Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-02-18

it can be cured easily and will be found
satisfactory. Millet sown by itself will
be ready to cut for hay in about sixty
days. 1t makes a very good hay, but
should be cut early. It's quality is i'm
proved bv combining with peas of
course, sorghum and peas and popcorn
and other early maturing varieties of
corn can be drilled in in narrow rows
and cut for hay when about 1s to "a
inches high. There is so much water in
q crop of this character that it is some
what difficult 70 cure, but it makes a
fair quality of hay, and when fed with
corn and oats will provide a satisfactory
ration for horses and mules.
We do not think you will find beard
less barley satisfactory to plant at this
season of the year. In fact, our expert
ence with this crop has not led us to
regard IL anything like as valuable
as the bearded sorts We think about
the only cereal you can plant at this
season of the year would be the oats
mentioned above. We believe the next
early maturing crop you will find 10 be
millet, or a combination of millet and
New Era or other early maturing peas.
RED DEDVIL LYE AS a SUBSTITUTE
FOR POTASH
A. y. Eastman Ga, writes: j have six
plant In cotton this year. and fear 1t will
not make much without some potash. How
would il do to mix Red Devil potash with
guano for cotton?
1t will he desirable of course to have
some potash for use under cotton on the
sandy land about which you write You
WILL however, not be able to secure any
potash unless you obtain it from wood
ashes If you have any tree tops, fallen
timber or brush you can burn you can
use the ashes for potash. Such material
would contain anywhere from to per
cent of carbonate of potash. We suggest
that you apply anywhere from 200
pounds and upward per acre. You can
put this material under the drill rows
but it should not be mixed with anything
else, although if you use any considera-
tie quantity we would prefer to broad
cast It and harrow i'll.
Red devil I've does not contain any
potash whatsoever. It is nothing but
caustic soda and would be injurious If
mixed with other materials or COM
post. We advise you to use acid phos.
phate and some carrier OF nitrogen which
you can secure most cheaply in your
section. Prepare a formula containing
about 3 per cent nitrogen and 10 per cent
phosphoric acid. II you can secure some
ashes and use as suggested you will i'm
prove the quality of your fertilizer. Re-
member that cotton sede meal contains
about l per cent of potash and therefore
it's use would likely be of considerable
advantage to one situated as you are.
PREPARING COMPOSTS FOR GEOR-
GIA.
S. 4. c., MIledgevile. Ga, writes Real
izng the serious outlook regarding the fer
tilizer situation, | would like some infor-
nation. Can l make a good compost by
using ground phosphate rock and barnyard
manure? Would 1t pay TO use lime with it?
| can get plenty of leaf Leaf mold: l want to
plant velvet beans. What variety is most
likely to mature in this section?
While of course, you can make a !
compost we hardly think 1t necessary to
do so in order to secure good results
from the application of yard manure or
vegetable matter to the soil for the
crops you expect to grow in 1916. Sup
pose you apply two tons of the woods /
mold per acre, opening out the drill rows
and scattering it therein. Do not mix
lime with the compost or with the acid
phosphate.
In our. experience acid phosphate has
given US a better return than the ground
rock phosphate and even at existing
prices we are inclined TO think that for
the stimulation of crops to be grown in
1916 you will find the acid phosphatel
preferable. Lime, If used at all, should
be applied at the rate of about a ton
per acre. Use the finely ground raw
rock. Scatter over the surface of the
ground PREVIOUS to planting legumes
and harrow in. Later apply 200 to go |
pounds OF acid phosphate.
Some of the early maturing varieties |
of velvet beans which ripen seed here |
in Athens are the Hundred Day, Yoka- |
hama and Early Speckle. The only one
to mature before frost is the Hundred |
,-fV Pos,-
of seed, but are later in maturing. Pos
sibly they can be adapted by selection
for growth in this section. We think |
you can secure some of the early varie- |
ties Of Velvet beans from any of the re-
liable seedsmen doing business in Geor- |
gia. For hay production We do not re-
gard them as equal to cowpeas or soy
beans. Possibly they will yield more
grain than cowpeas, though even this |
is a debatable question.
VALUE OF SALT AS FERTILIZER. |
S. c. E., wadley. Ca, writes: What is
your opinion of the vslue OF salt as q fer
tilizer? Several farmers in this vicinity (
are thinking of using IT, About what would
be the right amount per acre7
Common salt has been used for many
years in agriculture, but it's method of |
action was never understood until re-
in the form known as agricultural salt |
This as a rule is the refuse obtained |
from packing meat or the impure prod
uct derived from mines and other
sources which can not be properly re-
fined and used commercially with adj
vantage. Salt is of some service In
changing the potassium and phosphorus
from insoluble to soluble forms. If
used at all it should only be applied .
in small amounts, probably not over goo !
to 500 pounds per acre. Large appli-
cations at any time should be avoided
Salt is, OF some advantage in holding
moisture and tends TO regulate the move
meat OF water in the soil. Its action
is Of more theoretical interest than OF
practical value. 1t should not be used
in association with tobacco. sugar beets,
potatoes, or other crops which are like
ly to be injured by the chlorine. Farmers
could not afford to pay over $500 to
800 a ton for this material. We would
not advise its use under Georgia condi-
rionS only IN very exceptional cases.