The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1907-03-07
WHEN FERTILIZERS SMOULD BE
APPLIED.

AS a general rule. which has but few
exceptions. the greater part of the fer
tilizer should be applied to the soil be
fore planting the crop il Is intended 70
benefit. This Iulc Is not only III accord
with theoretical considerations. but ~ atSO
abundantIy sustained in actual i,,dctIce,
as shown by carefully conducted field eX-
reriments instituted fOr the express pur-
pose Of asceT;aiatng the truth, says Hon.
r / Redding. Director Georgia Export
ment station, DeDal tnent CT Agriculture,
in Virginia carolina Fertilizer Almanac.
the theory underlying the rule is the
fact that most OF the ingredients cOmpOS-
ing a commercial fertilizer are not in
mediatcly soluble aud aVciiible. but InHst
undergo certain chemical change III the
soil before the plant f0"d VIII be in the
proper condition IL Ie taken up by the
roots Of t17 rsunts. This is particularly
true in regard TO salts Of potash, and in
less degree 70 acid phosphate. 1t is
fact. also, that some forms Of potash.
notably kainit. cause chemical changes
in the condition Of the plant food already
present in Il soil, whereby t12 before in
Soluble and non-available plant food al
Teady in the soil becomes available.
The organic substances which arc large
ly used in the make. UP e commercial
fertilizers for the purpose of supplying
nitrogen to the piantS-SuCh as cotton
seed meal. dried blood fish scrap. tank
age. etc, also require time in which to
undergo chemical deCompo"itiun and such
change of form as wiz enable the roots
to appropriate tho nitrogen. Even sui
phate of ammonia. q highly soluble chemi-
cal salt. which sometimes enters into
the composition Of 4 fertilizer in 2 ver,
limited amount, must undergo q hct:iplete
chemical decomposition i; ~" SOIL before
the plants can make any use Of the nitro
gen, which IL contains in the form of
ammonia sulphat- This must be con-
Vertcd into nitrate. or nitraje Of lime.
Nitrate G. soda is the one chemical
fertilizer s that is Immediately avail
able, producing q very prompt effect when
applied to z growing crop (aGd it should
be applied e. none Ctherl.
Acid phc*nIate and potash sccy be ap-
EGed to til "0ii ard bei3oi Oh from two
q siE "os5 before planting time. Ii
is claimed - S.jle experts that potash
salts may ha applied with better results
even several months before planting. \
ever, is to apply 4 complete fertilizer
from one 70 three weeks before planting
the crop. when the latter Is & corn, cot
ton, Tobacco Or other summer growing
crop, always taking care to M. the fer
SiliZer Thoroughly with the soil OF the
open bedding 1GTroW in which it shall be
applied ana t1cn "istIng,' 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 COlnnlafa fertilizer
applied two weeks before Ola ntine. 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 unexnectod and sur
prising reFGlt-viz.. the cotton seeds plant
ed on the plats in which the fertilizer
had been applied md bedded on two
weeks before, came up quicker and gave
a more uniform stand OF more vigorous
plants than resulted on The ulats in which