Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-11-28
AGRICULTURAL
h3EDUCA'TIoN
@@ss-%.~.D SUCCESSION FARn,n4
REs@D ANDREW n SoULE
THE SHEDDING OF COTTON
AND ITS PREVENTION

plete fertilizers as side applications until |
late in the season, in the absence OF
vegetable matter of any description |
will not prevent a considerable percent
age of shedding, and while the use of
commercial fertilizers is good practice, |
the farmer should bear in mind that this |
difficulty will be most completely and
successfully overcome, not by depend
ence on them alone, but on the prepa-
ration of the land before planting, SO !
as to make it thoroughly drouth re-
sistant.
THOMAS STAG AS A SOURCE OF
PHOSPHORUS
]. M. B., Bullochville, Ca, writes: A
firm is trying to sell me a brand of phos-
phate which they call Thomas Phosphate.
1 think it is the raw ground phosphate
rock or the ground rock not treated with
sulphuric acid. Is 1t an available plant
food, or does 1t become available after
putting 1t in the soil? What is 1t worth
as compared with acid phosphate?
Thomas Stage or phosphate is waste
product obtained from the manufacture
of steel from phosphate iron ores by
what is known as the basic process. 1t
is sold under variety of names, as
Thomas phosphate, Basic Stag. odorless
phosphate, etc. 1t is produced in large
QudAlAll6S III IOTctBA COunlTl6Sy RIlnC4-
pally England, France and Germany, and
is used very excessively as one of the
cheapest and most desirable sources of
phosphoric acid. 1t has not been used
as extensively in this country as Its mer-
its would seem to justify. 1t contains
from Is to 20 per cent of phosphoric acid
in the form Of phosphate OF lime. 1t is
used almost exclusively In the form of
finely ground powder; the more finely 1t
L.
is high, and II is therefore valuable as
carrier of lime as we'll as phosphate.
1t is product altogether distince from
the finely ground American phosphate
rock which contains potash, phosphate
and lime, and is known to the trade in
many localities as floats. Basic Stag
probably sells, according to our informa-
ton at the same or near the same price
per ton as acid phosphate. Up to this
time experiments seem to favor the use
OF acid phosphate on soils Which are low
In vegetable matter and where rotation
Of crops has not been practiced On
lands, however, where vegetable matter
has been used in considerable quantities
and 1000 pounds Of finely ground phos-
phate rock or Thomas Stag will often
give very good results.
The advisability of using Thomas Stag
vi hO6lS OiA 1COI6ld SOlIS Is pTODlenaI1CdI
at the present time. We have investi-
cations in progress looking to a solution
OF this problem but can not give you
definite advice along this line at the
present time. If you can buy this ma
terial, however at a reasonable price
you may be sure you are getting a SUBJ
stance which contains considerable GUAM
titles Of phosphoric acid in a desirable
form and good 'dealVof lime, and a ma
Nrf1 frfI xrvfII o,yoS 49,
able IN your soil. according to the prep
aration given and the organic matter
which you can apply with It,
WOOD ASHES AS A CARRIER OF
POTASH.
b. L. H., Meridianville, Ala, writes.
The past season cleared some new
land and planted 1t to cotton, and
where I burned a brush heap the cot
ton made an immense yield, which l
suppose was due to the ashes left there
What is the composition of ashesr
What ingredients would have to min
together to make a fertilizer havine
about the composition of ashes?
1t is quite probable that the excellent
results obtained with your cotton Oh
land where you had burned brush was
due to the potash which the ashes pro-
'ANSN- Inc SOllAPO6lllOu Oh dSneS varies
greatly, depending on the kind of wood
they are derived from and the extent or
teaching to which they have been SUBJ
jected. Soft woods, as a rule, are
poorer In potash than hard woods
Ashes, however, in an unleached form
contain potash in one Of the very best
forms. namely. carbonate of potash.
They also contain lime in considerable
quantities and a small amount of phos-
phoric acid. The percentage compost
ton of ashes VARIES as already indi-
Gated, but good sample will contain
about per cent of potash, per cent
of phosphoric acid and 80 per cent of
lime. Leached wood ashes on the aver.
age will not contain over i per cent
Of potash, 1.6 per cent Of phosphorus
acid and 30 per cent of lime. Kainit
thus contains more than twice as much
available potash per 100 pounds as the
best WOOD ashes, and muriate Of poe-
ash contains about six times as much
These materials, however, will not sup
ply lime or phosphorus in the same
proportion as the ashes. Since about
90 per cent OF acid phosphate consists
of sulphate OF lime or gypsum, a mix
ture of acid phosphate and potash will
enable you to supply the available
forms OF plant food ordinarily contain
ed in ashes You will probably fino
that the application of some lime T..
your land will be beneficial as this
food, and lime kiln ashes are ordinar.
lily poor in potash.
WANTS INFORMATION FROM THE
AGRICULTURAL DRUMMERS.
T. W. H., Tignall Ca, writes: heard