Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-10-25
QUESTION AND ANSWER DEPARTMENT
Virgin Soils of Southern States

II will be interesting TO see what the
condition OF some Of the virgin lands of
the south may be. and what has resulted
from the neglect of rotation and their
shallow and clan cultivation through
period OF probably IS to 100 years. An
analysis OF what may properly be re-
garded as a virgin soil from north Geor-
gia recently made in the chemical laoo-
ratory OF the State College OF Agricul-
ture indicates that il contains per acre
foot approximately SEQ pounds OF nitro
gen. $500 pounds Of phosphorfc acid and
1850 pounds OF potash. This would be
regarded as a rich soil. and indeed IL
is so. and now capable OF producing as
fine quality of fruit. corn and other
crops as one could grow anywhere Land.
however, not dfssimilar TO this. but cul-
tivaIed for a series of years In an IN
different manner. contained but 2,i5O
pounds Of nitrogen. 100 pounds OF phos-
phoric acid, and sl5O pounds Of potash.
This could not be regarded as very
rich soil from any point Of view. though
the nitrogen is out Of proportion to the
mineral content. due probably TO the fact
that some green crops have recently been
Incorporated in this land. or at least sur
face erosion has not been so violent
as In some localities While these two
examples are not considered strictly
comparable, wider divergence in the
analysis Of spells now being worked on
from many sections OF the state is an
ticipated, and this being true. notice
that there has been a loss through culti-
walton OF more than half the nitrogen
and phospuhoric acid contained in the
original soil
IL is not surprising. therefore. that in
many localities commercial fertilizers
have come 10 be depended on almost ex-
cIusively for the production Of crops. for
while the land even in its depleted con-
dition apparently contains enough plant
food to yield a maximum crop OF corn
OF cotton for a number Of years TO come.
ii IS not in a form which permits the
plants utilizing il in their comparative
short period of growth To bring IL into
this condition IL win be necessary TO
institute a rotation OF crops, TO pillow the
land very deeply and thoroughly. TO set
the bacteria at work through supplying
them with food TO live on. and changing
the physical condition of the land so
they can multiply readily and set up con-
structive and destructive fermentations
IN the soil Until this is done such lands
will not produce profitable crops unless
some commercial fertilizer is used.
Since so little attention has been given
20 soil Investigations. IL is not surprising
that the farmer with his circumscribed
opportunities for gaining information.
with his more or less inherent OppOsi-
ton to scientists and scientific methods
and with his adherence to what he terms
good practice in spite OF the fact that
Il is anything but this. should hace con-
cluded that the use OF commercial fer
tilizer was the only alternative left him
with the result that his lands are In a
very bad physical condition. and he Is
often eking out the meanest kind Of ex-
fstence when he should be surrounded by
ImitIeSs opportunities and provided with
an abundance Of all these good things
that do so much toward making life a
Measure to himself and his family
Surely IL is the height Of folly to con-
TIME the mere unintelligent application or
pislt food. made up to standard for
mulas. some times not well proportioned
TO the needs Of the plant and certainly
not to the deficiencies OF the soil. as
means of maintaining crop production on
n profitable basis. Destruction can only
come from the continuance of such a
practice From this IL must not be con-
cIuded that there is any objection TO the
use OF commercial fertilizers, but on the
contrary, IL is necessary to realize that
q stimuIant taken into the human system
foar medicinal purposes win likely In the
end encompass the destruction of the body
X its use is persisted In, and the soil
offers no exception to the rule What Is
needed is to place our farm practice on
a more intelligent basis. both from the
standpoint OF the manufacturer of COM
ruerciaI plant food and the consumer
as we'll
To this end ii Is necessary that a COM
prehensive agricultural survey be made
OF every state. This should include a
physical examination OF it's soil, and an
analysis OF both its surface and sub-soil.
and when all the type soils have been
examined a test plat established on each
of these. Think what a power for the
conservation Of the effort Of the farmer
will have been inaugurated- II does not