Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-05-03

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';Lst the GOLD DUST TWINS do your york.
meal containing SIS per cent nitrogen,
rs per cent Of phosphoric acid and 10
per cent of potash. A ton of the above
mixture would contain about 55.6
pounds of nitrogen, 1SAb pounds of
phosphoric acid and 81 pounds of pot
ash. 1t would show a percentage COM
position of go per cent of available
phosphoric acid, z.7S per cent of nitro
gen and 80 per cent of potash. For
gray land with a red clay subsoil this
should provide a very good formula for
corn, but it is possibly if anything a
little low in potash. In our experience
here a 9-3-4 has given us about the
best results on corn. Our land is red
on top, but has a red clay subsoil, and
the difference between our soil and
yours is probably due chiefly to the iron
being leached out of your top soil, which
accounts for its gray appearance. We
would suggest that you put 500 pounds
of this fertilizer under the drill row at
the time Of planting. II you can Sc
cure some yard manure to use under
the corn so much the better. A side
application of the fertilizer in the early
part of the growing season will also
probably be helpful. Potash should not
be broadcasted on the land 1t is bet
ter to use it in a complete fertilizer
and use under the drill row and in side
applications.
BERMUDA AND RED TOP AS SOIL
BUILDERS.
Z J. w. P, Cornelia, Ca, writes: / have
some very fine creek bottom. There are
some low places on the bank that / want
to plant something on that will prevent
washing and build ,them,up. I also want
to know what to plant across the low
places in the bottom that will built 1t up.
There is no grass with which we are
acquainted that will hold the banks of a
creek from washing as we'll as Bermuda.
The average farmer is afraid to plant 1t
because he thinks it viii spread out and
take control of his field. 1t is true the
plant has a stoloniferous root and is hard
to control because of its ability to pro-
pagate itself by runners. but where
proper methods of cultivation are prac-
ticed it can be held in check for all prac-
teal purposes. The fact of the matter is
it is better to let the grass grow on lands
which cannot be handled in crop rota-
ton to the best advantage as lands inn
prove in fertility under grass, and Of
course, a soil cannot be built up as long
as it is in condition to be seriously eroded
as the result of an accumulation of water
incident to a heavy fall of rain.
In low, wet spots there is, nothing that
will do better than red top. You should
not have serious difficulty In securing
good seed of this variety of grass, and
while the season Is advancing rapidly, it
will probably be all right to SOW the grass
on the low spots. We would prefer. of
course, to have seeded before this date
unless there are puddles Of water still
scattered over it. We know OF no grasses
which will be of greater service than
Bermuda for the banks and red top for
the low places
EFFECT OF NITRATE OF SODA. ON
SOILS.
W. w. c., Savannah, Ga. writes:
have received bulletins concerning the
eradication of cattle ticks and plans for
watts for dipping the cattle. but they are
so elaborate that 1 intend to try spray
ing. For about u years have planted
100 to 125 acres in oats. upon which I put
100 pounds per acre of nitrate of soda
with very beneficial results After har-
vesting the oats l put the land in cow
peas, and after harvesting the peas put
the land in cotton For two years as a
final dressing on both corn and cotton I
have put 100 pounds Of nitrate of soda per
acre. The result has been increased yield.
Lately have heard. reports of damage to
land where nitrate has been applied for
several years in succession. Is there any
truth in this?
On a small scale cattle ticks may be
held under control or even eradicated by
spraying, but where one is engaged in
cleaning up a large area of land. or
handling any considerable number of cat
tie. dipping vat should be installed and
used.
Nitrate of soda WI not destroy land in
the sense that some people ina CINE. It
is of course. a plant stimulant, carrying
about 16 pounds of available nitrogen per
100 pounds. The fact that it supplies
nitrogen to the crop tends to invigorate
it. and then as the crop develops and
spreads it's roots through the soil ii tends
TO take up more of the nitrogen con-
tanned in the land and larger amounts of
phosphorus and potash than would other
wise be the case. This being true. it may
be said in one sense to exhaust the soil,
uuN lillS Is bdStu Oh the TACT IHdI IL
stimulates greater life activity in the
plant, and thus, draws more freely on the
plant food constituents Of the soil From
our point of view the use of nitrate of
soda is naturally a temporary expedient,
butts one OF the most desirable forms of
quickly acting nitrogen on the market. It
makes an ideal application for oats and
other fall-sown cereals. 1t would be bet
ter, of course. If the farmer were in
position to reduce the amount of nitro
gen he uses in the establishment OF a
systematic rotation of crops, u the en-
richment of his land by the application
of yard manure and the blowing under of
green legumfnous crops. Until he is able
to accomplish this, however, we are of
the opinion that he will find 1t. advan-
tageous and desirable to use nitrate of
soda for top dressing cereal crops.
GROWING UPLAND LONG STAPLE.
S. Z. B., owings, S. c., writes: have