New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1918-03-02

phosphorus acid, 8 per cent nj.
trogen and 5 per cent potash
Fortunately, it is not necessary to
buy all this plant food. Nature
allows the soil to give to man a
portion fits treasures, and. he
who will, to draw from the air a
goodly portion Of nitrogen. A
good crop Of cowpeas grown with
corn and turned under, will re-
place one hundred pounds Of nj
trogen, leaving the hundred and
twenty-one pounds t ODE supplied
from other sources. The ashes
from bagasse will supply about
one hundred and twenty-five
pounds Of potash, together with
some phosphoric acid, leaving six
teen pounds Of potash and the re-
mainder of the phosphoric acid to
be found.
Because soil cannot always be
kept in a state Of perfect filth,
and the rainfall is sometimes in
sufficient, a crop will not econom-
ically use even this large quantity
of plant food. On different soils
it has been found by experiment
that a cane crop can appropriate
from twenty-four to fofty-eight
pounds Of nitrogen and that differ
ent kinds of cane require varying
quantities of this element. Plant
cane on a peavine fallow will re-
quire small amount of nitrogen,
while plant cane not on peayine
fallow and stubble cane will re-
quire a greater amount.
Neither potash nor phosphoric
acid can be secured from the air,
and that quantity which the soil
cannot furnish must be bought.
Tests have shown that from TWEEN
ty-four to forty-six pounds Of
phosphoric acid is sufficient for
maximum pields on most soils and
that on some soils potash pays.
Then upon a peavine fallow a
small amount of nitrogen and
large amount Of phosphoric acid
should be used. They should be
used in the proportion Of at least
one per cent of nitrogen to two
per cent f phosphoric acid. On
successin cane nitrogen should be |
largely increased and on stiff
black lands may even be applied
in proportion of two to one. On
sandy lands and on all frst-year
stubble, they should be applied IN !,
q ratio Of one to one and on Sec
ond-year stubble two to one. On
light r sandy soils and on some
other lands potash has been found
Of benefit.
When and How to Apply.
When the cane is planted in the
fall, fertilizers must be applied in !
the spring, when the soil is being
thrown back to the young plants.
When cane is planted in the spring
fertilizers ca nbe applied to an
before the seed cane is
put down though the same prac
tice as with fall plant may be
used. In all cases, however. care
should be taken to see that the
is well distributed over
The crown Of the row and that it
is thoroughly mixed in with the
soil. Some fertilizing materials if
allowed to come into direct con-
tact with plant roots will cause in
jury.
Cultivation.
No one can expect to get the
best results from crops that are
planted on q poorly prepared
and especially is this true
Of sugar cane. IA part Of the row
in field Of sugar cane is not
touched by the pillow from the
time that the crop is planted un-
iii the two or three crops have
been harvested, and. therefore,
too much blowing can hardly bel
lone before planting. In order
10 get termination it is necessary
o remove part Of the soil from
he top of tho seedbed Of plan
,ane and 10 dig away the dirt
rom around stubbagk During
'pring, when there il an abund-Ij
nee ef rainfall. there can be no
arm 4rona AAin nHaNfiNa Dnrfnn IL