Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-02-24
WISE USE OF FERTILIZER
IN THE SOUTHERN STATES
VAST SUMS OF Money Wasted Every
Year by the Shortest OF
Common Sense.

The following treatise on fertilizer
IN general aud potash in particular is
from a recent Issue o. the Progressive
Farmer. and should be read by every
farmer il Virginia
inc answer 10 the question: as to
whether NC should use commercial
t'ruii&sr wholly depend upon ,he an
swcr TO another question: 10 they
pay? Tia, ;hey do pay and pay well
when rightly used Is abundartly proved
BY HNpnrimen, station cvtd"scc. on
evidence that southern farmers every
Wear taste millions OF dollars ,hrouC;,
tle unwise use OF commercial fc,;i.
Hers
ic", IS 20 tit them 10 our soil and cro-
needs. Soils wary greatly in ,rc;;
composition, and hence in their frr;i-
iiZrr requirements. ana different crops
i'h c"ise require plant FOCUS ia vary
lag proportions. Here lot us law down
come basic principles that wilt hcII,
guide us in buying and using fcr,i-
/. Where nitrogen Is needed. Rough
y. the nearer wc arc TO the Guif and
Ntianiic ccnsts. ihc greater the need
tor nitrogen In TACT. over practically
an The sandy aud 7andy !oam soils or
tn" Atlantic and Cut coastal plain.
nitrogen IS the great plant food nccd
On *nch lands. applications of nitro.
Sri Tor Surh crops aS cottOu. corn anal
"ata VII usually pay veil. Fifteen
POUNDS Of nitrogen. per acre or the
cIui'alcn, OF that found in $50 pounds
Of iQ-.-2 fertilizer 80 mounds of
cot,onsccd meal or 100 pound, Of nj
t-atc Of soda. will usually give excel
tent results on any oe the average thin
lands OF this section. and there is cvi-
dencc that considerably heavier app.j-
cations of nitrogen may DC prontabi.
made. Farther inland. on the Pied
mont mountain or Other clay or loan
soils. ;hc need for nitrogen is not az a
ru'" 50 acute. though there are ,nanS.
areas where tho use ot commercial
nitrogen is highly proCi,ablc. This IL
particularly true Of thin ialds and
lion.
. Where phosphorus is needed. Mex,
20 niiirogen' phosphorus or phorphoric
southern soils In fact it r needed
practically everywhere from VirginiS 10
Texas. except on the lime soils OF tho
Belt area OF Alabama. Mississippi and
Texas II is particularly valuable on
lands mat tend 70 make too much
TiaIt Of Leaf srow;h and too little frui;
equivalent OF $50 to 500 pounds o. 1t
per cent acid phosphate. is usually the
most profitable ar,oun, 20. use.
). where potash is needed w be
lieve that Southern farmers have
wasted more money Oh potash than
on any other plant food element. Draw
line, roughly. from about Mobile
Ma. northeas;ward through Macon
Ga. Columbia. S G.. and Raleigh, y. c..
and on northward through Virginia
and tho soils to the cast and south OF
this line. a rule, need potash cs-
pcci1ly y'hen planted to cotton or to-
bacco. West aud north Of this line
We do not recommend the use of
potash. except possibly on some fruits
ana on deep sandy lands where cotton
tends to rust. II YOU do not live in
the territory needing potash. il will
pa! YOU TO Leave L out entirely in
buying fertilizers
FOR the man who studies his soil and
crop needs and then knows what he IL
buying. fertilizers Nili nay We'll this
yea: In fact. undc. such conditions
We advise that thry be used Literally.