Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-03-31


vigorous growth OF farm crops is one OF
The most expensive and difficult elements
TO supply the son. The best sources.
therefore. from which Il may be deriv-
81 are OF more than momentary con-
eern TO the farmer. An Investigation OF
the agricultural practice of the state re-
veals the fact thai not enough nitrogen
IS used, as a rule. to insure the best
Yields OF corn. cotton and other farm
crops This Is probably due in some
measure 20 its relative high cost and TO
q failure TO appreciate its essential ma
ture IN producing the size and type OF
stalk which is associated with large
yields.
Nitrogen may be obtained from quite
variety OF sources by the average farm
e. For instance. there Is nitrate OF So
ia and suIphate OF ammonia, the one
being derived from mines in South Amer
fca, and the other being a by-product
from coal gas producing plants and cox
ing ovens. Both OF these carriers Of nj
trogen are relatively high In this ele-
ment. and are very quickly available;
so much so in fact that their chief value
lies In their use top dressings on
Held and garden crops OF course,
limited amount OF these materials may
be put into the soil. but TO use them
- TIE Sole eQQICE u IANAOACAs fACW
Of the small amount Of vegetable matter
contained In our southern farm lands,
would be q mistaken policy TO pursue.
They can, OF course. be combined with
most admirable results with cotton seed
meal or any other form OF organic nj
trfgen which tends TO become relatively
slowly available In the soil. and VIII
supply the food needed by the crop to-
ward the middle and latter end OF the
he
available food may stimulate and serve
the crop in its earlier stages OF devel-
epment- As a matter Of fact, probably
not over 100 70 90 pounds OF nitrate OF
soda or sulphate OF ammonia should ever
be put into the soil, whereas. an unlim-
tied amount OF cotton seed meal may
be used on account OF the difference in
relative availability OF the nitrogen from
these several sources. Sulphate Of am
monte and nitrate Of soda are, OF course,
serviceable for combining with cotton
seed meal where II IS desired TO produce
an extraordinary high-grade Of fertilizer.
though a moderately rich material may
be used in the soil and the nitrate or sui
phate reserved for use as top dress
ing.
SOURCES OF NITROGEN.
There are some other sources Of nj
trogen which Il is proper to consider at
blood Is a very useful material. its nj
trogen being more quickly available than
that OF cotton seed meal; hence II can
be combined with the latter 10 good adj
vantage In preparing high grade mix
lures which the land owner may desire
70 incorporate with his soil at the time
OF planting. Cotton seed meal and high
grade dried blood make an excellent form
OF fertilizer 20 use whe-e there is fair
- sof.r IN the soil
since they may be mixed with the earth
and yard manure used IN the drill row
and save the cost OF making side april
cation Especially would this be true on
clay lands On very sandy soils low in
vegetable matter side application Is
often desirable. and this same formula
may be ssSed since the blood and cotton
seed meal IL applied about six weeks or
so after planting would yield UP their
nitrogen quickly enough TO meet the
needs OF the crop. Low-grade dried blood
Il not SO good as the high-grzde. and
one should be particular In purchasing
and utilizing H.
There Is a good deal OF tankage on the
market. but being a more or less variR-
bic product. Il Is difficult 10 advise when
IL viii be satisfactory to use II In pref
erence to eott0n-seed meal and the other
materials mentioned Fish scrap may
also be a more or less important source
OF nitrogen, especially IN the sea coast
regions, though the amount OF this mate
rial available depends to a considerable
extent on the run OF fish during a given
season, and the cost OF transportation TO
inland points would not make il as sat
isfactory a carrier OF nitrogen as a rule,
a. cotton-seed meal
Some other sources OF nitrogen are used
occasionally. as castor pomace and nitro
renous guano. Castor pomace is In linn
tied use. while the value OF heterogeneous
guano depends largely on the conditions
under which It has been produced and
its guaranteed analysis. Since nitrogen
Gus guano as a rule contains phosphoric
acid and potash, II represents more near
II a complete fertilizer than any OF the
ether materials mentioned. and must be
purchased and used on it's merits, and
not for the purpose OF combining with
the other sources OF nitrogen mentioned
There remains 20 discuss. therefore.
hut one source OF nitrogen which is gen
eramy available to the farmers OF the
south and that 3 cotton-seed meal. This
II an organic source Of nitrogen and rela-
lively slowly available. On this account
II furnishes a fine basis for all fertilizer
formulas. Where high-grade materials
are not sought, a fertilizer may be OBJ
tanned containing from 2 to per cent