Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-04-18

access TO the water carrying vessels
OF the cotton plant, eventually causing
it to succumb to what is known as the
wilt disease.
MIXING COTTON MEAL AND ACID
PHOSPHATE.
J. ". S.. Martin, Ca, writes: What do
you think Of mixture OF 1000 pounds of
Is per cent acid, 400 pounds of meal 200
pounds Of tankage, and 200 pounds of lime?
What is your opinion in regard TO the use
OF lime in this manner?
mixture of 1900 pounds of acid,
400 pounds Of standard cotton seed meal
and 200 pounds of tankage would an
swer fairly we'll for ordinary field crops
though We would be disposed to think
that a formula containing less phos-
phoric acid and running higher in nitro
gen would be more beneficial on your
land
1t is impossible to say what the com
position of this fertilizer mixture might
be unless one knew definitely the grade
of cotton seed meal and tankage used
Personally We would prefer to use 500
pounds of meal, 200 pounds of tankage
and 1000 pounds of acid phosphate. or
course some other carrier of nitrogen
may be substituted for tankage if it
can be bought at a relatively lower
rate. composition CONSIDERED.
1t is mistake from our point of view
to mix the 20 pounds or ground lime
tone with the formula mentioned in
your letter. Tests made at the college
indicated that when ground limestone
was mixed with acid phosphate rever-
sion of the water soluble to less readily
available forms took place. Such being
true il is a mistake to mix lime with
acid phosphate after so much effort
has been expended in attempting 20
make a portion OF the phosphoric acid
contained in floats readily available 20
growing plants. We think that at least
1000 pounds to one ton of crushed rock
should be applied and should be used
as a rule previous to the seeding of
whatever legume is used IN the rota-
ton.
ENRICHING LAND WITH LEGUMES.
K L. c., Cuthhert, Ca. writes: Which
do you think is better for the enrichment of
land. cowpeas or velvet beans; that is, where
you pillow the whole crop under?
The velvet bean is one of the best
legumes for building up poor soils at
the command of the southern farmer
The bean, of course, may be planted in
a variety of ways. We think ii best
to seed it in rows about four feet apart.
The seed may be put down with drill.
We would use about one-half bushel per
acre. II planted with corn or other
crops for the enrichment of the land,
peck of the seed should be a sufficient
amount to use.
The stems and leaves of velvet beans
ard cowpeas contain about the same
proportion of nitrogen. AS the velvet
bean, however, is more vigorous
grower, it produced naturally a larger
amount of vines and leaves per acre.
Therefore, il Celebrates a greater amount
of nitrogen. If both crops were cut off
and made into hay 1t is not likely
that there would be any material advan-
tage in using the velvet bean as COM
pared with the cowpea, as most of the
nitrogen in legumes will be found in
the leaves and stems. For soil enrich
ment we would unhesitatingly advise
the use of the velvet beam and particu-
larly is this true i'm your section of the
state, where the 100-day and other rela-
lively early maturing varieties can be
grown to excellent advantage for pur-
poses of soil enrichment and for fall
grazing and grain production.
orr TIUATION or THEY n RT-ANG