Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-02-15
AGRICULTURAL
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-S AND SUCCESSFUL EARRING
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Top Dressing. Oats With Nitrate of Soda

lcrop To the best advantage. When APP
piled late there is tendency TO stimU-
late the growth of stalk and leaf at
the expense of grain Moreover, the
crop must have sufficient time in
which to assimilate as quickly an avail
able plant food as nitrogen i'm nitrate
OF soda 20. the best advantage. or
course. after the plant once takes it
~ through the funcuioning of it's roots,
il must still he elaborated and trans
formed. combined and recombined by
chemical processes within the plant be-
fore il serves its ultimate purpose in
the production OF grain. the object for
which the farmer cultivates the cat
crop.
1t is important TO remember that ni-
trate of soda should be applied as soon
after PURCHASING as possible so as to
avoid loss. IL should be kept in rela-
lively dry place. 1t should be put on
when the leaves OF the plants are dry
So as TO avoid any danger from burning
on account of the soda which it con-
tains. 1t should he put on after rather
than before a rain. 1t does not need
10 be narrowed or covered into the
ground for the simple reason that it
dissolves as soon as it comes in contact
with the soil. as all have observed who
have handled il to any considerable
extent There might be no objection
i'm a very dry season to running a har-
row over the oat land. not so much
to incorporate the nitrate of soda with
the soil as to benefit the crop by scra tch-
ing and working the crust and helping
t. form "A dust mulch over the ground.
SPINELESs CACTUS AS CATTLE
FOOD
Il. - Tennille Ga. writes: DO you
know anything about spineless cactus as
feed for catre? Is there any food value
in IL: Can it be grown in our section in
quantities and is it good for a stock feed?
Splneless cactus. as you probably
know has been greatly advertised in
recent years. This plant has long been
known i'm Mexico and the Mediterranean
countries. The spineless varieties are
not hardy where the temperature falls
below 20 degrees. You will thus see
that their cultivation is limited TO the
southwestern states, and the chances are
that the crop would be destroyed in
almost any part of Georgia in excep-
tionally cold weather. These cacti can
not survive on the open range. In otn-
er words, they are not as hardy as the
spiny varieties. AS much as 20 to 20
tons of spineless cactus have been grown
per acre without irrigation where the
rainfall has averaged as much as 70
inches Cactus are chiefly valuable as
an emergency forage for stock in semr-
arid regions. We would not advise
their cultivation in Georgia because so
many other crops can be grown of great
food value which will yield a greater
tonnage per acre and which Will COM
bine with cotton seed meal and other
concentrates which are produced in large
quantities in this section of the state.
GROWING CORN AND COTTON ON
RED LAND.
A. j. Monticello. Ga. writes: | would
like directions for planting and cultivating
cotton and corn on red clay land ! would
also like information on the cultivation OF
cantelomCS. How they be kept free OF
worms: Is it best to fertilize wheat in
the spring when the ground is very richf
Under existing conditions the cultiva-
ton of corn and cotton on red land
should be carried forward on the follow
ing basis: If the land was plowed well
last fall, harrow orr cross disk the sur
face so as to secure fine tilth rant
the corn in rows about three to four
feet apart. We would prefer TO plant
in a shallow water furrow. At the time
of planting the corn, we would put down
a mixture containing % per cent OF
nitrogen. to 10 per cent OF phosphate
acid This formula may be obtained
from any standard fertilizer materials
which you can obtain at a reasonable
price You can use acid phosphate and
cotton seed meal in the proportion OF
1000 pounds of the former and 500
pounds of the latter. In the event you
use this material you will have includ-
ed about 16 pounds of potash per ton.
While this is not enough to influence
the crop materially, it is.better than
nothing at all. Under corn we would
advise the use of 800 pounds of this
formula as a minimum. Two hundred
pounds may be used as a side appliea-
ton later on if you believe the crop is of
sufficient promise to justify the use OF
as much fertilizer as has been indicated.
Under cotton we would use about 800