The Southern farm gazette. (Starkville, Miss.) 1895-1909, 1908-01-18

t1llZeT men ana COmpelS tHem every ldlI " e
cotton on a falling market to pay the fertilizer
bills.
Getting back the humus OF the soil through the
use Of legumes and the feeding OF stock does not
mean the use OF less commercial fertilizer. but on
the contrary, the more liberal use OF them as the
most efficient aid in the getting back OF the hui
mus, the return to the virgin conditions in the
soil. the putting OF new life in the old skeleton.
and the getting OF more cotton on less land.
with a soil we'll stocked with humus one can use
probably a large amount OF the mineral forms OF
plant food. while wasting no money at all for the
purchase OF ammonia. which. like Mr.. Tufts. he
can get abundantly from peas and cows. The
farmer can use twice rs much acid phosphate and
potash with tho same expenditure OF cash that n
complete fertilizer costs him. and when no ap-
plies that acid phosphate and potash to his pea
crop he can depend on the peas doing the rest II
he feeds them to stock and returns the manure
TO the land AZ fast as made.
Doesn't Need a Manure s~prcadcr.-when I was
ut Pinehurst the manure sprcadcr was at work.
Two men loaded tho machine and one man took
n pleasant ride over tho field and left tho manure
spread more quickly and better than half n dozen
men could have done 4, with forks and Rhovcls.
Only one handling OF the manure. while I have
sccn men load wagons and then laboriously fork
1t out In little pilcs over tho field TO be handled
n third time In spreading. and then not have 4;
done half az we'll an the machine would have
done It.
Bu, tho man whose sole dependence In cotton
and low-sradc 2~~s~~2 fertilizer a; ratio Of abou,
100 pounds per aero. aocs not wan, a manure
sprcadcr. He docs not need ono. for he has no
manure. no stock and no feed for stock. Hc
wastes human labor In tho cultivation OF bis crop.
going with n single mule time and again In the
rows. when no could riac on a ,~o.horsr ~cui,iva.
tor and do more than ;~iec a. much work and do
II easier.
Tic independent Of tho Fertilizer Mixcr.-wi,h
plenty Of pca+rinc har. and ~ith crimson clnr-r
among HIS cotton tn pio~ down In tho apriag. b..
could get on a cash basis In tho apy!ng. bur moro
fertilizer OF Tho sighs sor, and and himself. getting
more and moro iadcrcndcn, OF tn. fertilizer
mixer. since ~i.h ha cash hc can buy aha, and
whore no pleas~s. and can nHix his n~n scrtii.scrs
al a great saving oe money.
DO NOT pay any attention 10 those who toll you
that you cannot mix fertilizers aa arIl a. tho fac
tories can. II would no, mako a particle q. dit
ference ,o tho crop II 4, ~aa no; mixed a, all.
provided tho Different, materials wcrc spread In
due proportion on tho land.
The Fertilizer Problem in = Nussirll.-pu, TO
sum up what ! believe about commercial for
si!isesm. | believe that the ,rue use OF fertilizers
In general Sraia or cotton farming Ia maintenance
of tho fertility OF tho soil aud .,a inercasc In pro-
aueiivcncas.
| believe tina, all farmers who farm rich, In a
abort rotation and bring In peas and clover frc-
aurntly on tho land can diapcnso with tn, pur-
chase OF nitrogen or ammonia In any form. |
know n whole n~ction whore this has been done
and Tho money crupn doubled. though no nitrogen
has been bought In twenty years.
| believe tina, tho liberal us. OF acid phosphate
and potash on tho pea crop preceding cotton will
~ill enable tho farmer TO mako more cotton than
the little fertilizer many uac now In tho furrow
under tho ac"d. and that through tho feeding OF
tho Increased forage crop. and tho hroadcam,
spreading OF the manure for corn. tn. auxiliary
crops of corn and Data or whca, will noon become
OF NOR" Importance. than ~hcr. IA supplies:
they Will hv antyrra ~ motif ahtt. ~ u.....