Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-09-23
QUESTION AND ANSWER DEPARTMENT

effect OF an application OF at least 1000
pounds of high-grade fertilizer on the
crop OF this year. and 500 pounds to next
years crop. This does not mean that
he undertakes fertilizers or regards
them as unessentiaI. but in order to get
the best results out OF the soil there
must be sufficient depth in which to
store water. and ii must be broken up so
that air can penetrate through II read
lily and the roots of plants forage
through IL freely. Tinage of this
character means that comparatively I'M
touched stores OF plant food in the I'M
DERIVING soils of the state are being
brought into play and made to serve their
part in increasing the yields OF Georgia
farm crops.
Plow the land thoroughly and efficient
ly for all the cover crops to be used this
season and do II as soon as possible. At
ter blowing IL should be rolled and har-
rowed and put in good condition for a
seed bed. 1t should then be worked over
at least once a week until the seeding
is done. This will tend to promote fer
mentation. the breaking uown OF plant
food. and viii put the surface soil in con-
dition to receive the seed and insure a
quick and vigorous termination of the
same. The thorough preparation OF the
soil does not always insure a large crop,
but IL Is the best possible protection the
farmer can have. and the better and
more thorough the tillage and the prep
aration, the more certain is a large and
profitable yield likely to be secured
A VALUABLE REPORT ON GEORGIA
AGRICULTURE.
The second annual report OF the farm
ers' conference, held at Athens, has been
printed and is now being distributed
This is one of the most important agrl-
cultural publications of the year. as IT
contains papers by many of our most
successful practical farmers, and sum-
maries OF the Investigations being car
ried on by many Of the leading scientific
workers in agriculture I'm Georgia.
The report contains nearly 200 pages
and is well illustrated. 1t can be had
free Of cost on application to the State
College of Agriculture, Athens. Ga. 1t
viii make a useful reference book in any
farmers library, and as the edition
printed is limited, owing to the small
fund available for printing, those desir-
ing to secure a copy should write I'M
mediately.
Among the topics treated in this re-
port which will be Of interest is a sum-
mary OF the work Of the farmers insti-
tutes, and a number Of papers on agri-
cultural education and the rural school
problem which will prove OF more than
passing interest at this time. Chapters
are devoted to cotton growing, to for
estry, live stock production, horticulture,
corn growing, fertilizers, crop rotations
and women's work.
FERTILIZING VALUE OF SAWDUST.
g. c. s., Roswell. Ga, writes: Would
be very glad IL you would inform me II
there is any way of treating sawdust,
with acid or otherwise, that would re-
duce ii so it could be used as fertilizer.
Or could IL be treated so IL could be
rotted and mixed with the soil?
There is no way of treating sawdust
with acid or other material to reduce
ii and make II useful as a fertilizer A
ton Of sawdust does not ordinarily con-
tain more than two pounds of nitrogen.
four pounds of phosphoric acid and eight
pounds OF potash. A ton of oat straw.
on the other hand. contains about u
pounds of nitrogen four pounds OF
phosphoric acid and 20 pounds of potash,
or more than six times as much nitro
gen. and two and half times as much
potash. The straw rots rather readily,
especially when used as an absorbent
under live stock. whereas, the sawdust
decays rather slowly. and in its decay
sometimes produces organic acids which
are thought to have an unfavorable eff
feet on crop production. However saw
dust may De used with some advantage
in the stable under cattle as an absorb
ent, and will tend to give bulk and vol
ume to the manure, and to tighten heavy
clay lands when applied thereto. A suf-
f1cient quantity would hardly be used
in this way to exercise any Injurious
influence on the soil Sawdust of itself
might sometimes be scattered with ad-
vantage over heavy lands to be plowed
under as a means of giving them greater
friability. Several tons per acre may be
used this way II the sawdust is close
at hand and could be secured at a COM
paratively low cost. We know OF no
means, however, by which it could be
reduced through any chemical process.
and, therefore, made Of greater ferti-
liking value.