Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1907-04-04
WHEN FERTILIZERS SHOULD sE
APPLIED.

exceptions. the greater part OF the fer
tilizer ahould BIO applied to the soil be-
benefit. This rule is not only in accord
with theoretical considerations, but is also
abundantly sustained In actual practice.
as shown by carefully conducted field ex-i
perimentg instituted for the express pur-
poEe Of ascertaining the truth, says Hon.
r, ]. Redding, Director Georgia Experi-
ment Station, Department OF Agriculture,
In Virginia Carolina Fertilizer Almanac.
The theory underlying the rule is the
fact that most of the ingredients compos-
ing a commercial fertilizer arc. not inn
mediately soluble and availible, but must
undergo certain chemical changes In the
soil before the plant food will be in the
roots of the plants. This Is particularly
true in regard to salts Of potash, and in
less degree to acid phosphate. 1t is q
notably kainit cause chemical changes
In the condition Of tho plant food already
present In a soil, whereby the before In
soluble and non-nvailable plant food al
ready in the soil, becomes available
The organic substances which are large
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, fish scrap, tank
age, ETC., also require time in which to
undergo chemical decomposition and such
change OF form as will enable the roots
90 appropriate the nitrogen. Even sui
phate of ammonia, a highly soluble chemi-
cal salt, which sometimes enters into
limited amount, must undergo a complete
chemical decomposition In the soil before
the plants can make any use OF the nitro
gen, which 1t contains in tho form Of
ammonia suiphate. This must be con-
verified into nitrate. or nitrate OF lime.
Nitrate OF soda Is the one chemical
able, producing very prompt effect when
applied to q growing crop 1and 1t should
be applied to none other).
Acid phosphate and potash may be ap-
piled to the soil and bedded on from two
to six weeks before planting time. II
Is claimed by some experts that potash
salts may be applied with better results
even several months before planting. A
more practical and convenient rule, how
ever, is to apply complete fertilizer
from one to three weeks before planting
ton. tobacco. or other summer growing
crop. always taking care to mix the fer
ae beaSD wh The sci Sf the he
applied and then listing" or throwing
two burrows on It..
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
the same quantity of the same fertilizer
applied in the burrows with the seed,
were followed by an unexpected and sur
prising result-viz.. the cotton seeds plant
ed on the plats In which the fertilizer
had been applied and bedded on two
weeks before, came up quicker and gave
a. more uniform stand OF moro vigorous
plants than resulted on tho plats in which
the fertilizer was applied in the burrows
with the seeds. While this result was not
contemplated, 1t was quickly explained
by the fact that the fertilizer that had
been In the ground two weeks had under
gone the chemical changes already allud-
ed to, and Its plant food was ready for
the immediate wants Of the young plants.
This result suggests that 1t may be ex-
.Ueutent. IN any case to aDDlV n small
Quantity--say 20 to rs pounds--of nitrate
OF soda In the same furrow with the cot
and 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 Il and
Immediately planting the seed; or 1t may
refer to the practice OF putting the FER
the latter case, there 10 always a mani
fest danger that the coming growing sea-
son may be unusually dry. in which event
may not be dissolved and properly dis
gefninated through the soil. 1t may also
follow that the fertilizer being so concen-
senSsr Fooats o a ne vUn nsns tb bn
the latter may be injured. or burned
a not incopsiderable danger. The plan
is not advisable. except when very
light application is to be made per acre.
This caution is especially applicable to
reeds that are planted in very shallow
burrows and but lightly. covered. such az
cotton. and 1t is generally safer to inter-
pose some soil. or. better, deposit the fer
tilizer In one furrow and plant the seeds
In furrow Immediately beside; or, vice
versa. plant the seeds first In the furrow,
and then the fertilizer in q furrow close
beside It. But the preferred plan is to
bed on the fertilizer. and then plant the
beeds, after narrowing down the beds.
haVf Offfsrl a DDlfad n ion nafrnda nj
Complete" fertilizer per acre in the
furrow with the cotton seeds; but It was
away back" in the late sixties and early
seventiea when fertilizers sold at $40 to $50
n ton and very light applications wero
supposed to be in the interest OF a wise
economy. We. did not know much about
fertilizers in those days, and were afraid
to put too much guano on the cotton"
That time has passed and gone. and the
np-to-date farmer has found that 500 and
800 pounds of fertilizer for cotton. O
properly balanced hfgh-grade fertilizer, to
each acre of cotton is not dangerous or
excessive, but simply liberal and Judi
arithpetic. II 100 pounds per acre is
profitable. and 1t costs no more labor to
cultivate an acre with 800 pounds of ap-
the amount invested in fertilizers, and,
II thought advisable, reduce the area and
the labor account? +.
Now. the well-informed farmer only
wants tc know IL the fertilizer be proper
iy balanced for the crop he wishes to
grow. and is sold at q fair price, and he
invests literally, Just as he would do in
buying anything at such a price that he
may sell at n pront OF from 50 to 100 per
centum and upward. A high-grade, hon-
est fertilizer WIN meet this requirement
Theye is another justification for the
practice OF applying fertilizers at the
time OF pidnting-viz., when the farmer
bds failed to put In his order at the prop
er time He may then, according to the
proverb-''better late than not az alp
put In the FERTILIZER with the seed, or at
the time OF planting.