Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-11-29

acidity of the soil, helps to improve the
physical condition of both sandy and
clay soils, provides an element in which
our lands are often deficient, enables the
bacteria which live in the nodules form
ing on the roots Of leguminous crops to
thrive to better advantage, and tends
to set free some of the phosphorus and
potash held In unavailable forms in the
soil. We believe that a large number
of Georgia farmers will find ii to their
advantage to apply from one to two
tons of finely ground high grade lime
rock per acre to their lands once in
three to Ave years. The lime should
be put on as a top dressing In the fan
if possible. The ground rock has the
advantage of being easy to handle and
distribute, whereas, caustic lime Is very
unpleasant to deal with as all know
who have had experience with it.
There should be an ample demand for
two cars of ground rock per day from
a number of concerns, but whether the
farmers are going to take the advice
which has been offered them and use
this material as freely as would seem
advisable is one of the matters which
time alone will demonstrate, You should
be certain before you install a grinding
plant and propose to put ground lime
stone on the market to have the parent
rock which you propose to grind care
fully analysed. 1t is important that 1t
run high in carbonate of lime, and rela-
lively low in magnesia. If you have
rock which runs high in magnesia, we
do not think II would be so valuable
for use on Georgia soils as one which
shows a high content Of carbonate or
lime In our Judgment you should be
able to grind lime sufficiently fine that
would Justify you In putting ii on the
cars for 800 to s1.25 per ton. OF
course, the price will pc determined to
a considerable extent by the location OF
your quarry and the ease with which
you can get the rock to the crusher.
There is a disposition on the part OF
some who have installed lime crushing
machinery to pulverize the stone so
completely that it tends to form little
concretions in the soil. Possibly If the
rock is ground so there will be no par
ticles larger than half rice grain 1t
will answer better than if 1t is ground
so fine that it will all pass through
screen running so to 100 meshes to the
inch. lhu
NEGOTIATING CRIMSON CLOVER.
H. A. j., BIillen, Ca, writes; want
to know where to get the proper germs to
inoculate crimson clover seed, and what
amount will need for twelve acres, and
what will it cost.
The culture used for inoculating Grim
son clover can be secured from any re-
liable seed house in Georgia. They will
also send you fun directions for inoculat-
ing seed with these special cultures. You
will require to inoculate about 24O
pounds of seedi this would allow 20
pounds of seed per acre. You Will
find the inoculating material quite expen-
sive as I think the comercial firms hand
ling this material charge about $l5O to
50 for a bottle sufficient to inoculate an
acre. They may give you considerable
discount on enough to inoculate twelve
acres. We have grown crimson clover
quite extensively on the college farm for
several years past without special inocu-
lation, and we believe where the land is
well prepared and has ben lined and is
fortified with a 1914 mixture and the
seed sown early in the season that this
clover can be frequently grown without
the necessity of inoculating it. OF course
on land where the clover has not been
grown before, you will probably be more
likely to secure stand If the seed is
inoculatCd.
WHICH SOURCE OF PHosPHATEs IS
BEST?
c. NJ. c., Shellman, Ga, writes:
would like information concerning the
manurial value of Thomas phosphate
compared with the other phosphates. The
company claim that it contains fEqm rs TO
10 per cent of phosphate and IS to 90 cent
of lime, which is valuable on soils that
might be too acid, thereby doing away
with the necessity of lining the soil.
The material to which you refer is
known as Thomas Stag, basic Stag meal
or odorless phosphates, and is by-prod-
uct in the manufacture of iron and steel.
This material, it is true, contains from Is
to 20 per cent of phosphorus in a form
differing slightly from that in
acid phosphate. In phosphate hearS
ing rock or bone phosphate
three parts Of lime are associated with
one part of phosphoric acid. In basic
Stag there are four parts of lime COM
bined with one part Of phosphoric acid.
This material is not soluble in pure water,