The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1915-11-05
Pee Dee Farmer Suggests Use of
Phosphate Rock With Winter
Cover Crops.
Columbia State.

me general consensus Ol OplnlOu
was that feeding beef cattle would
be one Of the most productive sources
in that animal manure is source
most available for potash supplies.
On light lands, potash is regarded es
sential for the production Of cotton.
w. w. Long, state farm demonstra-
ton agent, has asked T. E. Keitt,
Clemson College chemis- for an
analysis OF animal manure. From
Mr.. Keitt's analysis it was observed
that the potash content of one ton
of animal manure was equivalent to
200 poupnds OF S-4-4 fertilizer.
Continuing the discussion, Mr..
Long says: Farmers with an abun-
dance of cowpea hay and roughage,
who are in position to feed moder-
ately of cottonseed meal, would find
II profitable to feed beef cattle, thus
providing an available source Of
potash, not to speak of ammonia, in
which content animal manure is
high
PHOSPHATE ROCK.
ID. r. Coker OF Hartsville, writing
to Mr.. Long, observes that the price
of sulphuric acid has made record ad-
vances because of increased demand
in the manufacture OF high explos-
ives, with consequent shortage of
supply. To withstand this deficiency,
Mr.. Coker suggests the use of phos-
hot t. ~, ,,;,,t
cover crops. Mr.. Coker's letter fol-
lows:
Nv w. Long, Clemson College, S. c.
MY Dear Mr.. Long: wish to di-
rect your attention to matter OF
the most urgent Importance to the
farmers OF the state-a matter which
should receive their immediate
thought if they would avoid a most
awkward situation next spring.
II understand that sulphuric acid
(Which with phosphate rock is re-
Quired for the manufacture of acid
phosphate) is being used largely in
the production Of explosives, and has
advanced in price to between $50 and
9fu pei loI. hoSpHhi' ipNh 10 IN-
yremely cheap, but one-half OF the
weight of acid phosphate is sulphuric
acid and judging by the present price
of rock and sulphuric acid. I do not
presume that acid phosphate can be
sold to the farmers next spring at
less than $40 per ton, and that prob
ably nothing like the usual supply
will be available.
COVER CROPS.
"As you know. we have been using
for some years on our own farms rye
as a cover crop, planting it in our cot
ton fields, and also upon the lands
where we have grown pea vine hay,
and plowing this rye under during the
late winter and early spring. In con-
nection with these cover crops we
have been using ground phosphate
rock at the rate of about 500 pounds
per acre as well as small amounts of
organic ammoniates.
"I see no reason why ground phos-
phate rock (known as foats) should
not be obtained as cheaply as usual
say at $40 per ton or less-and / be-
lieve that If the farmers generally
will at once SOW upon their lands in
tended for cotton next year a liberal
amount OF any of the small grains
(rye. oats. barley or wheat,) and ap-
ply i'm February or March a broad
cast application of 500 to 1000
pounds of ground phosphate rock
they can make satisfactory cotton
crops with very small amount of
ammonia applied in the drill before
planting.
"You will doubtless remember
some Of the fields OF Hartsville cotton
which you. Mr.. Knapp and Mr.. Hou.-
ton Ioked at when you were here a
few weeks ago. From some of these
fields we have already gathered ap-
promixately one bale per acre and
there will be at least one more heavy
picking. The 76 acres upon which
we have had the best rye cover crops
and used the largest amounts Of
phosphate rock for the past two years
produced above a bale to the acre last
year and will produce not less than
one and one-ausrter bales this year