Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-03-21

A DAIRY HERD


CONTINUED from Page Nine).
under the drill row is better than none
at all Evidently your land is deficient
in phosphorus and potash. and though
you used peas for it's improvement, you
can hardly hope to build it up all at
once 1t VIII be necessary TO continue
the rotation from year to year. and also
TO turn under crop once in while un
less you can secure considerable quanti-
ties of yard manure. Vegetable matter
works out of the soil very rapidly in
this section of the state because fer
mentation goes on practically all the
time. In other words, there is not a pc
riod of the year when the loss of nitro
gen is reduced to a minimum as in the
north where the winters are severe and
the ground frozen for several months.
A formula such as you suggest would
not be well balanced for cotton since 1T
would only contain about Is to 80
pounds of nitrogen, and it would contain
a high per cent of acid and potash; not
less, for instance. than per cent or
potash and at least IL per cent of acid
If you would substitute. say sulphate of
ammonia for cotton seed meal in this
Instance, YOU would obtain a high-grade
formula running about 3 per cent of
nitrogen ~ per cent of phosphoric acid
and per cent of potash. This formula
used at the rate of not less than 800 to
500 pounds on cotton and from 400 to
500 pounds on corn should increase the
supply of acid and potash in your soil
and enable YOU to raise better crops OF
both corn and cotton. The varieties of
corn you mention have given us good
results. and are well adapted to upland
soils.
DRAINAGE AN ESSENTIAL MATTER
w. c. s., Cedartown, Ga, writes
have about an acre and a half of land
that is in a basin shape that catches
the water from eight TO ten acres of
gently sloping land. In the spring it
will be covered with water for some
time. The land is obliged TO be rich, but
| have only secured one good crop or
it in - years / would like to tile drain
the land, but do not know where to get
the tile.
The best plan for you to pursue to
keep the water off the hillsides from
oyerflowing your land is the one you
have pursued, namely, to cut a large,
open ditch at the base of the slope of
the hill This ditch should be wide and
deep enough to carry OFF the flow quick
ly In case of the heaviest rainfall, and
n il is kept open will tend to collect and
carry away much of the water which
comes down from the hill slope as seep-
age and causes the water level of the flat
land TO rise to near to the surface as to
prevent the proper root development OF
the plants growing thereon. Not being
exactly familiar with your situation. IT
a,aff 20 THE Hffph
open, bat personally we would much
prefer 10 do this. and TO prevent 1t
from eaviHg in or washing out. II is
best 60 seed Bermuda grass I'm the bot
tom ard along the sides This will grow
sufficiently in an average season so as
TO hold the sides and bottom firmly. and
az the same time will provide the most
efficient form OF open drain for carry
ing away a superabundsnce OF water. such
as you are troubled with.
The Iow+ying land should, of course.
be uHderdrained. Undoubtedly the water |
table rises SO close to the surface as
10 cause the deficiency In plant growth |
Of which you complain. The main tile |
should be laid through the lowest sec
ton of this field and about five to six
inches in diameter. The arms or branch |
tiles should be three inches In diameter, |
and the little laterals running out from
llOce not less llldn tHO AA~nCo ~
eter The hard burned unglazed clay tile
we think will be the most satisfactory |
for YOU to use for this purpose. and |
Il will pay you to put IL down with |
care You should either have a surveyor |
Law OF the land properly and map 1t |
for you, or else you should secure a
farm level and learn how to operate II,
and do the work very carefully for your
self In laying tile the important thing |
- Il
though IL costs little more. IT Is bet |
ter to buy good tile rather than a cheap
er grade at lower cost You do not |
need glazed tile at ALL OF course, If |
YOU desire to cover the open ditch re-
ferred to, the best thing is to lay a /
large glazed title therein. leaving bricked |
ND openings for the water to enter at
certain places along It's length.
can not tell you offhand just where |
you can secure drain tile in your sec
ton of the state but would advise that
you communicate with the industrial
agent OF the Central of Georgia, the
Air Line or any other road
that passes through your city. These
persons are familiar with manufacturers
Df drain tile along their right of way,
and can put you in touch with the firms
from whom you can secure the mate
rial most economically.
CORN.
J. p. H., Fortson, Ca, writes: ex-
pect to use 400 pounds Of fertilizer per
acre on corn on some gray land which
has a light clay subsoil. And in adj
dition will use a top dressing of 100
pounds of nitrate of soda. The land
made last year without fertilizer about
ten bushels of corn to the acre. I wish
to know how to prepare my land for
both corn and cotton