Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-02-09
SOILS OF GEORGIA AND
SOME OF THEIR DEFECTS


gard to potash and lime. As as section
Of this bulletin is devoted to lining it
will not be referred TO in detail at this
point.
Formulas well suited to many of the
south. Georgia soils should contain for
cotton 3 to 4 per cent of nitrogen, to
10 per cent OF phosphodic acid and from
TO per cent of potash. For corn the
applications may run from 1 to s per
cent OF nitrogen when top dressing ma
terials are included. and in extreme
cases from 10 to IL per cent Of phos-
phoric acid and to 10 per cent OF pot
ash. Formulas of this character will
also give good results of watermelons
and sweet and Irish potatoes. If the
farmer properly rotates his crops he
may cut down the percentage of nitro
gen needed in some instances, but where
soil does not contain over 400 pounds
Of potash per acre foot, 1t is quite evil
dent that the liberal application of this
element, becomes essential to large
yields. The formulas suggested are
based on an application of 500 to 1000
pounds per acre. Since there r. a wide
variation in soil types south of what is
known as the full line definite for
mulas cannot be prescribed in the pres
ent state of our knowledge, but as the
admtxture Of clay with the surface soil
increases and as the character of the
subsoil changes from sand to clay, the
percentage formulas suggested should
be modified and bfought more in line
with those applied in what is known as
the red clay belt" an area 100 miles
or more wide traversing the northwest
ern part of the state in a sOuthwesterly
direction.
Just south OF the fall line" in what
Is KIM h. rr.a--
other formations the soils are somewhat
richer probably than those lying to the
south OF them in the total amount Of
essential plant food elements, and are
likely TO be better supplied with lime
The dearth Of information with refer
ence to these soils, however, makes def
mite comment concerning them at this
time inadvisable. A sandy loamy soil
from Twiggs county was found to con-
tain about LOO pounds OF nitrogen. LOO
pounds Of phosphoric acid. 5000 pounds
Of potash and 1.6OO pounds of lime. A
gray soil from Sumter county contain
ed 1,So0 pounds or nitrogen, 1,4OO pounds
OF phosphoric acid, 800 pounds Of potash
and 500 pounds Of lime A gray soil
from Washington county contained 100
pounds OF nitrogen, 1850 pounds of phos-
phoric acid, 1890 pounds of potash and 400
pounds Of lime.
North of the fall line the character
OF the soil is quite different from that
lying south Of it, Here the crystalline
rocks predominant and the soil covering
not only the Piedmont plateau, but the
Appalachian mountains is of the same
relative character. These crystalline
rocks include the GRANTEES, genisses,
schists. etc, and are most abundant on
the western margin of the area. The
analyses Of several type soils from this
soil from Jasper county contained Il, 500
pounds OF nitrogen. 1000 pounds of
phosphoric acid, 1850 pounds of potash
and 500 pounds of lime. A gray soil
from Coweta county contained 100
pounds OF nitrogen, 1,SO0 pounds of phos-
phoric acid, $500 pounds of potash and
go pounds of lime. brown loamy
soil from Wilkes county contained 1,S0O
pounds Of nitrogen, 400 pounds of phos-
phoric acid. 400 pounds OF potash and
go pounds of lime. While some of the
soils Of the area examined are markedly
deficient in nitrogen, they are better
supplied with this element than some of
the other type soils examined. They
also run somewhat higher i'm phosphoric
acid, and a number of them contain
relatively large amounts of potash. They
are all, however, low I'm lime. Expert
snce would indicate that formulas for
cotton on the richest of these lands
may vary from an SIS to a 9-3-4 For
corn 9-3-3 will ordinarily be found sat
isfactory: in some instances a 9-S-4, and
on soils in very bad physical condition
i'm which sand predominates to a con-
siderable extent, a 10-4-5 may be used
with advantage.
To show the extent to which many Of
our soils have suffered from bad man.
agement, it is only necessary to quote
the analysis OF a virgin brown loan