Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-09-14
HOW TO FERTILIzE THE COTTON
CROP


on soils OF the type and composition
Of those predominating in the south
eastern states. il appears that COM
plete fertilizer will always prove more Ell
feCtive than the use of one of the So
called essential elements or combina-
ton OF two OF these. An extended study
OF this question has been made by the
division of AgrOnOmy OF the state COL
IeEe of Agriculture which has maintain
ed some twenty-seven tests areas in vari-
Gus part OF Georgia for the past five
years. The following summarized state
ment shows the effects of fertilizers on
the production of cotton on some OF the
principal soil types OF the state in com
parisOn with the plats receiving no fer
tiIizer:
An application Of 100 pounds OF mu-
rate OF potash increased the yield on an
average 100 pounds. 400 pounds Of acid
phosphate. IS pounds; 40 pounds OF sui
phate OF ammonia, 7s pounds; a com0i-
nation OF muriate OF potash and acid
phosphate. 253 pounds: muriate OF pot
ash and suphats Of ammonia, 200
pounds; acid phosphate and sulphate of
ammonia. 200 pounds; but when a COM
plets fertilizer was used the increased
yield became 449 pounds, or equivalent
to more than oue-third OF a bale or
lint cotton per acre. In other words,
the use OF the complete fertilizer as
compard with a single element. quad
rupled the yield. and where any two
were used together. results in increas-
ing Il by approximately goo pounds OF
seed cotto nper acre. As every one
knows who is familiar with the history
OF southern agriculture. there is no rea-
son why we should not have an album
dant supply of availabl phosphoric acid
ar q reasonable cost. We can correct
acidity through the use OF lime. and
probably we can secure considerable
quantities OF potash either from materi-
ais abundantly found in the south
through the aid OF the electric furnace
or from some OF the other sources Of
supply which are now being developed
in various parts OF the country. such as
kelp, aIunite. or the lake deposits Of Ne
braska and other western states After
the war no doubt potash will be as
cheap as at any time in the history OF
our agriculture. Moreover. the elements
phospOrfc acid and potash are not so
likely to be lost or dissipated from
our soils as nitrogen by reason Of its
instability and which on that account
will always remain in the most high
priced and difficult elements to secure
in sufficient amount and at a figure
which will enable the farmer to use
Win TIE amy AAcNCoeeAe ~ 49,
sure the reaping of sufficiently large
crops to supply our people with food
and our industries and foreign COM
merce with the abundance of raw mate
rail ESSENTIAL TO their welfare.
That il will take a tremendous sup
ply OF this material. much more in fact
than we are likely to ever manufac-
ture or secure from foreign countries
unless we utilize all our undevelOped
water powers and every other available
source of supply TO the best advantage
is evidenced by the fact that $4,000
900 acres OF land were devoted TO the
cultivation Of cotton in 1915. The aver
age WELD of lint cotton was 1898 pounds
per acre In one state, California, which
grows only a limited amount II reached
$50 pounds In Virginia II was 225
pounds: in North Carolina, go pounds;
in South Carolina. $50 pounds; and in
Georgia. 1Ss pounds. AS previously
shown. the average southern farmer is
not getting rich on cotton in the face
Of these figures. According to our
farm management Investigations. the
average labor income Of the Georgia
farmer Is approximately s446. Remem-
Der that this sum must provide for
the upkeep of families numbering pre-
sumably five persons, and AFFORD them
whatever they may expect to have in
the way of luxuries, clothing. and i'm
prOvements TO the home and farmstead.
II the nitrogen supply of the soils de-