Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-01-02

ularly low in phosphorus, You can build
up this soil readily by incorporating MI
trogen into 1t through blowing under
green crops and the use of compost and
yard manure. The deficiency I'm phos-
phorus and potash must be supplied
through the use of commercial plant
food For soil of this character 1O-4-6
fertilizer will be good. to use on both
corn and cotton. You may use a 1886
at the time of planting and add the
additional nitrogen through top dress
ings of nitrate of soda. This formula is
higher than the one frequently suggest
ed, but crop cannot yield well If there
is a deficiency in phosphorus and pot
ash. We have not been using as much
nitrogen on soils of the type of the
Triton loan as is desirable or should
prove profitable. OF course, nitrogen is
an expensive element and the farmer
should figure on producing the larger
part of what he needs at home rather
than purchasing it in a commercial
form. Thorough preparation of the soil
is an important matter in securing good
results from fertilizer. A 1924 fer
tilizer put up by different firms may
vary considerably in its food value to
plants. For instance, the nitrogen in MI
I
available than it would be in bone meal
or even in cotton seed meal Phosphoric
acid in one form may De more quickly
available than in another and so it
would be with the other elements.
Therefore, there may be considerable
difference in the degree of rapidity with
which the plant food contained becomes
available. In purchasing a fertilizer it
is well to know the materials which en-
ter into it's composition, then you can
judge of its value for a certain crop.
In our experience we have found 1t
profitable to plant peas early in the sea-
son. Such varieties aas Whippoorwill,
Warren's Extra Early and New Era
have given us good satisfaction. The
crop should not be sown until danger of
frost is past, but if seeded early the
first crop may be cut off for hay, and
we have always had a volunteer crop
develop which makes an unusually large
percentage of grain, as rule, and
leaves a considerable mass of material
to Craze Off or pillow down. In a very
dry season the aftermath or second
growth may not amount to much, but if
the land is narrowed after the hay is
cut and there are seasonable rains, a
good crop win be secured OF course
where one anticipates taking two crops
of peas off the land in a season II is
well to remember that liberal fetriliza-
ton with phosphorus and potash is es-
sential. When planting peas for two
crops we prefer to drill them in with
an ordinary grain drill, or sow in rows
is to "a inches apart We do not adj
wise broadcasting.
MANAGING CREEK BOTTOMS"
w. d. A.. Macon, Ga, writes: / am
ole nj Tof ~ rnk
have not been in cultivation for about
20 years. I take it that the overflows
and the wash from the hillsides. have
made this land quite rich, and think
am going to be ableeto get them dry,
enough to plant in corn next spring. As
the land has been wet~and soggy for
so long, it occurs to me that some spe-
cial treatment in the way of fertilizers
might be advisable to correct a prop
able sourness. 1 will appreciate any
suggestions in regard to this matter
1t is prof. bile that if you have much
bottom land you can improve and build
ii up more rapidly by means Of a thor
ough system of underdrains than In
any other way. OF course, one can
hardly determine what policy or re-
claiming and building up a soil is best
unless the opportunity is afforded for
out much faster than others because of
their slope and the character Of the
soil. Some are very difficult to ever"
drain on account of being at the root
of high bluffs from which the seepage
is very great at certain seasons of the
year. However, if your bottom lands
are Of this last character it is all the
more important that they be sysIemaS-
ically underdrained The chances are
haf al in xrbf oh d
been an accumulation of vegetable mat
ter are likely to be acid. This can ae
determined by means of the litmus test,
which is performed by scraping away
the surface of the soil TO the depth of
about two inches. Put a handful or
dirt in a tin cup and moisten with rain
water and insert sheet of blue litmus
paper. If the paper turns red the soil
is acid. You can secure the litmus pa
per at any drug store for few cents.
If you find the soil strongly acid an up
plication of lime will no doubt be benc-
fetal. If the land contains a consider
able amount of vegetable apply not less
than two tons of finely ground lime
stone rock per acre. Select the kind
which is high in carbonates and low IN
magnesia. If the land is in bad physi-
cal condition and is a heavy red clay
in texture, the use probably of a ton
of caustic lime per acre viii be more
effective. Where the fine ground lime
stone rock is applied, it should be put
on. the surface of the ground and may
be scattered now on land intended TO
be planted to corn or cotton in the
spring. Where the caustic lime is used
IL is best not to apply it until about 50
days before planting. Since causttc
lime is twice as active in correcting
acidity and also much. more destruo-
tive of the humus contained in the soiI.
it should be used with discretion.
One of the most important things IN
/ retaining old lands and making them
productive is to pillow them deeply so
as TO thoroughly aerate and open them
I'D to the action of the air, rain and