Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-05-05
COTTON SEED MEAL AS
AN ADJUNCT TO GRASS

OF primary concern is how to secure it
in the cheapest and most efficient form,
and certainly IL can be secured more
cheaply in the manner indicated than
from any other source with which the
writer is acquainted at the present time.
Combinations OF cottonseed meal and
corn meal. or of cottonseed meal and
bran. or Of cottonseed meal, corn meal
and bran in equal parts may be used
by any who are constitutionally OPP
posed TO the use of the meal alone Any
Of these rations VIII be found satisfac-
tory, though relatively more costly than
the meal alone, and not more efficient
in producing results.
Emphasis should be laid on the fact
that cottonseed meal should not be fed
within a few days of the period of par
turition. bran being substituted at that
time for the more concentrated meal.
The bran Is also valuable in that it is
thought to have certain relaxing and
tonic effects on the system. Very little
grain should be fed for few days after
calving, and some bran will be found
helpful at this time also. The withhold
ing OF food Is intended to prevent the
overstimulation of the milk-producing
glands and lessen the danger OF an at
tack OF milk fever. At the end Of
week or ten DAYS the COW may again be
placed on cottohseed meal and pasture
with safety Cottonseed meal is con-
centrated feed and should not be given
10 young calves.
II you have not been in the habit of
feeding any grain to your dairy cows in
the summer season, try little this year
and see If it does not prove a profitable
investment. These suggestions are based
on the results of our own experience in
the management of dairy herd that is
increasing in efficiency and producing
power from year TO year, and which
has been fed almost exclusively on cot
tonseed meal as the grain part of the
ration during the past three years.
APPLYING LINE To SANDY SOIL.
f. c. H, FELTON,, Ca, writes: / would
Ike to know how TO apply lime and the
tlxind. My soil is light sandy with yellow
subsoil. I would also like TO know how
to cultivate potatoes. both kinds. and the
keeping of them for winter use. What
should they yield per acre? / was inter-
ested in the mares you exhibited on the
educational train. / would like to intro
duce them into this section.
Lime may be applied in one of two
fresh. caustic or biting lime or in the
condition Of finely powdered or pulver-
lied rock. The biting lime is more active
and has about double the power TO
sweeten the soil of the hnely ground
rock IL will also set free more of the
ammonia in the soil and eat up more
of the vegetable matter than the finely
ground rock In soils that are very low
in vegetable matter and in bad physical
condition, the caustic lime. is better to
use than the finely ground rock, but IN
soils where Improvement has been ef-
fected through crop rotation and heavy
applications OF yard manure, the ground
rock had best be used, because the fer
mentation engendered by reason Of the
presence Of vegetable matter in the soil
viii enable the lime derived from the
finely ground rock to perform its peculiar
service in the soil to better advantage.
Soils such as you describe are often
leachy and lime will tend TO correct this
defect. OF course. they may become
acid and there will be a deficiency of
calcium in such soils, ana though plants
may not need a very large amount Of
il. still If there is a deficiency, they
will suffer materially on that account. 1t
would be better TO put lime on I'm the
early fall. using il as top application
and leaving il exposed to the weather
during the winter season. The tendency
OF lime is always downward, and II
should never be plowed under on that ac-
count.
Sweet potatoes viii make good yields
on thin sandy land; on soils in fact
which do not produce corn and cotton
does better if some legume has been
plowed under to add TO the organic mat
ter in the land. Good drainage is also es-
sential. From 200 TO 500 bushels may be
gathered from an acre of land which
has been properly fertiliZed and cultivat-
ed. A good formula TO use would be a
mixture containing about per cent OF
nitrogen. 9 per cent of phosphoric acid
and per cent Of potash. This should be
used at the rate of 500 to 900 pounds per
acre. A similar formula viii be found
very good for Irish potatoes. This crop,
however, gives its best results on soils
which are well supplied with vegetable
matter and are loamy in character. Yard
manure or green crops may be employed
to improve the soil and if one attempts
to grow Irish potatoes systematically,
crop rotations should be practiced so as
to build up the soil in vegetable matter,
and also to prevent the development of
diseases by growing the same crop on
the land year after year. On properly
prepared soil from 100 to 500 bushels of
Irish potatoes may be secured OF course
to obtain this end liberal fertilization
is advisable 500 TO 1000 pounds of high
grade fertilizer being used per acre. Irish
potatoes for winter use are best planted
the latter part of July or the early part
of August. and the crop may be left in
the ground the greater part of the winter
unless the season is unusually wet When
they are dug they may be stored in the
open and covered with straw. and as the
weather gets colder increase the thick
ness of the cover or even put little
earth on top of them. Vents should be
left in the pit so as to allow a sufficient
circulation OF air 70 keep them cool. All
bruised or injured potatoes should be
kept out of the heap. These suggestions
apply with more or less success to the
keeping OF both sweet or Irish potatoes.
or course. houses may be built for the
storing OF potatoes, but unless one were
going into the business on a CONNER
cial scale. It is unnecessary to go to this
expense
The grade Percheron mares shown on
the education train may be maintained
with success on Georgia farms One