Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-01-24

two and a third bales of lint cotton per
acre where the yield would ordinarily
have been without proper cultivation
fertilization and management not over
400 pounds of seed cotton per acre. In
the one case the farmer would be eking
out a meagre existence; in the other ne
might live IN luxury and make hne
profit from his farming operations The
opportunity TO convert the waste lands
OF the state into highly productive areas
Is within the reach of every farmer VINO
VIII profit by Investigations OF this char
acter II is needless TO say that the
college of agriculture is bending every
effort to elucidate these problems and
show that by comparatively simple
methods an agricultural re1uvenauon OF
the state may be brought about.
Taking It for granted thai land is as
well prepared in one instance as another
notice the tremendous increase which
has resulted. first from the broadcasting
of some yard manure and Incorporating
II with the disk Second, the Importance
Of applying phosphates and potash to
clay soils, it being generally understood
that our land is particularly deficient IN
the former No doubt many OF our clay
soils contain an abundance Of the lat
ter. but II is not in an available form
and will not become so until lime has
UHNn N~-AN~-N
finely ground conditions To secure the
best results from an application of fine
" ground lime crop rotation must be
-practiced Notice that when the manure
Is applied in the drill row better results
follow than where II is broadcasted. This
Is not hard TO explain, for II tends TO
ward of the evil effects of a drought Pc
Rod which strikes the cotton at some
stage Of its development every year The
manure, as is true OF all other forms OF
vegetable matter. has a great affinity for
water. and tends to draw and hold this
essential fluid in the vicinity of the roots
n put under the drill row. Thus cotton
on land supplied with manure may with
stand drought with impunity, while on
soils not so supplied a large per cent of
the boIls win shed OF and the crop new
er recover from the stagnation it has
suffered, and the yield Is thus greatly
reduced 1t seems incredible in view Of
these facts that yard manure and COM
post are not more generally utilized and
that greater attention is not given to
the rotation of crops.
INCREASE IN COTTON.
II is easy TO see as a result OF this
experiment. that as much cotton may be
raised on one acre Of land as is now Of
ten raised on six to eight. When the
farmer is advised to cut his area and
rotate crops he says he can not AFFORD
to do 50 as he will not produce enough
cotton. It is Infinitely better for him
to raise two bales on one acre than to
raise the same amount on eight acres,
as he would thus make a larger profit
at less outlay for effort and fertilizer.
and he would have enough land set free
by intensive cultivation to enable him to
institute crop rotation on his land, and
thus build up his soil. not only for the
production Of cotton. but for other crops
as well These facts show the intimate
relation OF live stock farming to sue
cessfuI farm practice in Georgia. They
also indicate that II good results are
obtained from acid and potash on clay
lands that better results will follow their
application on sandy soils which are nat
urally less rich in the essential ele-
ments of plant food. Potash in particu-
lar win be found helpful in south Geor-
gia, and an increased Application Of acid
nearly always shows a-proht
The fundamental things to remember
in this connection. therefore. are the
deep and thorough preparation of the
land. the use of farmyard manure and
compost, but better still the practice of
a rotation OF crops and the application
OF limited supplies of yard manure;
larger applications OF acid. and potash
except where lime is applied to clay
soils: more liberal applications of these
materials on sandy than on clay soils;
the use Of complete fertilizers. It being
quite evident from our experience that
from one-half 10 two-thirds OF the MI
trogen may be applied under the drill
row to advantage, provided II comes from
organic sources. the balance TO be APP
piled as a top dressing during that pc
rfod of crop growth when the niaut Ia
most likely TO need extra stimulation.
PREPARING LAND FOR WATER
MELONS.
A subscriber writes: I want to plant
patch OF watermelons for my own use.
and would like information as to the
best method Of raising them. The land
is fresh and fertile. but has never been
fertilized to any extent. 1t is upland
with red clay subsoil.
1t would be well to thoroughly Guilt