Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-07-22
QUESTION AND ANSWER DEPARTMENT
FERTILIZERS FOR POTATOES

small amounts as to seldom II ever ne
cessitate their application to the soil ir
the form of special fertilizers. On the
other hand, 1t is apparent that potash
in particular would be needed in consid-
cradle amounts to supply the needs OF
this crop. especially as it gives its best
results Of loamy, friable soils and makes
its growth in a comparatively short
spaceof time, thus calling for the needed
plant food to be present. not only In
considerable quantities. but in quickly
available form.
The analysis of ~ soils as tabulated
by Roberts indicate that they contain
about 1868 pounds of nitrogen, 4.219 pound
OF phosphoric acid. and 1917 pounds OF
potash. II would naturally be conclud-
ed from this statement that there was
an abundance of plant food in the soil for
all crops for many years TO come, yet
IL has been clearly shown in every Sec
ton of the country that potatoes respond
to the use of large applications of COM
mercial fertilizers, giving an increase OF
as much as 100 to $50 bushels or more
per acre, which demonstrates most en-
phatieally that the plant food in the soil
IS not in an available form, and that
while consistent effort should be made
through thorough cultivation to bring
Il into condition where II can be readily
used by the plants, II is still necessary
90 use commercial plant food IN consid-
cradle amounts to supply enough plant
food in a quickly available form to Sc
cure maximum crops.
APPLYING FERTILIZER TO COTTON.
S. B., Millen, Ca, writes: l have some
more guano / wish to put on my cotton.
Should II be put by the side OF the cot
ton or would II be best to burst the mid
dies open with an eight-inch shovel and
put It in and then side the cotton and
cover II? How long ought the cotton
to be plowed that was planted the 18th
of April?
1t is now getting late to apply fertilizer
TO cotton in your section OF the state.
could have given you more definite in
formation on this point IL you had indi-
Gated how large your plants were, but
we would not be disposed TO make any
further application to cotton even in this
section with the season so far advanced.
II you do put on any apply it alongside
the drill row or broadcast It and cover
with the cultivator. Do not burst the
middles as in this way you will cut and
destroy the feeding roots OF the plants.
Cotton seed may be used as part of
the fertilizer on potatoes. They only
cottoi SEED meal. hence you will need to
Use twice the quantity. Cotton may be
plowed as long as you can get through
the rows without knocking OFF the
squares. There is no objection to work
ing II late; in fact, II tends to keep weeds
and grass in check and to stimulate
growth. which as a rule is desirable. On
rich land, Of course. early laying-by will
be necessary to check growth, but this
will be the exception and not the rule.
The bugs that you speak OF as attack
ing your cabbage and collards are very
hard to control owing to the fact that
they susk the juice of the leaves of the
plant, and therefore Paris green and
other Insecticides are OF no use, and they
are so hard that kerosene emulsion will
not affect them. The bugs should be
hand-picked as far as possible. II Is
also a good plan to plant a catch crop,
and when II is well infested apply kero-
sene or pine straw and burn. The best
remedy is good clean farm practice;
don't leave any litter or dirt in the field:
after the crop has been taken off the land
everything should be cleaned up in order
to leave as few places as possible for the
insects to winter in.
Mites on chickens may be destroyed
by busting insect powder into the feath-
ers. Kerosene emulsion or a solution of
creolin one part to fifty parts OF water
will be found effective remedies. The