Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-02-14
COMMERCIAL FERTILIZERS
IN RELA TTON TO PRODUCTION
Progress Has Been Made in Every Direction in Guilt
walton of Land and Farmers Have Found Increase OF Plant
Food Profitable

cotton or corn stalks, or any other char
scter Of waste material accommodating
on the farm which will add TO the sup
ply OF vegetable matter. II the farm
er would only realize that he will secure
a larger return from the fertilizer APP
piled to his land in the presence of veg
etable matter, he would husband IL
more carefully.
METHODS FOR PLANTING.
After putting the land in the finest
physical condition, the farmer should lay
of his rows for cotton and corn and then
apply a high grade fertilizer in the drill
row. At least 500 to 600 pounds should be
distributed under the seed. This fertil-
izer had best be mixed with the soil by
means of a bull tongue. This will deepen
the range of the plant roots and better
insure them against drouth. OF course.
the farmer who can use some vegetable
matter in the drill row derived either
from yard manure or leaves is FORUM
ate. II he has none this year he should
plan his operations so as to have supply
next year, or better still. divide his land
just what grade of plant food will be best
to use. OF course, there are various type
soils to consider in a state of as large
an area as Georgia. On red clay upland
soils. a 2-S-4. a 3-1O-3 or a 3-10-4 will be
excellent grades to use in the quantities
mentioned. The smaller amount of nitro
gen should be used on lands where the
growth of weed has previously been rela-
lively large; the higher percentage of nj
trogen on land where the plants have been
understood. The higher per cent OF potash
should be used on soils containing a con-
siderable proportion OF sand In the
southern part of the state where the land
is sander and lighter the per cent of
potash should be increased to and uer
cent In many instances on this land 4
per cent of nitrogen win be found prefer
able to per cent.
II viii be observed that the applications
suggested contemplate the use. even with
the 2-S-4 fertilizer. Of u pounds of nitro
gen. IS pounds of phosphoric acid and "a
pounds of potash; and with the highest
grade. a pounds o4nitrogen, so pounds OF
phosphoric acid and IS pounds of potash
Contrast these applications with the small
amounts OF fertilizer which are still be-
ing used by many farmers and il is not
difficult to understand why one man Is
raising a bale or bale and a half of
cotton per acre. and another only one
bale on four or five acres. Most of our
soils are deficient in the essential ele-
ment OF plant food-nitrogen. phospho-
rus and potash. The plant food contained
in the land is not rendered available be-
cause Of Indifferent methods Of prepara-
ton and improper cultivation after plant
ing II the available plant food need1l is
rot found In the fertilizer, therefore. one
can hardly expect TO secure a good yield
vEGETABE~ NATTER.
In this Connection IL is proper to state
that commercial fertilizers give their best
returns on land well supplied with vegeta-
bic matter. A gentleman stated to the
writer not long since that he saw a large
quantity OF yard manure piled up on a
plantation in middle Georgia, and that
ne expected the fertilizer men would not
want to get acquainted with that partic-
ular individual. In this he was very much
mistaken. for the FERTILIZER men now real
lie. as well IS the farmer. that yard man
ure and green crops plowed under en-
able the reactions to go on in the soil
which are essential to the well being OF
plants. and enable them to take up and
utilize more completely than is otherwise
possible the plant food applied in a COM