The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1907-05-24
WHEN FERTILIZERS SHOULD BE
APPLIED.

As a general rule, which has but few
exceptions, the greater part of the fer
tlliZcr should be applied to the soil be-
fore planting the crop IL Is Intended TO
benefit. This rule Is not only In accord
Wit theoretical considerations, but Is also
bHndantly sustained in actual practice,
ls shown by carefully conducted field ex-
ueriments instituted for the express pur-
pose Of ascertainlng the truth. says Hon.
x, J. Redding, Director Georgia Expert
nent station, Department of Agriculture,
IN Firginia-Carolina Fertilizer Almanac.
The theory underlying the rule Is the
TACT that most of the ingredients compos-
ing n commercial fertilizer are not i'm
mediately soluble and availible, 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
roofs Of the plants. This is particularly
True IN regard to salts of potash, and In
less degree to acid phosphate. 1t is a
TACT, also. that some forms Of potash,
notably kainit, cause chemical changes
In the condition OF the plant food already
present in a soil. whereby the before in
soluble and non-ayailable plant food al
ready IN the soil. becomes available.
Tn organic substances which are large
ly used In the make up of commercial
fertilizers for the purpose OF supplying
nitrogen to the p~lants-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
to appropriate the nitrogen. Even sui
phate OF ammonia, a highly soluble chemi-
cal salt, which sometimes enters into
the composition of a 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 1t contains in the form OF
ammonia sGlphate. This must be con-
vorted into nitrate, or nitrate Of lime
Nitrate Of soda is the one chemical
fertilizer salt that Is Immediately avail
able, producing a very prompt effect when
applied to a growing crop land It should
be applied to none other).
Acid phosphate and potash may be an.
piled TO the soil and bedded on from two
TO six weeks before planting time, II
salts may be applied with better results
even several months before planting. A
more practical and convenient rule. how
ever Ia to apply q complete fertilizer
from one to three weeks before planting
ton, tobacco, or other summer growing
CROP. always taking care to mix the fer
tiiizer thoroughly with the soil OF the
open bedding furrow In which II shall be
applied and then listing" Or Throwing
Experiments on the farm OF the Ceorgia
Experiment Station, projected for. the
purpose Of comparing ON the one hand
the effectiveness OF Z complete fertilizer
applied two weeks. before planting. and,
the { me quantity Of the ssmc fertilizer
applied in tho burrows with the seed.
were followed by an u~uexpected and sur
prisiug re~sult-vtz., the COTTON seeds plant
ed on th- Es.sts n which ~ tertiilscr
wssxs '1 bsicrr. same ~ " cSicssr "a nv
a moro unifcrsa ssaad q noss sirorcus
pia uts than resulted on IN p1ats In which