Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-07-02


gen to be used in his fertilizers. Quite
a wide range OF choice is open to him
since there are a number of materials
on the market which are carriers of this
important and essential element in the
production OF farm crops. The princi-
naI ones may be enumerated as follows:
sulphate of ammonia. nitrate OF soda,
blood. tankage. cotton seed meal ana
nsh scrap. Other miscellaneous car
rfers Of this element are found in vary
ing quantities on many markets. but most
Of them are low in nitrogen, and many
II them owing TO the sl0wness with
which they become available are unde-
sirable
The above materials may be divided
into two closes, known as organic and
Inorganic. Cotton seed meal, blood, tank
axe and fish scrap would come under the
the first class. and sulphate OF ammo
mia and nitrate Of soda under the lat
ter class. In the production OF crops
on soils low in nitrogen. and this Is char
acteristic OF most OF the land found In
Georgia. the availability Of the nitrogen
Is an important matter to consider. Or
ganic forms OF nitrogen are not quite
so quickly available as the inorganic
under ordinary conditions OF farm prac-
ice. One might be led 10 conclude from
this statement, therefore. that the inOr-
ganic forms were to be perfected In
soils well supplied with vegetable mat
ter thus might be true because OF the
readiness and comparative ease with
which inorganic nitrogen is liable to be
Ieached from the soil The organic forms.
becoming more slowly available, afford
the crop growing on the land a chance
90 utilize the nitrogen before II has an
opportunity TO escape from the soil
Hence. organic forms Of nitrogen should
he given very careful consideration by
farmers who intend to apply more OF
less or their plant food in the ground az
the time OF seeding the crop. II will nat
uralIy arise in the minds OF some as
10 whether this is good practice or not
II certainly is where lands have been
at all well prepared. In fact. all our
experiments show that about two-thirds
OF the fertilizer should be put in the
soil unless II be on areas OF land that
run high In percentage of sand and are
unusually leachy on that account
Experience and observation both indi-
cate that Georgia soils viii give their
best results where nitrogen is used with
greater liberality than has been the prac-
tice in past years. For instance, instead
OF using one TO two per cent OF nitro
gen from three to four per cent can be
trOgen will naturally be found Service
able on sandy than on clay land, and
whether the nitrogen be used in an
organic or inorganic form, better re-
suits viii be obtained from IT where
some humus has been added TO the soil.
For the purpose OF stimulating a quick
and vigorous growth a small amount Of
nitrogen can be incorporated with the
complete fertilizer 10 be used under the
. -.
sulphate OF ammonia or nitrate Of soda
may be used for this purpose. One OBJ
lection to the use of sulphate of ammonia
lies in the fact that it gives its best
results in combination with lime, and
as our Georgia soils are low in this
constituent. il win give its best results
on those soils to which applications OF
lime are made II IS not so readily avail
able In the soil as nitrate OF soda. and
therefore. not so likely TO be leached
away. II used as top dressing II should
be mixed with the surface soil. The
nitrate has the advantage OF being the
most quickly available form Of nitro
gen we have. and therefore. IL Is the
best adapted for use as a top dressing,
though even for this purpose when used
early in the season. II may be mixed
half and half with cotton seed meal
with good results.
Blood il an excellent source OF nitro
gen. and tankage and fish scrap also
supply this material in a desirable form.
The quantity OF these materials availa-
bic. however, is limited as compared.
for instance. with cotton seed meal.
Moreover. as carriers OF nitrogen they
are relatively more costly than cotton
seed meal While the nitrogen in blood
may become more quickly available than
that In cotton seed meal IL IS doubtful
IL this is true OF either tankage or
fish scrap. and when the difference in
cost between the nitrogen in cotton seed
meal and blood is taken into considera-
ton. the ues OF the former viii be ad-
visable on practically all Georgia farms.
From this review Of the situation IT
would appear that cotton seed meal az
: It's present price viii furnish Georgia
farmers with nitrogen IN a most salts
factory form 1t becomes quickly
enough available even in our poorest
soils 20 supply the needs OF most crops
IL is in . form which WHEN applied TO
lands in bad physical condi-
ton does not permit Of its ready escape
from the soil before the crop can utilize
e. This is an important matter to bear
I'm mind. 1t may be mixed with the soil
at the time OF planting with advantage
All realize who have had practical ex-
perience IN the cultivation OF farm crops
that IL Is better and more desirable 10
incorporate the fertilizer with the soil
at or before the time OF planting than
70 put IL on IS side applications or top
dressings later in the season. II can
be done at the time Of planting with
great economy and can be mixed more
thoroughly with the soil which Is an ad-
vantage TO the crop grown on the land
I'm that IL enables the roots TO spread
through a wider territory in search %
food. When mixed with the soil there
is also less danger OF its escape through
the drainage water.
Il would appear from the facts set
forth that cotton seed meal furnishes
nitrogen in a most satisfactory form fo-
Georgia farmers. Its efficiency is I'M
questioned IL can be applied In the
cheapest and most satisfactory manner.
IL furnishes the nitrogen in a sufficient
- quickly available form TO meet the
needs OF our principal farm crops. and
IL has the advantage OF being a home
made product which costs less per pound
OF available nitrogen at the present
time than this element does when deriv-
ed from other desirable sources. The
farmer who uses cotton seed meal not
only has the satisfaction Of applying
nitrogen in a desirable form, but he en-
larges the market for his seed and in
sures their bringing a better price on
that account. While IL is TO be regret
ted that cotton seed meal cannot all be