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


of seed cotton per acre. Where nitrogen
and potash were used together, the in
crease due TO lime was apparently l4f
pounds. When lime was used with rock
/ phosphate there was "A decrease Of IL
pounds; and where lime was used with
rock phosphate, phosphoric acid and pot
ash, there was an increase of only 80
pounds. 1t appears from these results,
| therefore, that lime was not used with
profit on cotton.
In this connection, the increase due to
| fertilizers on the lined area was 245
pounds where lao pounds of dried blood
and 100 pounds of potash were applied;
zoe pounds where lao pounds of dried
! blood and 400 pounds of acid phosphate
were used; and 30S pounds where a
| complete fertilizer, consisting of $50
pounds Of dried blood, 400 pounds of
acid phosphate and 100 pounds of pot
ash, was used.
1t appears, therefore, that nitrogen
| is a limiting factor in cotton produc-
tion in south Georgia, and that this
should be increased in the soil very ma
terially through the use of green crops
plowed under, yard manures, compost
and supplemental commercial fertilizers.
Naturally. the farmer can not expect to
buy nearly all the nitrogen which will
be required to produce profitable crops
of cotton. Therefore, he must depend
on using means of supplying this ele-
ment which are at once economical and
practical. Since there is an abundance
of nitrogen in the air, he must so ad-
Just his business as to make legumes
gather a considerable quantity OF this
element and store it in his soil. BY EN-
phasizing live stock production and ro-
tating his crops he can also increase
81, Of and Tins add
the store of nitrogen.
Phosphoric acid and potash when COM
bined gave a considerable increase, but 1t
appears from the results that the single
elements when used alone did not IN
crease the yield to anything like the
extent pertaining where a complete fer
tilizer was applied. For instance, an
increased yield of sos pounds of seed
cotton would be equivalent to at least
los pounds Of lint, which at 10 cents
a pound would amount to $1,000, or at
12 cents a pound to S12.96. The fertl-
lizer used should not cost under normal
conditions over $500, leaving very
good profit, therefore, from its use.
The foregoing facts should be careful
ly considered and digested by every
farmer who is attempting to grow cot
ton under soil and climatic conditions
similar to those prevailing in south
Georgia.
In north Georgia where the same eX-
periments were conducted on hVe area Oh
land during the three years in question,
results of similar import were obtained.
Where no lime was applied, the largest
increase in seed cotton over the check
ulat was 81 pounds obtained with
complete fertilizer. The next largest in
crease was 270 pounds obtained from
combination of phosphoric acid and pot
ash. The next largest increase was 239
pounds obtained from the combination
Of nitrogen and phosphoric acid AS IN
other instances the rock phosphate in
combination with phosphoric acid ana
potash did not show large increases; at
least not large enough to make its use
pract .cally or profitable under the condl-
lions pertaining in the tests in question.
Where lime was used in combination
with the fertilizer formulas set forth at
the BEGINNING of this article, the largest
increase over the check plat was l19
pounds of seed cotton obtained with an
application of phosphoric acid and pot
ash. Nitrogen and potash gave an IN
creased WELD over the check plat of ia
pounds of seed cotton, and a complete
fertilizer 112 pounds. As i'm the case
where no lime was used. the plats fer
tilted with rock phosphate and acid
phosphate and rock phosphate and potash
did not give a sufficient large increase
over the check plat to justify the use OF
these materials.
The increase due to fertilizers on
north Georgia soils when these materials
were used on lined areas were as FOL
lows: The largest yield over the check
plat of $50 pounds of seed cotton was
obtained with a complete fertilizer; the
next largest yield of 276 pounds was OBJ
tanned with a combination of acid phos-
nhate and potash: the third largest yield
of 233 pounds was obtained with COM
bination of blood and potash; and the
fourth largest yield of 215 pounds was
and acid phosphate.
These results show substantial proht
from the use of a complete fertilizer,
though there was not enough increase on
The lined areas as compared with the
unlimed to justify the use of lime in as
sociation with the production of cotton
on north Georgia soils. These results,
| of course, are subject to modification and
change I'm the future. The tests will be
| continued through a series of years, each
year adding to their value and enabling
more definite and valuable deductions to
| be made for the information and guild
ance of Georgia farmers.
RESULTS OF APPLYING FLOATS.
J. S. X. Cave Spring. Ga, writes:
would like TO know the results of your eX-
I periments with raw phosphate, or floats.
. How should the price compare with acld
B phosphate? Which is the best feruhzer-
= one made from acid phosphate and cotton
seed meal or acid phosphate, tankage and
. hloOdy