Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-02-04


, cumulation of organic matter, under
conditions such as exist in Georgia, is
rather slow; and, beginning, as is nee
I essary in most cases, with soils rather
> deplete in organic matter, 1t will take
| some time to accumulate an amount
: necessary to secure returns from the
} rock phosphate. With soils that are
depleted in organic matter. under cot
ton cultivation, it is not to be expected
; that turning under one or two green
crops will increase the organic content
; to any large extent. This is especially
: true in Georgia as decay under existing
climatic conditions is rather rapid.
From the above results and from re-
suits in other parts of the country, rock
phosphate can not be recommended to
be used for immediate returns, but can
be recommended to the farmers in po-
sition to make the investment as a
permanent soil-building proposition
and wait until the second and
third cycle of the rotation for returns
A small amount of rock phosphate
used each year, as compared with acid
phosphate on the demonstration field 1T
the college has given somewhat more
4 favorable results. This may be due to
several causes Probably in part to
the fact that better crops Of cowpeas
have been grown and turned under than
at other points in the state. Where 400
pounds of rock phosphate have been
compared with 400 pounds of acid phos-
plate in corn production over a period
of FIVE years, it shows increase of some
thing over 5 bushels of corn per acre
for each year.
This amount of rock phosphate APP
/ piled to cotton each year for the past
two years has shown about the same
increase that was secured from the
larger applications over the state. That
is, about seventy-five pounds of seed
cotton per acre.
IT must not be concluded from forth
coming results that rock phosphate is
OF no use. AS has already been In
dicated, its place is in the general
scheme of soil building and it might
be we'll in this connection to point out
what reasons there are for using rock
phosphate and how it should be used In
q general scheme of soil building.
The study of the soils of Georgia, as
il usually the case with most soils OF
this country, will show that the con-
| tent Of phosphoric acid is quite low.
This usually constitutes one of the de-
Eciencies of our soils and ii needs to
| be remedied In seeking a remedy for
IT. the cheapness with which this can
be done, of course, has to be consid
cred. Unquestionably rock phosphate Is
about the cheapest of fertilizers that
can be had, and it is only question
Of using IL in such a way that returns
| can be had from ii. The cheapness
and remedyjng other deficiencies of the
! soil that will make the phosphorus avail
able are the chief reasons for its use.
/ our soils are also low in organic con-
tent and nitrogen and scheme OF gen
eral soil building will also include RENE
/ dying these two deficiencies. The stable
manure is universally recognized as an
excellent fertilizer because it not only
carries some of the mineral elements
/ I'm nitrogen, but also because 1t sup
plies organic matter, but stable manure
| itself is deficient in phosphorus, and
when reinforced with phosphorus gives
f! returns after paying for the phosphorus
J AS already indicated, one of the best
: uses of rock phosphate is to reinforce
/ the stable manure, especially where
this is put in as the manure is allowed
/ to accumulate. 1t then becomes
question of how the stable manure had
best be used in q general scheme of
soil building.
Manure can be utilized to stimulate
the growth of legumes to better adVan-
! tage than most any other material ana
| as the legumes are necessary in increas-
4 ing the nitrogen content of the SOIL
Il method
legumes will bring the desired results
much Quicker than if either is used
alone. II is recommended that from
three to five tons of stable manure per
acre be used on a legume, this to be
| turned under and if this manure is re-
inforced with forty pounds of rock phos-
plate per ton of manure, II should give
an Increased growth to the legune. More
| returns are secured, as a rule, per ton OF
| manure from using small quantities
than large quantities, and as rule the
manure on the average Georgia farm is
| limited and could be made to go much
| further by using these small quanti-
ties.
If only forty pounds OF rock phos-
| phate per ton is used with the manure
| and only three to five tons per acre
| applied, il will only give from 12O TO
200 pounds of rock phosphate per acre.
| This will not be sufficient to have any
very decided influence in soil building.
Additional amounts should be broadcast
ca at the time of planting cowpeas. 1t
| IS probably best not to use less than
| 900 pounds per acre where 1t is TO
| he applied every two to three years,
and IL the user can afford to wait on
returns with larger investments it will
J be better to apply ton or more per
acre This can be done without any
| fear of the loss OF pnOSpnOIuS ny ASdSh-
ing. as very little of II teaches out OF
the soil; and, as it is applied in non
soluble form, it must become soluble
before IL can leach.
A scheme of this kind meets the re-
suIirements of the deficiencies i'm the
majority of our soils. namely, organic
matter, nitrogen and phosphorus. "A ro-
tation should be in practice on every
farm. with provisions for applying the
manure and the legume will help render
/ to be turned under, and If the rock phos-
phate is applied in this connection the
organic matter from the decay of the
manure and the legume Will help dender
the phosphorus available and at the
same time supply two very decided di-
visions in our soils.
BEDDINC OUT SWEET POTATOES.
p H. D.; Pendergrass, Ca, writes:
would like information in regard 10
bedding out sweet potatoes from the De-
ginning of the process until time TO take
the slips; also the kind Of manure and
fertilizer TO use. l prefer the Nancy Han
20 other varieties.
Various methods of bedding out
sweet potatoes can be followed. You
+ can. of course, make a bed in the open
/ ground, but we prefer to use what Is
/ known as a cold frame. The ground
4