Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-02-01

Where land tends to produce an abund-
ance of stalk, it would ordinarily not APP
pear to be benefited by heavy applica-
tions of nitrogen. Under conditions such
as you describe we would be inclined,
however, to emphasize the use of acld
phosphate as this is the element con-
cerned in the production of seed and the
Fastening of maturity. We believe that
YOU can afford to use as much as 500
pounds of this material per acre ana
that you would find it of advantage to
do so as the soils in Georgia as a rule
are not we'll supplied with this element.
You would probably also find it good
practice under ordinary circumstances
to use some potash, but under existing
conditions this would not be practicable
for reasons with which you are familiar
The seed is influenced by its natural III
herent qualities, and also by the char-
acter of soil on which it is planted.
Land which tends to produce large
stalk of cotton will produce relatively
large stalks from seed that on average
soil will only produce a medium slzeo
plant. The earlier maturing varieties of
cotton as rule do not produce as large
stalks as the later maturing sorts. We
believe YOU will find Covingtons Toole,
Trice ana Clevelands Big Boil very good
sorts to plant in your section of the
state.
MERITS OF Stacked LIME.
C. B. Babcock, Ca, writes; l am ad-
vised to use slaked lime as a fertilizer;
Please advise me whether il would pay ana
in what way should it be used TO get the
best results:
Lime rs valuable in Georgia soils for
correcting acidity, for improving the me-
chanical condition, for destroying opJec-
tionable insects and fungi and for pro
noting the welfare of the bacteria which
is essential to the proper production OF
legumes. On soils we'll supplied with
vegetable matter ground raw rock can
be used at the rate of 1000 pounds and
upward per acre. We think 1T best 10
use a ton broadcasted over the surface
of the ground after the land has been
plowed. Harrow over the top of the
soil but do not mix with fertilizers.
Well slaked lime can be used but we
think the raw ground rock will be FOUND
quite satisfactory and it is somewhat
easier to handle This material should
of course be ground rather finely. Lime
rock will be of greatest benefit If used
before legumes are planted. At least thls
has been our experience. 1t may be at
times an advantage to use 1T on corn
and cotton. probably being more beneh-
whole Lime of course is a corrective
of certain conditions in the soil but will
not take the place of commercial fer
tilizers We have found it to increase
the yield of legumes grown for hay by
one-half to three-fourths of a ton per
acre.
sAwDUST AS A SOURCE OF FERTIL-
IZER.
J. L. H., Gastonia, n. c., writes: We
have a lot of oak and hickory sawdust that
has been sawed about two years and Is wen
rotted. Is it worth anything as fertilizer
If so, how would be the best way to use
it red land?
Sawdust contains comparatively little
plant food. A fair average analysis
shows ton of it to contain about two
pounds of nitrogen, four pounds of phos'
phoric acid and eight pounds of potash.
We do not think it can be used to much
advantage for fertilizing purposes; GER
tainly not if you had to haul it any
considerable distance. 1t is true that IL
contains some potash, and that is an
item to be reckoned with. We would
not use sawdust under the drill row
or concentrate ii i'm the field but If APP
piled at ALL would broadcast 1T. Some
times it can be used with fair results
as an absorbent in stables. We judge,
however, that the sawdust about which
you write would not be very satisfactory
for this purpose, especially as it has
been exposed to the weather for two
years We think that dried leaves. for
est litter and woods earth would be
found more satisfactory for the enrich
ment of the soil, for absorbents in sta
bles and or compost purposes than saw
dust.