The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-01-06

of 10 per cent phosphoric acid, per cent
potash, and per cent nitrogen and ap-
ply 800 pounds of this mixture to an acre
OF our average uplands. From this ap-
plication of 800 pounds to the acre we put
into our soil so pounds of phosphoric acid,
10 pounds of potash and 10 pounds of nit
rogen. In October we sow the land to
hairy vetch and in the spring turn this
crop under green. BY so doing we will
add to our acre of land about 221 pounds
OF nitrogen, pounds of phosphoric acid
and ID pounds of potash, all before the
regular summer crop of cotton ETC., is
planted. We can thus reduce the per-
centage of every element in our formula
the first year. If we now put rows of
cowpeas between the rows of cotton dur
ing the summer and seed the land to
vetch again in the fall, the following
year we will seed only an application of
phosphoric acid to produce a good crop
good growth of cowpeas turned under
adds to the soil about 40 pounds of nitro
gen, 80 pounds of potash and 10 pounds of
phosphoric acid as against 10 pounds of
nitrogen, 10 pounds of potash and 90
pounds of phosphorc acid from the ap-
plication of 500 pounds of the 10, 2, 2,
goods above mentioned.
We thus see that by this method of
green manuring weEcan soon eliminate
on many of our soils at least, the use of
nitrogen and potash altogether. We shall
find, also, that We shall be able, grad
ually to reduce the percentage of phos-
phoric acid on many of our soils and
finally to discard the use of commercial
fertilizers altogether. To illustrate, some
time ago Mr.. Philip Willingham, of Ram
sey, Ala purchased piece of poor. san
dy land, having a clayey subsoil. When
purchased this land would not produce
over one-fourth of a bale of cotton nor
over eight bushels of corn to the acre.
He began to improve this land and each
year ran his pillow a little deeper. He
now plows this land twelve inches deep
and gets not one, but three-fourths of
a bale of cotton and not eight but %
bushels of corn to the acre and has new
er used a pound of commercial ferti-
lizer
We said a moment ago that poor farm
ing would change our fertilizer formula
also. Starting with our former applica-
2 goods we will say we gather from this
fertilization a half bale of cotton to the
acre. In the fall we do not put vetch on
the land and in the spring there is moth
ing to turn under but old cotton stalks
and a small amount of dead crab grass.
We now put on our application of 500
pounds of our former brand of fertilizer,
and do we get the half bale? Not as
! rule. During the summer We do not
put any cowpeas on the land and during
the following fall we let the land lie
bare of vegetation-no vetch, crimson or
burr clover is sown-and in the spring
we plow our land shallow and repeat the
operation of the previous year. Can We
pursue this method of farm practice and
hope to get our half bale of cotton to
the acre off our average land by the APP
plicatlon of only 800 pounds of fertilizer?
No, this this method of farming requires
an increased amount of fertilizer each
year to produce the normal crop. The
land thus treated gradually gets out or
condition and soon it will contain so lit
tie humus, hold so little water and be
so generally lifeless that we will find our
| money wasted in trying to farm 1T at all.
| Instead of getting half bale from the
application of 500 pounds of fertilizer we
will be forced to apply, perhaps, 1900
| pounds to the acre. We may then find 1t
better economy to make public pasture of
| the field.
| Organic matter is the basis of the life
| of all soils and when this is burned out
by shallow preparation, clean cultiva-
| ton, the use of commercial fertilizers
without the addition of green or stable
manures, the land will die on our hands
Just as surely as will an animal separat-
| ed from its food.
| Tuscaloosa, Ala.