Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-11-28

There has been much complaint curing
the past summer and fall relative to the
shedding OF cotton and many sugges-
lions have been offered as to ways ana
means Of preventing loss In this direction
The average farmer seems to be OF the
opinion that this trouble may be over
come by the use of fertilizers applied
as side applications in relatively small
quantities throughout the growing sea-
son. Some think shedding is due to an
excessive amount OF rainfall at par
ticular season followed by period or
dry weather No doubt during season
of abundant rainfall the plant is great
ly stimulated thereby This is especially
true where the soil has been highly fer
tilized and a considerable amount of fer
tilizer put on at the time of planting the
CROP 1t has been argued. therefore, that
II frequent light applications be made
during a dry period that the tendency TO
shedding will be overcome as the soil Is
supplied then with an abundance OF
quickly available plant food which con-
tinues the stimulation OF the plant until
ii can adjust itself to the new, conditions
imposed, by dry weather. There is some
considerable truth in this view of the
situation for when cotton begins to turn
yellow or to shed bolls and leaves, appli-
cations of nitrate OF soda will frequent
" be found helpful In checking both Of
these troubles.
1t seems to be fairly established in
Georgia that second and third side appli-
cations of complete fertilizer, and even
additional top dressings with nitrate of
soda are desirable in stimulating a uni
form growth. inducing rapidity and COM
pIeteness of fruiting, and in maintaining
the larger per cent of the bolls on the
plant. Attention should therefore be CIV
en- to these matters as they are of grave
Importance to the cotton planter. The
wisdom OF Withholding the. greater part
of the fertilizer, however, until the plants
begin to fruit is to be seriously ques-
toned and this practice can not be re-
commended by the writer. This opinion
has not been quickly reached. for 1t rep
resents the mature judgment of some Is
years experience in dealing with the cot
ton crop. When seed are planted in the
ground It is necessary that they be induc-
ed to terminate as quickly as possible
and to establish themselves by reason
of strong root development and Wig
orous growth OF stem and leaf early in
the season. Plants that are we'll en-
trenched in these respects will fruit bet
ter and yield better in our experience
than thoe in which the attempt Is
made to stimulate them altogether by
several side applications of various fertil-
izer formulas. This question is OF such
far-reaching Importance that considerable
attention has been given to II for, several
years past.
An illustration of the desirability of
certain forms of practice has been clear
ly shown in our demonstration field.
For four years past cotton has been
grown in succession on the same land.
This land has been prepared by deep
blowing in the fall so az 70 permit the
a. ~a,Ix enfl ne
much as possible. The deep blowing
has enabled the ground to absorb the
larger proportion OF the winter rainfall.
The land lies comparatively level This
ground has been fortified much above
the average, from three to five tons
of farmyard manure having been used
under the drill rows each year together
with an application Of from 500 to 600
pounds of a 1894 fertilizer. This
grade of fertilizer is richer than much
of that used under cotton, and would
frequently correspond to an application
of 1000 pounds of a lower grade Of
fertilizer These are important facts
to bear in mind. Moreover the use of
the yard manure is much in excess of
that applied to the average land in the
state, and hence. would help materially
to supply the ground in question with
vegetable matter which has a wonderful
affinity for water, and helps the crop
materially on that account during
drouth periods. Moreover, the feeding
power of the plant Is enhanced by an
abundant supply of moisture in the
soil. The crop on this land did not shed
materially for three years, but during
unusually severe a considerable amount
of shedding was observed. On land on
which commercial fertilizers were used
alone and which has been in cotton for
the same length of time, the percent
age of shedding was so great as to re-
suit in a considerable reduction in yield.
Bear this important factor in mind:
the form of yard manure on soils OF
equal character seems to have had
much to do with preventing an excess
sive amount of shedding. On the other
hand, on a third area of land on which
rank growth of cowpeas was plowed
under to a good depth last fall the cot
ton has not shed at all. This Is due to
the fact that the vegetable matter in
corporated changed the mechanical con-
dillon of the soil quite materially over
that to which the manure was applied.
Where the cowpeas were plowed under
the soil has been finer and more friable
throughout the growing season and has
shown evidences OF q Ootter supply of
moisture. This was probably due to
corporated wItn the land stimulated the
movement of water from the lower soil
areas to the surface more than where
the yard manure alone was used. 1t
should be stated that on the plat where
the cowpees were plowed under the same
amount of fertilizer was applied as
where the yard manure was used. There
was also a distinct difference in the
relative shedding of the cotton on these
two plats. In the case of the cowpeas
the shedding was a negligible quantity,
though the plants growing on this area
of land are of an unusually vigorous
type and are now in a green and thriv-
ing condition. They will average prob
ably five feet in height. The plat is
wonderfully uniform, and it is quite evil
dent that at least three bales of cotton
per acre will. be gathered from this area
of land. The plants on this section are
not so vigorous as to prevent their fully
maturing all the bolls set on, yet they
have been in a vigorous and thriving
condition from the time of termination
up to the present writing Do they not
illustrate very emphatically the method
by which the shedding in cotton in Geor-
gia is to be obviated at the least cost
to the farmer, while insuring the per-
manent Improvement. of his land?
In the opinion of the writer, the she'd
ding of cotton is to be prevented most
completely and satisfactorily by the use
of rotation system and the incorpora-
tim M Praan IaQurninOua Cr0pa with