Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-02-02
SUGGESTIONS CONCERNING
COMMERCIAL FERTILIZERS

ticed has seriously depleted the store OF
plant food nature originally provided.
These things being true, il is neces-
sary for the farmer to study many
things in order to secure large crops,
and Of these many things one Of the
most important is the rational use Of
commercial fertilizers, so that the main
defects in the available supply Of one
or more OF the essential elements of
plant food in a given soil may be over
come.
WHAT ARE THE ESSENTIAL ELE-
MENTS?
While the earth's crust contains rs
known elements, only about IA are of
Importance in the growth of plants in
so far as we know at the present time.
Ten Of these may be regarded as essen
tial elements, but in practically all in
stances il only becomes necessary for
the farmer to supply four Of these, name
", nitrogen, phosphoric acid, potash an
calcium. Nitrogen is the element which
first becomes exhausted from the major
ity Of our soils. This is because of the
readiness with which IL undergoes trans
formation, permitting it to escape di-
rectly into the air or to be carried away
through surface erosion or teaching Nj
trogen is the most expensive element
which the farmer has to purchase and
evidently an insufficient amount of nj
trogen has been used in most of our
fertilizer formulas on this account. The
Importance Of nitrogen will be appreciat-
ed when IL is stated that IL is chiefly
concerned In the development Of a vigor-
Gus plant, characterized by a uniformly
dark green color.
Phosphoric acid is the uext.-sIsmsht
Jority OF our soils. This element hastens
maturity and is concerned in the forma-
ton Of seed and grain. without its
aid. for instance, cotton seed could not
be produced, and without the seed. lint
can not be developed. The Importance,
therefore, Of supplying a liberal amount
Of phosphoric acid needs no further en-
phasis.
Potash is the third element most like
~ to be deficient in our soils 1t is con-
cerned in the formation and distribution
OF starch in the plant and il also as
sists in the development of the woody
structure and in the formation of the
fleshy parts of the fruits. It assists in
neutralizing plant acids. Without its
aid. therefore. the life functions Of the
plant could not proceed. Hence, potash
must be supplied in all soils in which
IL Is deficient i'm liberal amounts, and
in quickly available form. The func-
tons Of calcium, which is a constituent
Of lime, have been discussed else
where
With the analysis of a soil in hand
and an opportunity to lay down test
plats thereon, it will be relatively easy
to determine the plant food deficiencies
existing therein. and when this informa-
ton Is at hand the amount and char
acter Of the essential elements to supply
can be arrived at with a considerable
degree OF certainty. The successful farm
er must study his soil with skill and care,
and ascertain this fundamental infor-
nation as quickly and completely as pos
sible IN order to build up his lands
with success and uniformly increase
his yields from year to year. e q
Successful crop production depends on
maintaining a proper equilibrium be-
tween the plant and the soil. A soil def
cient in one OF the elements of plant
food is out Of equilibrium, and no mat
ter what the farmer may do he can not
hope to secure a maximum yield until
the limiting factor has been discovered
and supplied in sufficient amount to