Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-04-14
farm and fireside.
SOURCES OF NITROGEN"

matter to the News and Courier bu-
reau in Columbia. In Georgia the
I complaint is that South Carolina is u.s.
ing so much meal for fertilizing that
much is shipped from Georgia into this
state. The campaign in Georgia is tc
save the freight on the product.
DR.. Soule writes of the Sources OF
Nitrogen"
| Nitrogen, which is concerned with
the vigorous growth of farm crops, is
one of the most expensive and difficult
elements to supply the soil. The best
sources, therefore, from which it may
be derived are of more than momen-
tary concern to the farmer. An inves-
the state reveals the fact that not
enough nitrogen is used as a rule, to
insure the best yields Of corn, cotton
and other farm crops. This is proba-
| bly, due in some measure to its rela-
| tive high cost and to a failure to ap-
preciate it's essential nature in produc-
ing the size and type of stalk which is
associated, with large yields.
Nitrogen may be obtained from
quite variety of sources by the aver
age farmer. For instance, there Is nj
trate of soda and sulphate Of ammo
MIA, the one being derived from mines
| in South America, and the other being
by-product from coal gas producing
these carriers of nitrogen are relative
" high in this element and are very
quickly available; so much so in fact
that their chief value lies in their use
as top dressings in field and garden
crops. OF course, a limited amount OF
these materials may be put into the
soil, but to use them as the sole source
of nitrogen, in view Of the small
amount of vegetable matter contained
in our southern farm lands, would be
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
trogen which tends to become relative
ly slowly available in the soil, and
will supply the food needed by the crop
towards the middle and latter end of
the growing period; whereas, the
quickly available food may stimulate
and serve the crop in it's earlier stages
of development. AS a matter OF fact
probably not over 100 to 200 pounds of
nitrate of soda or sulphate Of ammo
MIA should ever be put into the soil,
whereas, an unlimited amount OF cot
ton seed meal may be used on account
Of the difference in relative availability
of the nitrogen from the several
sources. Sulphate of ammonia and
nitrate of soda are, of course, service
able for combining with cotton seed
meal, where 1t is desired to produce an
extraordinarily high grade fertilizer
though a moderately rich material may
be used in the soil and the nitrate or
sulphate reserved for use as top dress
ings.
There are some other sources of no
trogen which it is proper to consider at
this time. For instance, high grade
dried blood is a very useful material
it's nitrogen being more quickly avail
able than that of cotton seed meal;
hence it can be combined with the lat
ter to good advantage in preparing
high grade mixtures, which the land
owner may desire to incorporate with
his soil at the time Of planting. Cot
ton seed meal and high grade dried
blood make an excellent form of fer
tilizer to use where there is a fair
amount of vegetable matter 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 q
side application. Especially would this
be true on clay lands. On very sandy
soils low in vegetable matter a side
application is often desirable, and the
same formula may be used since the
blood and cotton seed meal, if applied
about six weeks after planting, would
yield up their nitrogen quickly enough
to meet the needs of the crop. Low
grade dried blood is not so good as the
high grade, and one should be particu-
lar in purchasing and utilizing it.
There is a good deal Of tankage on
the market, but being a more or less
variable product, it is difficult to ad-
wise when it will be satisfactory to use
it in preference to cotton seed meal and
the other materials mentioned. Fish
scrap may also be more or less i'm
portant source of nitrogen, especially
in the seacoast regions, though the
amount of this material available de-
pends to a considerable extent on the
run of fish during the given season
and the cost of transportation to in
land points would not make it as sat-
isfactory g carrier of nitrogen as a
rule, as cotton seed meal.
Some other sources of nitrogen are
used occasionally, as castor pomace
and nitrogenous guano. Castor po-
mace is in limited use, while the value
of nitrogenous guanO depends largely
on the conditions under which it has
1
alysis. Since nitrOgenous guano as
rule contains phosphorc acid and pot
ash, it represents more nearly COM
plete fertilizer than any of the Other
materials mentioned, and must he pur.
chased and used on its merits, and not
for the purpose of combining with the
Dther sources of nitrogen mentioned
There remains to discuss, therefore
but one source of nitrogen which is
generally available to the farmers Of
the south, and that is cotton seed meal
This is an organic source of nitrogen
and relative slowly available. On thi:
account it furnishes fine basis for al
| fertilizer formulas. Where high grade
materials are not sought, a fertilizer
may be obtained, containing from t'
per cent of nitrogen, from the use oi
cotton seed meal alone. Where high
grades are desired, and it is important
to stimulate the crop Immediately af-
| ter termination, the combination OF