Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-12-23

and develop a greater interest in the
maintenance of live stock on our farms
The girls are expected to join the home
life clubs and to direct their attention
more particularly to cooking, sewing and
preserving fruits and vegetables. They
are, OF course, eligible to enter the other
contests and WIN no doubt make cred
liable showing particularly in the line
of poultry raising.
1t is needless to say that this work
should be encouraged by all, for 1t means
to direct the attention of the rising gen.
Grafton to the great possibilities which
lie ahead for those who understand most
thoroughly the cultivation and fertiliza-
ton of the soil and it goes without
saying that anything which may be
done to increase an interest in home
life will permanently advance the in
terests of the Individual and the state
as q whole.
TERMINATING TEMPERATURE OF
| CORN AND COTTON
A. III. s., T., Franklin, Ga writes:
How low a degree Fahrenh cit win pre-
lYent wheat, corn and cotton seed from
coming up when it is fully terminated in
a very wet soil?
Wheat will occasionally terminate al
as low a temperature as Al degrees F..
and corn at 4S to AZ degrees So far as
i know the relation of temperatures to
the termination of cotton seed has not
been carefully studied, but presume that
IT would take little higher temperature
than for corn, probably ranging around
! so to 81 degrees, +. AS a matter OF fact
most seeds will not terminate readily
at temperatures ranging from Al to 81
degrees. The best temperature for the
termination OF most seeds is II to loo
degrees. the average being about S5 de-
grees. These figures will probably APP
proximate quite closely the needs of cot
ton as well. 1t is quite clear, therefore
that seeding should not be begun until
the temperature of the ground shows
about 20 degrees in the warmest part OF
the day. 1t is, Of course possible that
seeds may lay in the soil for some time
provided the ground is comparatively
dry at temperatures lower than Al de-
grees and still terminate under favorable
lconditions. If plant starts to germi-
nate and fails to reach the surface and
a cold spell comes on, forcing the tenn
Iperature down to Al degrees or below,
good stand will hardly be obtained
since many of the plants may fail to de-
veIop even if the temperature becomes
favorable in the course of a few days.
You have no doubt had this experience,
particularly with cotton. 1 hardly think
we could count on a plant continuing to
grow, even after termination has taken
place, If it is kept at temperature for
any length of time of much below SO to
APPLYING FERTILIZER AFTER
SEEDING.
A correspondent writes: / find that a
lot of wheat and oats have been planted
. on my place without fertilizer. I want
to apply acid phosphate and kainit. Can
/ profitably apply this fertilizer broad
cast after the grain has been planted and
after ii has come up and apply nitrate
of soda in the spring? / also wish to
know if 1t is more economical to apply
carbonate of lime or slaked lime to
some land that is a little sour?
1t is best for fertilizers like acid and
6xainit to be applied at the time Of plant
ing VIII eat and oats, but 1t is not impessi-
BILE to apply them with advantage yet.
If you have put your crop in in open
burrows the situation is, of course, more
complicated. The only satisfactory way
of Incorporating them with the soil now
would be to broadcast and work in with
/ a harrow. We have done this sometimes
with very good results, but not so salts
factory, as a rule as where the materials
are applied at the time of seeding.
Where oats are planted in wide open fur
rows it is best to apply the fertilizer
in between the oat rows by means of a
fertilizer distributor This, of course, is
a slow and expensive way of accomplish
ing the end desired, and we are some
what doubtful as to whether the labor
and expense involved would be justified
| in the way of increased yields.
You can certainly use nitrate of soda
as a top dressing on your crop with
iexceIlent advantage. In fact. this is
about the only way in which it should
I be used. 1t may be put on in one or
two applications; first just after the
crop is starting off nicely in the spring,
and second, just after when it is shoot
ing into head. Seventy-five pounds at
each application should prove profita-
BILE.
/ The economy and desirability of using
caustfc or slaked lime as compared with
finely ground limestone rock depends on
the relative cost of the two. A ton of
caustic lime has about twice the sweet
ening power of a ton of finely ground
rock. Where the ground rock is used
| IL is important that IT be ground very
fine the finer the better. You will
probably be able to buy caustic lime of
high-grade in carload lots for IS to Sc
n ton You should, therefore. anticipa tie