The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1907-02-21
How ,Maeh Fertilizer to AppIy.

49, +&E&ES4
The question, "How much fertil-
izer should be used per acre7" can
not be answered definitely, but in a
general way: It is sometimes put in
this form; What is the most profit
able amount that may be applied per
acre?" Neither can the question in
the amended form be exactly and ac-
curately answered. The soil, its char
acter, condition. preparation. etc.,
may be we'll known, or cpntrollable
factors, but we know not what the
seasons may be. says the Hon. r. j.
Redding, Director Georgia. Experi-
ment Station, Department of Agricul-
ture, in the Tirginia-Carolina Fer
tilizer Almanac.
We know that some crops will
bear larger amounts of fertilizers
with reasonable assurance of profit
able returns than may be texpected
of other soils. "A crop that occupies
the soil from the fall season until
spring, or earlYs summer will. bear
heavier fertilizingSthan will a crop
that is planted in the spring and
ripens for harvest in midsummer.
The first case is illustrated by oats,
wheat or other small grain, or grass,
especially when 'sown in the fan of
the year. Such a crop occupies q
soil during the late fall and winter,
and early spring-during which per-
iods the rains are usually abundant
+-ripening for harvest in late spring,
or very early summer, before the
burning summer heat and possible
drouths OF June and July. Oats and
wheat therefore are ideal crops for
liberal fertiizing.
Corn is rather an uncertain crop
on the ordinary dry uplands of the
South. It has but a short period In
which to develop its fowers-tassels
and siIks-covering but a few days.
If very dry weather shall prevail
when this critical period is approach
ing, and for some time after 1t is
passed, the crops may prove a great
er or less failure. There car be nc
second effort no second period OF
blooming.
It is different in the case of cotton,
which commences, to bloom and make
fruit in June tor even earlier) and
continues throughout the summer
until checked by a frost in
November. 1t has a number OF
Chances"
Cotton is therefore another ideal
crop for liberal fertilizing. A small
amount of fertilizers applied per acre
will NO doubt yield.a larger per cent
age of profit on its cost than Will .
larger amount. To illustrate: An ap'
plication of So worth Of fertilizer pei
acre may cause an increased. yield
of cotton tat ten cents per pound)
of the value of Sc to IS, or a profit
of 200 to 800 per cent. on its cast
/ have frequently had such results
But it does not follow that twice al
heavy an application will produces
twice as large results, or that thres
times as much would cause thre'
times as great an increase in the
yield. In other words, the rate o.
increase in the yield OF cotton will
not be in proportion to the increast
in the amount of fertilizers applied
Two dollars worth of fertilizer pei
acre may yield an increase in thu
crop of Sc; but Sc worth would no
therefore bring an increase Of SIS.
But careful observation has shoWl
that an application OF IS to$6 wortl
of fertilizers: (psoperly balanced) j
n safe amount to apply per acre OF
cotton. Many farmers in Georgi;
have secured satisfactory return
from an ~anpHcation of SO much a
500 pounds per acre. I think 60
pounds a perfectly safe limit on up
land in fairly good condition, vel
prepared and properly cultivated Il
cotton. For corn, I would limit tn
amount to 200 to 800 pounds pc
acre on old nplands.