Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-02-14

Especial Dispatch 20 The JournaL)
STATE COLLEGE OF AGRICuL-
TURE Athens. Ca, Feb. Flew soils
contain an adequate amount of plant
food and the question of supplying any
existing deficiencies is a matter OF vital
concern TO every man who cultivates
land Plants are peculiar In that they
require a balanced ration. and though
all the essential elements save one be
present in sufficient quantity. its abb
sence will materially reduce the yield
which might otherwise have been obtain
ed. Every successful farmer realizes
that he secures better results from
commercial fertilizers IL his land Is
sweet rather than acid. IL il is deeply
and thoroughly broken. and well sup
piled with vegetable matter. A trip
through the state viii convince any man
OF the rapid strides being made even by
the small farmer in the matter OF giving
more attention to the preparation and
cultivation OF his land and in the use
OF such amendments as viii improve the
physical condition Of his soil.
Ii is a fact that as progress has been
made in this directio mariners have
found il profitable TO use ever-increas-
ing quantities OF commercial plant food
ana whereas, the policy was few years
ago to apply no more than 100 or zoo
pounds OF fertilizer per acre, the sue
cessfuI farmer OF today. whether his
operations be on large or small scale,
is using anywhere from 600 TO 1000
pounds OF fertilizer per acre
The farmer who has plenty or live
stock. large PIGMENTS and good sup
ply OF yard manure or compost at his
command can naturally put his soil In
better condition 70 secure better return
from commercial fertilizer than the
small farmer who is not possessed OF
the several adjuhcts mentioned.
NO DIsCOURAGEMENT.
But this is no reason why the small
farmer should be discouraged. In fact
II shourd be an incentive TO him to put
forth redoubled effort in order that he
may the more quickly get in position
through the medium OF having produced
an extraordinarily good crop to avail
himself OF the advantages which more
thorough cultivation and the use of veg
etabIe matter win certainly confer.
since the planting season is near at
hand. immediate action Is necessary.
The one-horse farmer should lose no
time in breaking his land as deeply as
be possibly can II time permits the
bun tongue should follow the turning
pillow. Every inch Of the land should be
stirred and turned over so that the air
and moisture which falls as rain may
get into IL the better, and aid In dis
solving the plant food applied in com
mercIaI form. and bringing IT within the
range Of the roots Of plants After he
has broken the land IL is next important
that he cultivate Il very thoroughly so
as to secure a fine seed bed II he can
disk il so much the better; IL not, he
can at least cross harrow IL and pulver-
ize All clods and level the land by means
OF q drag II there is any vegetable
matter on the land ne should pillow II
under. It is a criminal waste to burn
up so as to enable him 10 rotate his crops.
Corn. Of course. is best planted on the
level: cotton on a low bed The fertil-
izer should be put in the drill row a week
70 ten days before planting Mixing 1t
with the soil Is an important matter Aft
er the crop is up It viii often be profit
able to make a SIDE application OF 200
pounds more fertilizer per acre.
The next proposition is to determine