Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-04-08
FERTILIZERS
FOR CORN CROPS
COMMERCIAL

Corn naturally prefers a rich. loamy
soil in which its roots can readily pene-
trste in all directions and To depth OF
several feet. Soil Of this type has. the
rorrer 20 store and hold large amount
or water Moreover. il is well supplied
with vegetable matter. w.4cn Is essential
10 the many lamentations necessary IN
order that unavailable plant food may
be brought into condition where IL can
be utilized. and alsO-Ior the support ana
rourHshment OF the nftrifying bacteria
the absence OF whlchsIrom soil marks
IL IS unfertiIe. >-sep. rich. loamy soil
naturally contains considerable amount
ofaunar may properly be regarded as the
necessary elements o. plant food, and as
a rule mucn OF IL is IN a form rather
quickly available to plants As soils de-
part from the characteristics enumerat-
ed. they become less and less adapted
70 the successful cultivation Ga corn un-
less commercial fertilizers and other
amendments are applied to correct their
defects ana increase and balance up the
food supply of the soil
II is evident at once TO every student
Of southern conditions that there are
millions of acres of land in the south,
which. Judged by the foregoing de-
scription.- are not naturally in proper
condition TO grow large crops OF corn
Yet n chemical analysis will show that
many of these soils contain a fair
amount of the fertilizing constituents
neeJed for corn production per acre foot.
An acre foot is the surface OF an acre,
or 45.5sa square feet, 40 a depth in the
soil Of 12 inches. There is much land
in the south. If subjected to chemical
analysis. that would contain per acre
fo-s as much as $500 to 5000 pounds
OF nitrogen. 1000 pounds of phosphorlc
acid, and 1900 pounds OF potash. APP
parently, there is an abundance of plant
food TO grow large crops OF corn. How
does Ii come that the average yield for
ane past ten years. for inNance, in a
state like Georgia has been between ten
and eleven bushels. and but little better
III many other southern states, If the
soiI contains, anything like the amount
OF plant food indicated? II is due to
the fset that the plant food is in an I'M
available form, and such small amounts
OF fertilizer have been applied in many
Instances as to really aggravate rather
than to correct the condition
First OF an a plant can only take its
food up when in solution Therefore
tho soil must be treated so as to brine
q part Of the unavailable food into con-
dition where il can be assimilated and
utilized b. the growing crop. Much OF
the land which must OF necessity be de-
voted 10 corn is deficient in vegetable
matter. A crop rotation is first OF all
essential. A crop of cOwpeas or other
Iegumes plowed under. or liberal appli
cations OF farmyard manure made. will
help to set the nftrffying organisms to
work. will increase fermentation. and as
a result. part OF the unavailable plant
food will he brought into condition where
the crop can utilize il. That much of
the food contained in the soil is at pres
emf in an inert condition is shown by
reason OF the good results obtained from
applications Of fertilizers containing
say three 20 five per cent OF potash or
lands that show by analysis the pres
ence OF a total OF 10000 to l., 1000 pounds
Of potash per acre foot
That corn must be heavily fertilized is
shown by the following data: % bush
e cTOp Of corn including the slower. which
Is estimated at 900 pounds. will remove
from the soil in the grain 30.3S pounds of
nitrogen. and in the slower. IS pounds of
nitrogen. or a total of 4s. = pounds of nj
trogen- OF .phosphoric acid there will be
removed By the grain 7.s4 pounds, and
ny the slower. rs pounds. or a total OF
15.ea pounds. OF potash there will be re-
moved BY the grain As pounds and by
the slower. 3 pounds. or a total of % IS
pounds. A bale Of cotton. for instance.
with the seed will only remove about 3
pounds OF nitrogen. pounds of phos-
phcf1c acid and Is pounds of potash. Con-
trast the wonderful draft on the soil
made BY a % bushel crop and a cotton
crop. and IL Is easy TO see why much
larger relative proportionate yields of
cotton are obtained on much of our south
ern farm land than OF corn. Bear I'm mind.
however. that the light applications of
fertilizer which are frequently used I'M
der cotton viii have a much greater reia-
tive effect in stimulating a good yield
than they will under gross feeding crop
ike corn The reader will say that the
st0ver Is seldom removed from the corn
fields. but as q matter OF fact. ii is burn
ed or destroyed In other ways in a great
majority OF instances. and when IL Is
burned the nitrogen is all lost. and prob
ably some Of the phosphoric acid.
Suppose now, our farmer desires TO
grow 50 bushel crop of corn. he must
reckon on supplying for the grain 61.s1
pounds OF nitrogen. and for the slower
zxe4 or total OF ss.24 pounds of nitro
gen or phosphoric acid he must supply
Ss- pounds for the slower. and 10.15