Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-01-06

considerable amount of fruit on your
| stalks, and this leads me to believe
that 1t is not advisable to cut down
the compost supply. AS to the advis-
ability Of using side application that
| depends very much on the way your
cotton grows OF and develops, and the
indications of fruitfulness Witnessed not
later than the hrst of July. We. doubt
very much that it will pay you to
make a side application later than that
date in your locality.
THE VALUE OF PERUVIAN GUANO
]. ]. l. p. Triton. Ca, writes
would. like your opinion OF Peruvian
/ gaano. / am offered the following for
mulas: s-s-2. s-4-2, and 9-6-2. What do
you think of these formulas for gem
eral farm purposes. such as cotton,
corn and oats. and do you consider the
higher grade better relative to cost I!
They also make top dressing which
analysis SIS, 5-s. 3-5. What do you think
would be the comparative value Of this
and nitrate of soda?
Peruvian guano of the character de-.
scribed In your letter furnishes very
desirable fertilizer compounds for use
on our southern soils. judge that the
/ figures given for the acid, ammonia
and potash in your letter refer to the
available plant food and not to the to-
tai amounts present If this is true the
formulas are very good ones. The sec
ond one conains about the right amount
Of nitrogen for corn and cotton on land
which contains fair amount of vege-
table matter. on rich lands the FIRST
one might be used. on lands rather
poor in these elements, the third one
4 should be used. They are ALI low IN
potash for most Georgia soils. and es-
pecially soils that contain a consider
able amount of sand. This difficulty
nigh be overcome by adding Is u -
pounds OF muriate of potash TO the
amount applied to each acre We would
say that these formulas should be used,
At the rate of not less than 500 pounds
M, most soils and for most cropssa Pos
sibly side application Of 200 pounds
more might be found advantageous
since the Giant food in Peruvian guano
becomes rather quickly available.
The value of guano depends very
much on the conditions under which 1t
lis formed There are two kinds-those
/ formed In comparatively rainless re-
gfons where the temperature Is very
high and contain on that account
high per cent of@nffrogen. Most OF the
where there is a considerable amount
of rain. and on that account the per
! cent of nitrogen and other available
uiant food Is generally much lower than
/ in the original material imported and
sold under this name. Guanos consist
largely Of the excrements OF sea birds
which feed largely on fish Owing to
the variety OF compounds contained IN
ruano. the nitrogen In particular shows
NJ f1r4a fu
advantage to the crop since It tends to
supply it with the material 1t needs
throughout its period OF growth.
The advantage OF using Peruvian
wuano as compared with a complete
mixed fertilizer depends to some ex-
tent on the relative cost OF the two.
The price Of guano could not greatly
exceed that Of the ordinary mixed fer
tilfzers and still prove a profitable IN
vestment % the farmer in my judgment.
No doubt the top dressing material to
which you refer Is excellent to USE, es-
pecially on lands and on crops where
only a minimum amount Of acid ana
notakh was applied in the fall. Per-
sonany, we believe nitrate OF soda is
most excellent top dressing and es-
pecially for oats and other winter
growing cereals. IT hardly seems pos
sfble that any formula will give much
better results for this particular pur-
pose or that II can be supplied at
mech lower cost than the nitrate. The
way to ascertain the truth concerning
this matter and satisfy yourself is to
Try some Of both.
PLANTING IRISH POTATOES IN
SUCCESSION
]. F. NJ. Carriers, Ca, writes: This
year I had two acres planted in late
F.Yra
wish to know II IL will be advisable to
plant this same land back in Irish pota-
toes next year. In oSner words, will
Irish potatoes follow Irish potatoes and
do wen? I also wish 70 know II cotton
Will grow after irish potatoes as good
as after any other crop?
It is not good practice to plant Irish
potatoes on the same land year after
year. as you are likely TO carry over
and greatly increase any disease which
might have been present in the soil the
previous year. Bugs are also likely. to
prove more troublesome and destructive.
Besides that, the potato crop tends to
remove from the land certain elements
which would not be so much demanded
by another crop. Moreover, by follow
ing rotation you can increase the supply
OF vegetable matter in the SOIL which
Il Is important IN the pTbQuCblOu VI pOAd~
toes 1t is good practice. therefore, to
rotate your land for potatoes. though this
does not mean that you should never
grow this crop on the same soil two years
| in succession. There is no reason why
cotton should not grow admirably after
irish potatoes If the land has been well
prepared and suitably fertilized. Pota-
| toes leave the land IN nice, clean, fra
BILE condition and cotton should do well
on such a soil.
AS. ONE FARMER SEES 1T.
The following communication received
1 from Mr. Daniel Kierce. Medgs, Ga, con-
tains much Of interest, as it shows the
great development which the farmers
of Georgia are making and their thirst
for knowledge and determination to get
out OF debt, live Independently, educate
their children. increase the average pro-
| duction per acre, and make the state
| truly and permanently prosperous. These
same men are calling for aid and assist
ance which the state is not in position
10 render them as completely as ii
| should. The time has arrived for
| great forward movement in Georgia.
The people are ready and the money
must be found with which TO dissent
nate information and place within the