded IN two weeks before, came
up quicker and gave a"more uniform
stand of more 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, it was quickly
explained by the fact that the fertil-
izer that had been in the ground two
weeks had undergone the chemical
changes already alluded to, and its
plant food was ready for the imme-
diate wants of the young plants.
This result suggests that it may be
expedient, in any case, to apply a
small quantity-say, twenty to TWEEN
ty-ive pounds-of nitrate of soda in
the same furrow with the cotton or
corn seeds, which MAJ be done with
perfect, safety with cotton seeds, and
without danger to corn if not placed
in immediate contact with the seed.
This may be understood to mean
either applying the fertilizer, bedding
on it and Immediately planting the
seed; or II may refer to the practice
of putting the fertilizer in the fur
row with the seed. In the latter case
there is always a manifest danger
that the coming growing season may
be unusually dry, In which event the
fertilizer being so lightly covered,
may not be dissolved and properly
disseminated through the soil. 1t
may also follow that the fertilizer be-
ing SO concentrated-en masses as it
Were-around the tender rootlets of
the young plants that the latter may
be injured, or "burned"-a not in
considerable danger. The plan is not
advisable except when a very light