Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-05-12
Fertilizers for wheat, Oats and Rye

Fertilizers for wheat, Oats and Rye
Wheat, oats and rye are three fall
soWn grains that respond readily and
profitably to fertilizers. This is es-
pecially true of the oats and wheat.
With rye, which is generally used
for a winter cover crop and soil inn
proven, it is not of such Importance
to fertilize for heavy yields of grain;
but, for wheat and oats, it is very
important. For instance, forty
bushel yield of oats removes from
the soil about 81 pounds of nitrogen,
ii pounds of phosphoric acid, and 80
points of potash. BY liberal tertlll-
cation there are some farmers in the
south who obtain more than so BUSH
els of oats to the acre on land that
would not yield more than 10 or 10
bushels without fertilizer.
When oats are grown on rich land,
the fertilizer should contain high
percentage of acid phosphate to pro-
duce a heavier grain and to hasten
the maturity of the plant, which
will. in a measure check the growth
of the straw. On poor lands, rath-
err high percentage of nitrogen: in
addition to the necessary acid phOS-
phate, is required to make longer
straw and also increase the grain.
Oats on sandy soils require a fertl-
lizer containing some potash for best
results.
While acid phosphate is also very
necessary, nitrogen is the most I'M
portant element in Il fertilizer for
oats. Some nitrogen should be put
under the crop to give it d start, but
most of it should be applied in the
spring in the top-dresser. II a fer
tlizer containing too much nitro
gen is applied to the oats in the fall,
there will be some danger OF the
plants making quick, tender
growth and thus be more susceptible
to winter killing. For this reason
the nitrogen III the fertilizer used in
the fall should be in such form that
it will not became quickly available
such as is furnished by cottonseed
meal. tankage, or fish scrap. Nitro
gen from these sources will grad
ually become available to suit the
plants needs during the early fall
and winter. If nitrateS are applied
in the fall, winter rains are liable to
leach them out before the plant can
use all Of them as they are readily
soluble in water.
More nitrogen should be used on
sandy land than on clay land, and
more should be used on upland than
on bottom land. Where oats are in
tended for hay, they should be grown
on good land and well fortified with
a fertilizer containing Il high per-
centage of nitrogen
Oats do not require very much nj
trogen for growth during the fall,
especially if they follow corn in
which peas have been planted. For
fall-sown oats a fertilizer containing
from to II per cent phosphoric acid
and from to 4 per cent nitrogen
should be applied at the time the
seed is soWn. The phosphoric acid
will cause the plants to develop
better root system and it will not
leach out of the land. About . or
per cent of potash should be used on
sandy soils.
Therefore, the greater amount Of
the total quantity of phOsphoric acid
should be put under the crop. and
in the spring top-dresser should
be worked in with a harrow. The
time will vary with the latitude from
the latter part of February in the
southern part of the belt to the mid