Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-04-09

aggravate this condition. Corn meal
combined with blood meal at the rate
OF 90 parts OF the former and 10 parts
OF the latter. or corn meal and shorts
fed in the proportion of two-thirds to
one-third will give you infinitely larg-
er and more uniform gains than you
would obtain from corn meal.
IRISH AND SWEET POTATO FER
TILzERs.
NJ. W.. Eastman, Ca, writes: ] would
like to know the best method of plant
ing and cultivating Irish and sweet
potatoes: alss the kind and amount Of
fertilizer to use on loamy land with
clay suhsoil? Land is inclined to be
porous and sandy, but very productive
when properly managed.
Sweet and Irish potatoes should do
very we'll on the character of land de-
scribed in your letter. The soil will
need TO be enriched for the latter crop
with plenty Of vegetable matter. Some
Of this is advisable even for sweet po-
tatoes, but il is not so necessary to
have it for this crop as for the Irish
potatoes Sweet potatoes do well on
rich, sandy loan soil, though excess
OF organic matter is Objectionable.
Where the land is very poor. that is. if
corn and cotton have been grown on il
for a number Of years, the best results
will not be obtained with sweet pota-
toes until IL has been improved by turn
ing under a leguminous crop. Good
drainage is also important for this crop.
Ridges need only be used on very poor
ly drained soil, and high ridges are to
be avoided because they dry out so
rapidly. Land intended for sweet pota-
toes should be very carefully prepared
before planting, and 500 to 1000 pounds
OF the following formula will be found
desirable: 1000 pounds acid phosphate,
800 pounds or muriate of potash, 240
pounds OF nitrate OF soda and 500
pounds cotton seed meal. This formula
viii contain approximately s per cent of
phosphoric acid, 81 per cent of nitro
gent and 7.6 per cent OF potash. A lit
tie nitrate Of soda may be used as a top
dressing with advantage on this crop in
seasons when growth is not uniform
and rapid. Fifty TO 100 pounds per acre
is about the right amount to use. In
sweet potatoes. the bedding is an i'm
portant matter, and the seed should be
selected viii care Plan ordinarily in
rows three to three and a half feet
apart. and set the slips from "a to 80
inches apart. From 5000 to 1900
plants per acre may be used with adj
vantage, the smaller number on thin
soils and the larger number Of richer
soils.
Irish potatoes do well on variety
OF soils. but rich. friable lands are
most desirable. Organic matter is inn
portant to this crop so that moisture
may be obtained and the soil kept loose
enough TO permit Of rapid growth and
development. 1t is especially import
ant TO have an abundance of organic
matter on heavy soils or extremely light
soils. The fertilizer for this crop does
not vary materially from that suggested
for sweet potatoes. First cultivation
is o be preferred unless the drainage is
very poor indeed. This crop when grown
on a commercial scale should be planted
by machinery. From 10 to 10 bushels
Of seed should be used per acre, and
there should be at least one eye to each
piece Clean surface cultivation after
planting is an important matter. Where
one can apply from five TO 10 tons of
yard manure per acre to this crop and
mix il well with the subsoil so il will
not come in direct contact with the seed,
it is an important matter.
GROWING COTTON ON RED LAND
]. R c., Gainesville, Ga, writes: What
kind Of fertilizer would be best for cot
ton on red clay land located just out
side the city limits of Gainesville? Which
is best 10 derive nitrogen from, cotton
seed meal or blood and tankage? Also
potash from, muriate or kainit? What
do you think OF a l0-2-10 for cotton on
this land? Would also like a formula
for corn on bottom land. Should stable
manure be put in the drill or broadcast
ed? Have not broken a furrow as yet
on account of continued rains. Does it
damage manure to haul out and pile in
heaps in the field and let it go through
heating process?
A good formula for cotton on red clay
land in your section would be about an
SIS. On farms where there is an abund-
ance OF yard manure available. it will