The Tupelo journal., 1907-07-19

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 it's 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 a small
quantity-say 20 to rs 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 1t and
Immediately planting the seed; or it may
tilizer In the furrow with the seed. In
the latter case, there In 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
seminated through the soil. 1t 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 to be 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
tiLzerI in one furrow and plant the seeds
in a furrow Immediately beside; or, vice
versa, plant the seeds first in the furrow,
and then the fertilizer in a furrow close
beside 1t. But the preferred plan is to
bed on the fertilizer, and then plant the
seeds, after narrowing down the beds.
nave often applied 50 to 100 pounds of
a complete" fertilizer per acre in the
furrow with the cotton seeds; but it was
away back" in the late sixties and early
seventies when fertilizers sold at $40 to $50
a ton, and very light applications were
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
up-to-date farmer has found that 500 and
500 pounds of fertilizer for cotton, a
properly alanced high-grade fertilizer, to
each acre of cotton is not dangerous or
excessive, but simply liberal and judi
clous. Indeed. 1T is a question of simple
arithmetic. If 100 pounds per acre is
profitable, and it costs no more labor to
cultivate an acre with 500 pounds of APP
pied fertilizer, then why not increase
the amount invested in fertilizers, md,
If thought advisable, reduce the area and
the labor account?
Now, the well-informed farmer only
wants to know If the fertilizer be proper
y oiditOu " inc crop ne WISHES TO
grow, and is sold at a fair price, and he
invests literally, just as he would do in
buying anything at such a price that he
may sell at a profit of from so to 100 per
centum and upward. A high-grade, nom
est fertilizer will meet this requirement.
There is another Justification for the
practice of applying fertilizers at the
time of planting-viz., when the farmer
mas tailed to put in his order at the prop
er time. He may then, according to the
proverb-"better late thar not at alp
put In the fertilizer with the seed, or at
the time of planting.