Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1907-03-13

the fertilizer was applied in the furrowa
with the seeds. While this result was not
contemplated, It 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-
pedient, in any case, to apply small
quantity-say 20 to Is pounds-of nitrate
of soda in the same furrow with the cot
ton or corn seeds, which may be done
with perfect safety with cotton seeds
and without danger to corn if 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 it and
Immediately planting the seed; or it may
refer to the practice of putting the fer
tilizer in the furrow with the seed In
the latter case, there is always a mani
fest. danger that the coming growing sea-
son may be unusually dry, in which event
the fertilizer, being so lightly covered,
may not be dissolved and properly dis
seminated through the soil It may also
follow that the fertilizer being so concen-
trated-en masse as 1t were-around the
tender rootlets of the young plants that
the latter may be injured, or burned
a not inconsiderable danger. The plan
is not advisable except when a very
light application is tosbe made per acre
This caution is especially applicable to
seeds that are planted in very shallow
burrows and but lightly covered, such as
cotton, and 1t is generally safer to inter-
pose some soil, or, better, deposit the fer
t1lizer 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 furrow close
beside 1t. But the preferred plan is to
bed on the fertilizer, and then plant the
seeds, after narrowing down the beds.
have often app4ed 50 to 100 pounds Of
a complete fertilizer per acre In the
furrow with the cotton seeds; but 1t vas
away back" in the late sixties and early
seventies when fertilizers sold at $40. to $50
a ton, and very hight applica lions were
supposed to be In the interest OF 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
up-to-date farmer has found that 500 and
500 pounds of fertilizer for cotton q
properly balanced high-grade fertilizer, to
each acre Of cotton is not dangerous or
cious. Indeed, 1t is a question Of simple
arithmetic. II 100 pounds per acre il
profitable, and 1t costs no more labor to |
cultivate an acre with 500 pounds Of ap-
olied fertilizer, then why not increase
he amount invested in fertilizers, and. |
I thought advisable, reduce the area and |
he labor account?
Now, the well-informed farmer only
wants to know II the fertilizer be proper
Y balanced for the crop he wishes to
row. and Is sold at fair price, and he
invests literally, just as he would do in
'uytng anything at such price that he
nay sell at profit of from 50 to 100 per
entum and upward. A high grade, hon
st fertilizer will meet this requirement.
There is another Justification for the
ractice of applying fertilizers at tho
line of plAnting-viz, when the farmer
ais failed to put in his order at the prop
r time. He may then, according to the
roverb-'better late than not at alp
ut in the fertilizer with the seed, or At
he time Of planting.