Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-04-07
Which Form of Nitrogen Is the Best

Which form or nitrogen is best? This
: q pertinent question at the present
line and thousands OF farmers are in
.ereSted in the answer. for war condi-
ions have upset prices and cuTtailed
The normal supply OF not only potash
but carriers OF nitrogen as we'll Among
the materials which the southern farm
sr must depend upon for his commercial
supply OF nitrogen are nitrate OF soda,
sulphate OF ammonia, cotton seed meal,
blood, tankage. fish scrap and calcium
cyanamid. OF course. yard manures and
compost are valuable as carriers OF nj
trogen. and the farmer is supposed to
use all OF these materials possible, but
IL he does the very best he can in this
direction. he will probably not be able
10 supply his soil with all the nitrogen
needed BY the average farm crop, and
il Is quite likely that he VIII find IL
20 his advantage to buy some nitrogen,
and in that event. the question Is which
form to buy and what he may expect
as the result Of using any particular
form.
There is an idea prevalent in some
quarters that certain forms of nitrogen
become very quickly available. so much
so in fact that they exert their primary
effect in a very short time. and crops
suffer from a lack OF this element to-
wards the end OF the growing season.
Some believe that inorganic forms or
nitrogen are the best, and others that
the organic form should be given pref
erence- As a matter OF fact, all forms
OF nitrogen have merit. and should De
considered on this basis. In purchasing
attention should be given TO that source
which will supply the available plant
food needed in the cheapest form and
in a manner best likely to serve the
. needs Of a growing crop. Where quick
stimulation Is an essential matter as
with truck crops. nitrate OF soda VIII be
found available. Sulphate or ammonia
can also often be used with proTit.
When IL becomes necessary to incor-
porate nitrogen with the soil. some or
these materials can be applied TO ad-
vantage. but as a rule organic nitrogen
will be found more satisfactory because
IL becomes more slowly available, ana
is therefore not likely to be lost from
the soil through teaching or excessive
fermentation before the plant is in posi-
ton TO assimiIate and utilize the nitrates
which have been elaborated. Organic
nftrozsns are also more likely 10 exert
what is termed a lasting effect In the
soil and TO be better for long season
crops on that account than for truck
crops. though to exclude their use from
truck crops would be extremely FOOLISH
Just as muchas to hold that quickly
available forms Of nitrogen. like nitrate
OF soda and sulphate of ammonia should
never be used under field crops.
The claims made, for instance, that
organic forms Of nitrogen. such as cot
ton seed meal. will become more quickly
exhausted in the soil than blood ana
tankzge is also not well founded at
least il seems correct and proper TO
make such a statement from the OBJ
scrvatfons and deductions which nave
been made in our demonstration Held
where all the principal carriers OF nitro
gen have been tested side by side for
some years past to determine the
residual influence they exerted on wheat
when associated with uniform rations
OF acid phosphate and muriate OF pot
ash In these tests cotton seed meal
made a better record than any other
single nitrogen carrier used, calcium
CyanamId and nitrate of soda standing
second and third respectively. Farm
ers need not hesitate. therefore. 10 use
cotton seed meal as the basis on which
70 builc up the nitrogen content or
their fertilizers. for these tests show
that IL exerted as important an influence
on the crop during .he growing season
az any other fertilizer used and its last
ing effect was better sustained than
that OF any other nitrogen carrier used
IL the experiments in question
Under normal conditions, even toT
= ucis crops. combination OF some or
ganic nitrogen. such as cotton seed meal
With nitrate OF soda or sulphate Of am
rlonia can be used to coed advantage
II Is probably true that good part
OF the nitrate OF soda should he reserved
and applied rs top dressing, the or
ganic nitrogen being mixed with the
soil at the tifle the crop is planted
Certainly. cotton seed meal IL combined
with nitrate of soda OF sulphate OF
ammonia as a top dressing will be
. found valuable for truck crops. On field
crops where there is a lonEer season
OF growth the value or cotton seed
meal has already been demonstrated