Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-04-26


clay subsoil / would like to know what
amount Of available plant food there
is in one ton of oyster shell lime; also
what ingredients could l add to it to
make it analyze about 3-1O-4, as that is
what I would ulike to use on my cot
tonu. ---
Oyster shell lime is nearly pure car
Donate of lime: yet there is an admix-
ture of dirt and other impurities which
as a rule makes II less rich in lime than
that obtained from pure limestone rock.
About the only value lime has in the
soil is to correct acdity, favor the devel-
opment Of certain forms of bacterial
life essential TO large crop production.
and to set free some of the inert mat
rails held in the soil such as potash
compounds. While the applications of
lime may be very beneficial to the
soil. it does not supply either nitrogen.
phosphoric acid or potash directly.
These are the elements, as you know,
which we regard as essential TO securing
large crop yields. If you use lime on
your land and il is often advisable TO
do so. it is best to apply it at the rate
of one ton per acre. One thousand
pounds may give you some benefit, but
the use of less than ZOO pounds is hard
~ advisable. The lime had best be ap-
piled as a top dressing very soon. and
allowed TO exert such influence as il
may on the soil a few weeks before
planting. 1t should be applied in con-
tact. as a rule. with mixed fertilizers
Certainly the 3-l0-4 which YOU contem-
plate should be used separately. You
are probably overlooking the fact that
acid phosphate containes about I,O0O lbs.
of gypsum per ton. II you will mix to-
gether $50 pounds of sulphate ammonia,
600 pounds Of high-grade cotton seed
meal. l.i00 pounds of high-grade acid
phosphate and $50 pounds of muriate OF
potash, you will obtain a mixture which
contain approximately the per cents of
available plant food mentioned above.
NEVER BURN THE LITTER ON THE
GROUND.
VI. ". s., Collinsville, Ala, writes: |
have a piece of limestone new ground
with some loose rock on top. The land is
covered with light coating of leaves
and pine straw. also considerable small
lunches of sedge. Would you advise
burning OF before breaking? Would it be
profitable to use a guano? If so. what
and how much?I The land is to be plant
ed in corn.
Do not burn the trash on your land
under any consideration fit can possibly
be cultivated so as to turn il under and
secure the benefit which the addition Of
this vegetable matter will confer on the
soil, Vegetable matter will enable your
land to absorb and retain moisture and
render il less subject to drought, be-
sides aiding the fermentation in the soil
and setting free plant food. It will also
enable the crop growing on the land to
utilize the fertilizer applied I'm an arti
fetal form to better advantage. If this
is new land heavy fertilization this year
may not be necessary, but we think you
will not make a mistake in using at lea 81
300 to 800 pounds per acre of a fertilizer
. containing at least per cent of nitrogen
8 per cent OF phOsphoric acid and Ger
cent of potash. If land similar to this
has not made a sufficient growth of stalk
| il will be better to use per cent of IL
| trogen. While a limestone land is gen
orally stronger and more fertile than
other soil. it does not necessarily follow