Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-05-28
DISTANCE OF PLANTING col


H B., Holland, Ga, writes: We have
40 acres of land planted in corn that
made 60 bales of cotton last year. We
have from FIVE to ten tons of stable
manure and 500 pounds of 9-3-5 fer
tilizer in the drill thoroughly mixed
with the soil per acre. We are anxious
to make a good yield. How far apart
shall we space the stalks in four and
a half-foot rows? We want to sow
Appler oats three rows to each middle
in October. We can secure fertilizer
now at a reduced price and want to
buy car and hold 1t over until fall.
Would this be advisable?
If seasonal conditions continue IA
vorable as to the amount and distribu-
ton of the rainfall, it should not be
necessary to apply additional fertilizer
to your corn, as land which produces
a bale and a half of cotton should be
in very good condition and fairly well
supplied with available plant food in
view of the liberal applications of fer
tilizer and manure as indicated in your
letter. OF course, you can determine
the need of fertilizer better from an
examination of the condition of the
crop than in any other manner. If
the corn is good color and grows Wig
orously, side applications would hardly
be advisable If a. side application is
made, however. 200 to 900 pounds of a
9-3-5 will answer very well provided
it is put on within the next 80 days.
Then If additional fertilizer is needed
the best thing to use is nitrate of
soda This should be put on at least
two weeks before the corn is bunch
ing to tasseI. IR our Judgment It
would. be better to leave the stalks in
the drill row not over one foot. apart.
Some would even advise putting them
closer than this. but we are disposed
to think four and a half-foot rows with
a good strong stalk every foot in the
drill row will give you about the best
yield even for prolific corn of the
type of Whatley.
For fertilizing fall oats we are dis
posed to think you will find an S-2-3
about right. If your land is sandy 4
per cent of potash will be better. We
would advise the use of organic nitro
gen. A fertilizer formula of which the
basis is cotton seed meal will answer
very well for oats. We believe most
cereal crops in Georgia are not well
enough fertilized to promote a vigorous
growth in the fall to result in the
largest yield of grain which is both
desirable and obtainable in this state.
We think you will find 400 to 500
pounds of the above formula applied
under the drill row a good investment
under average seasonal conditions.
There is no reason why you should
not buy the fertilizer now, though We
would defer receiving the same as long
as possible, for we are of the opinion
that fertilizer is best applied shortly
after it is mixed whenever it is prac-
ticable to do so.
There is no reason why you should
not put three rows of oats in between
your rows of corn. Personally, we
would prefer to cut the corn clean to
the ground, say with a corn binder or
some other implement of that type, and
save the stalks and shred them and
feed to q bunch of cattle this winter
and conserve the manure and reapply
1t on land intended for corn and cot
ton next year. 1t may be- put under
the drill row or broadcasted If you
have an abundance of it. We believe
if you drill the oats in the open fur
row, even IL you cut the stalks or not.
you will secure larger yield than if
you plant with an ordinary grain
drill,