Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-06-16


under the crop at the time of planting.
On land such as you describe an appliea-
ton OF 100 pounds Of nitrate OF soda per
acre should answer very well. If you are
anxious TO make particularly fine crop,
possibly $50 pounds could be applied with
advantage. The nitrate Of soda should
be applied with advantage. The nitrate
of soda should be distributed alongside
the drill row, but not as a rule incor-
porated with the soil. You can also ap-
ply IL broadcast though this is not gem
orally considered good practice in dis
tributing nitrate which becomes very
quickly available in the soil, and it is
thus best applied where the roots OF the
plants can take IL up and utilize 1t as
quickly as possible. In an exceptionally
dry spell such as we have had in the
vicinity OF Athens for the past FIVE or
six weeks, the nitrate might be incorpor-
ated with the soil to a depth OF one or
two inches, though this would be an un-
usual method Of applying il. The nitrate
should not come in direct contact with
the plants as the soda may burn the
leaves to some extent. 1t is best put
on after a rain rather than before. A
spoonful Of nitrate scattered around the
hills OF watermelons once every two
weeks during the growing season would
be good practice.
FERTILIZING SWEET POTATOES
c. IT. R., Homeland, Ga, writes:
would like formula for fertilizing sweet
potatoes. Our sand is light sandy loan
which without helpNwill produce very lit
tie Have you. analysed soil in Charlton
county?
A good formula to use on sweet pota-
toes on very sandy land would be a
l0-4-1o. This should be applied at the
rate OF not less than 1000 pounds per
acre and viii give its best results If a
little vegetable matter can be incorpor-
ated with the soil. In some sections as
much as a ton Of a formula similar to
this is used to good advantage. but one
should not put too much fertilizer on
the land without first ascertaining
whether II will give a proper response
TO an extraordinarily heavy application.
No analyses have been made Of the
soils OF Charlton county up to this time
and this work can not be undertaken,
much TO our regret. unless the legislature
gives us the appropriation now being
sought for. This is $4,000 to be used for
extension teaching. and one of the things
we desire to push more than anything
else is an examination of the type soils
OF the state. We believe that there Is
nothing OF greater fundamental impor-
lance 20 our farmers than an agrfcul-
tural survey, and the amount asked for
is mere pittance in proportion TO the
interests at stake.
GROWING vETCH ON TERRACES
r R H, Newman. Ga, writes: VIII
vetch grow well on terraces? How
much guano. should be used on fairly
fertile land to produce a bale of cotton
per acre? " nen would nitrate of soda
be used on cotton, and also on corn?
VIII vetch inoculate soil for alfalfa?
II vetch becomes well established. IL
will reproduce itself from year to year.
1t would, of course. be somewhat diff
cult to start it on terraces, especially
II they could not be plowed and a fra
bic soil prepared to receive the seed
The vetch is an annual plant in that It
reseeds itself each year. and as its pc
Rod OF growth ends from the LIST to 18th
OF June. IL would not protect the ter
races through the summer and fall as
well as Bermuda or almost any other
native grass which you could induce
to grow on them realize that many
think putting Bermuda grass on ter
races Is little short OF suicidal because
NuCN rear IL viii spread INTO the
waited fields and cannot be held in check.
Where this trouble is experienced it is
an evidence of bad cultivation.
The amount Of fertilizer required 20
produce a bale OF cotton per acre on
land OF fair fertility depends very much
on the soil preparation and the season.
Ordinarily 500 pounds of a 1884 fer
tilizer should be a sufficient amount
to use. and this will be ample provided
there Is enough vegetable matter in the
soil We have raised a bale Of cotton
per acre on land which is not naturally
rich and much of which is even now in
bad physical condition by deep plow-
ing, the use OF some yard manure un-
der the drill rows and the formula
suggested AS a rule. we have put
most OF our fertilizer under the cotton
at the time Of planting. but II the land
is not in good physical condition, part
Of il can very properly be used as
side application. Nitrate of soda should
not be used at the second blowing Of
cotton ordinarily unless you fail to put
a sufficient amount of nitrogen under
the drill row at the time Of planting,
and even then IL would be better to use
sulphate Of ammonia, blood or cotton
binder or the big plows needed to good
advantage. and it IS a pleasure to see
with great success. They handle the