Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-12-27

phosphate, but 1T should be remembered
that these plats have had green crops
plowed under, have been broken very
deeply and some of them have been
lined so that their condition would be
somewhat different to that prevailing
on many farms where the raw phosphate
rock might be used. OF course, the
ground phosphate rock will give a BEN
efit no doubt because of the lime it con.
tains. We have found by tests made
here at Athens and at other points in
the state that lime seems to be marked
ly deficient in many OF our soils, and
that benefit from its application will
likely follow. We advise the use of
from one to two tons of the finely
ground rock in preference to the use of
caustic lime. The raw rock is cheaper
and easier to handle and seems likely to
give satisfactory results. OF course. it
will become more quickly available in
all probability on those lands which con-
tain considerable quantity of vegetable
matter. From our experience and obser-
walton to date We would be inclined to
recommend the use of acid phosphate as
source Of phosphoric acid on those
soils low in vegetable matter and where
a crop is grown which has a relatively
short period of development. Lands
which can be laid down in permanent
rotations and where green crops can be
plowed under or where there is an
abundance of yard manure, we are in
clined to believe the finely ground raw
rock will give excellent results and can
be used to considerable advantage under
these conditions.
DO NOT BURN CORN OR COTTON
STALKS.
A. G. K, Ludville, Ca, writes: AS
rule. farmers here cut corn and cotton
stalks and rake them up and burn them.
Some say the corn stalks cause the
corn of the next year to rot if left on
the ground. want to know If they are
not, of some value to the land If left on
and turned under, and if so, what would
corn stalks be worth per acre where the
land will make 25 bushels of corn to the
acre? Also, what value, if any, would
cotton stalks have if left on the land
where the crop would make a half bale
to the acre?
1t is a mistake to burn corn and cot
ton stalks for they contain considera-
BILE quantity of plant food which Is
transformed into volatile form by burn
ing and lost to the soil forever. 1t is
true InaL the pOJASn anu phosphorus
are not dissipated except that they may
be left in little heaps about over the
ground and thus oversupplythe needs of
one plant, whereas causing a greater de-
ficiency for another plant than If the
stalks. had been turned under uniformly
and decayed by natural processes in the
soil. The burning Of corn and cotton
stalks also results in the entire loss of
the nitrogen and the destruction of
humus and vegetable matter without
which n osoil can be ideally suited to
vrop production and regarded as a fer
tile piece of land.
There is no reason on earth for believ-
ing that corn stalks plowed under cause
the crop of the next year to rot The
decay of corn is quite likely due to d
fungus or to seasonal conditions, that is,
in a very wet year corn that will ma
ture perfectly otherwise will rot. More
ever, there is a great variation in varie-
ties of corn as to their resistance to
weather conditions and to the develop
ment of fungi which may cause the corn
to mold or rot. You will find the hard,
flinty prolific types the most resistant
in this respect. At least this is our ex-
perience and judgment as based on OBJ