Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-08-15

! been planted. say in the late fall oil
early spring. are not likely to give good
results. If the crop is planted thirty
days after the normal time for a giveT
locality or IL il has been put in in &C.
cordance with the methods followed or
many farms q is not reasonable to an.
ticipate much prokt from the application
of fertilizers. Fertilizers should not be
blamed in such instances, for the croI
has comparatively little chance from the
beginning. II formulas OF the type sug.
gested above are applied and the croI
sown at the proper time on we'll prepar-
ed land. IL should make a vigorous
growth and development in the fall and
early spring. and therefore mature ear.
lier than is normally true and have suf-
ficient vigor to withstand adverse condi-
lions to better advantage. The mere
fact that the soil has been properly pre-
pared means that il can store and hold
more moisture than would otherwise be
true.
While nitrogen is a limiting factor in
crop production. so are phosphoric acid
and potash. In fact, nitrogen and phos-
phoric acid are both likely to be needed
by cereal crops during the season OF
grain development and maturity. Nat
urally. If the nitrogen supply Of the soil
Is limited. the crop no matter what the
conditions, Is bound to be short-strawed
and Insignificant in appearance. IL there
is a deficiency of phosphoric acid, IL is
not reasonable to expect the grain to be
plump and well filled out. While cereal
crops. as a rule, would probably not be
regarded as hard on the land in the mat
ter of exhausting the store of plant food
as cotton or more particularly corn. sor-
ghum and other forage crops. they still
make a considerable demand on the
plant food constituents of the soil, and IL
is therefore important that they be prop
erly fertiliZed. That a considerable part
of this fertilizer should be put on in
the fall is now clearly established. To
depend on the use of little nitrate of
soda in the spring can not be regarded
as the best practice, though, of course,
there is no objection to it's use, and 1t
undoubtedly is beneficial in many i'm
stances. These are matters of vital con-
Germ to every one who expects to Guilt
vate cereals and no doubt they will be
given due consideration.
TREATING A CASE OF STRINGHALT.
J.. S. O.. Fort Payne, Ala, writes: I
have a seven-year-Old mule which is string
halted in both hind legs. I would like a
remedy for the same.
II the symptoms as set forth in your
letter are correct, your mule is evidently
suffering from what is known as string
halt a disease which causes the spas
modic contraction of some of the volun-
tary muscles. 1t is similar to st. Vitus'
dance in the human family. There are
several forms of this disease. The
most common in horses and mules being
that of the spasmodic jerking in the hind
legs. In some cases il is seen only when
the horse first starts, after standing in
the stall. and disappears after a few
steps have been taken. This trouble is
generally most severe in cold weather
and usually gradually increases in Sc.
verify as the animal grows older Med
ical treatment does not give great bene-
ut. Good results are more likely to fol-
low careful feeding and tOnics. The
food should be nutritious. easily digest
ed. Of good variety and abundant. A
good grain ration to feed is a mixture
OF oats and bran to which is added a
handful of cotton seed meal.
Your mule may be given three times
a week the following mixtures: Com
mon salt. four ounces; sulphur. two
ounces; hardwood ashes. two ounces.
Give a tablespoonful Of this mixture in
the feed Also give Fowler's solution
doses in the feed once daily and grad
Ually increasing by one-fourth ounce at
a time until one ounce is given at a dose
I'm the morning and the same at night.
The arsenic. as you understand. is a
poison and must be used with care and
skill. II should not be given for more
than two weeks.
DATA CONCERNING OUR COTTON
CROP.
r. r.. DOuglasville. Ga. writes: I would
like some information in regard TO the cot
ten crop. What is the average number Of
lalpS for the state. the value OF the crop,
and TIE acreage devoted TO the same?
About five million acres of land are
devoted to the cultivation of cotton in
Georgia each year Of course the acre
are varies some with conditions. When
the price of cotton is extra high there
is a tendency to increase the acreage.
whereas the low price of 1914 tended to
reduce the amount of cotton planted i'm
1915. Five million acres however, is a
safe figure TO use In estimating the area
devoted to the cotton crop I'm Georgia.
In 1915 nearly two million bales of