Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-04-25

purpose of PHOSPHORUS. nitrate and pot
ash is What would be the analysis of
the following: 1000 pounds of Is per cent
acid, 700 pounds of 61S per cent cotton
seed meal and 1876 pounds of 80 per cent
muriate of potash? / want to put this in
ten days before planting and want to
use enough nitrate of soda to make
it all analyze 10-4-4.
The functions of the several fertiizing
constituents which are ordinarily applied
to the soil are as follows: Nitrogen has
to do with the growth of the plant and
tends to give it the bright, green color
characteristic of a healthy crop. You
have probably noticed yellowness in oats
or other cereals and have seen it dis
appear in the course of a few days as
the result of an application of nitrate
of soda or sulphate of ammonia. Phos-
phorous is concerned in the formation of
seed. 1T is more generally found in the
seed than in other parts of the plant, and
in the absence of a sufficient amount of
phosphoric acid in the soil the stalks of
corn are frequently barren and cotton,
though making plenty of weed, fails to
fruit as it should Potash has to do with
the elaboration of starch and the de-
velopment of the leaves and the frame
tion of starch the various chemical re-
actions which are necessary TO the well
fare of the plant can not take place. 1t
makes no difference what other people
may tell you concerning the functions of
these elements, the chemist and in
vestigator have now determined their re-
to growth so completely. that
you can rely on the data given you here
with.
A mixture of 1000 pounds of l6 per cent
acid, zoo pounds of 61S per cent cotton-
seed meal and 1856 pounds of so per cent
muriate of potash would give you for
mula ahalyzing approximately 81 per
cent phosphoric acid, 1.9 per cent of nj
.trogen and 3.9 per cent of potash. This
would be considerably below the stand
ard you have set for yourself and the
only way to increase the percentages
would be to reduce the cotton-seed meal
by 200 pounds, and use the following pro-
portions 1,150 pounds OF acid. 500 pounds
cotton-seed meal 200 pounds of nitrate
of soda and 100 pounds Of muriate of pot
ash. This would give formula analyzing
about 10 per cent of phosphorus, per
cent of nitrogen and a little more than
A per cent of potash. The nitrogen may
he increased to 4 per cent by using nitrate
of soda as top dressing at the rate of
$50 pounds per acre. making two appliea-
tons. one the latter part OF May and
the second about the middle of June The
necessity of making the two applications
Of nitrate can only be determined salts
factorily by an examination of your crop
during the growing season If 1T is i'll
a healthy, vigorous condition. one APP
plication is probably sufficient; If it lacks
color and is not setting on fruit as
abundantly as it should about the middle
of June, the use of the nitrate will prob
ably be advisable.
FERTILIZER FORMULAS FOR COT
TON.
j. w F., Washington. Ga, writes:
have about . 1-2 acres of land | wish
to plant in cotton this year The upper
part of about half an acre is very stiff
red land, and the lower part is a black
sandy loam slightly wet. Please tell
me what fertilizer to use on this land.
1t would hardly be necessary to use
two distinct formulas on the soil men,
toned. particularly as the area in ques-
ton is so small, though of course. the
sandy land will respond to a formula
containing a little more phosphorus and
potash than the red land. On the red
clay section an S-3-4 fertilizer should
answer we'll for cotton; on the black san
div soil a 10-3-5-5 will probably prove bet
ter. These fertilizers should be thoroughly
mixed and applied under the drill row
at the time of seeding the, cotton. The
selection of good variety of seed should
be emphasized, and the thorough cul-
tivation of the crop after planting is a
very important matter. The ACCESSIBILITY
OF top dressing with nitrate of soda and
the use of side applications can only be
determined by the character of growth
which the crop makes and the seasonal
conditions existing during the period of
cultivation.