Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-08-24
A FACTOR IN
SOUTHERN AGRICULTURE
, SUCCESSFUL FARMING

To understand the nature and extent
of the fertilizer industry in its relation
to southern agriculture one must ex-
anime the statistics dealing with this
subject for the year 1914, when this
business was in a normal condition. AT
that time there were consumed in the
United States S,414.95S tons of COM
nIerrial plant food with a value of ap-
lproximately S152,SI5,786. The phenome-
nal growth of this industry is evidenced
by the fact that the increase in ton
mage from 1909 TO 1914 was 49.S per
cent, and in value 52.7 per cent. Of the
fertilizers manufactured in 1914 4,4SS,-
465 tons were classed as mixed or COM
plete fertilizers. and 1,116,739 tons as
heterogeneous fertilizers. From these fig
ures ii appears that 5,605,2O4 tons of
the fertilizers used contained nitrogen.
That the south is primarily interested
in the use of fertilizers is shown by
the statistics set forth in the Crop Re-
porter for July, 1916, from which it
appears that the nine states of North
Carolina, South Carolina Georgia. Flor
ida, Alabama Mississippi, Louisiana
Arkansas and Tennessee consumed A.
SS7.095 tons In the crop season of 1914
Thus, q portion of the cotton belt APP
pears to consume the major part of all
the fertilizers used 1t is in this section
that the mixed or complete fertilizers
are chiefly applied and the greater part
of the large supply of nitrogen pre-
viously mentioned is consumed. The
nature and extent of the fertilizer in
dustry in some of the southern states
will be better appreciated when it is
stated that Georgia for instance, sold
1.47S,414 tons of fertilizer in 1914. OF
this amount, 1.292,56S tons were mixed
goods and 1S5,S4G tons were cotton seed
meal. South Carolina used over 1000,
900 tons of fertilizer in the same year
and North Carolina nearly 1000, 900
tons.
That nitrogen is an important and es-
Sential factor is shown by the extern
sive use which is made of cotton seed
meal in mixed fertilizers. This mate
rial, of course, is most valuable as
foodstufr for beef and dairy cattle and
other classes of farm stock. and ii is
exceedingly unfortunate that II is not
so used. The demand for 1t as a source
of commercial nitrogen. however, is so
strong that apparently it constitutes
about is per cent of the nitrogen used
in the mixed fertilizers applied in the
south. It's use in this manner is TO be
deplored as 1t initiates against the
production Of milk and meat and tends
to accentuate high prices for these
products. Undoubtedly, if there were
more abundant supply OF heterogeneous
carriers available which would provide
at the same or a, relatively speaking.
less cost per pound of available plant
food, all of the cotton seed meal now
manufactured would be reserved for the
promotion of animal industries, thereby
enabling the southern farmer to more
than double the returns now obtained
from cotton seed meal. since it would
first be used as a foodstuff. and later
In the form of yard manure as a soil
amendment, and as the greater part Of
the plant food contained in the original
meal would be eliminated from the
body of the animals consuming it in the
dejecta, it's fertilizing value per ton
would not be greatly reduced through
the process of feeding, providing the
farmer took proper care of the result
ing liquid and solid excrements and re-
turned them to the soil as promptly as
possible. The average price Of cotton
seed meal for some years past has been
about S25 ton, and if handled in the
manner indicated, It's potential value
would become at least $50 a ton, which
alone would add $1,000 900 to, the reve-
nue. of southern farmers as well as
improving the nature and condition of
the land through increasing the supply
of humus which fairly liberal applica-
tons of yard manure would bring to
the soil.
Before passing to a consideration of
other phases of this subject, IT may
not be improper to call attention to
the consumption of heterogeneous mater
ials in the United States during recent
years. In 1913, 10000 tons of nitrate
of soda, 215,00 tons of sulphate of am
monla, 100000 tons of cotton seed
meal, 10000 tons of dried blood, 100 900
tons of tankage and 10000 tons Of fish
scraps were used. This material was
chiefly applied by farmers living in
the southeastern states while some of
it was used on truck and fruit crop, the
major portion of it was used under such
general field crops as corn and cotton
1t is noteworthy that the nitrate Of
soda and a good part of the sulphate of
ammonia were imported from foreign
countries. The cottonseed meal, of
course, was manufactured in the south;
the dried blood and takage constituted
by-products of slaughter houses; while
fish scrap was obtained largely as a by
product Of one of our most important
maritime industries.
These figures make 1t self-evident
that nitrogen is an important and es-
sential element so far as our southern
agriculture is concerned. At the present
time we are paying very high price
for much of this material and are unable
to obtain a sufficient amount of 1t at
a cost which would enable the farmers
TO use ii in as liberal an amount as
is desirable. II Is needless to point out
therefore that anything which may be
done to increase the supply of nitrogen
and reduce it's cost will tend to stabil-
lie our agriculture, a matter which is
naturally not only of national, but of
worldwide Importance as well, in view
of the souths special adaptation to the
production of cotton-a crop which not
only now but in the future will contin-
ne TO exercise a wonderful dominance