Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-11-29

Nitrogen, 2,0S1; phosphoric acid, 81
O34; potash, 1902.
6. Greenville sandy loan (red sub
soiD-Nitrogen, 1,4S1; phosphoric
acid, 1888; potash, 1904.
7. Orangeburg sandy loan Ged
subsoil)-Nitrogen, 1,544; phosphoric
acid, 1888; potash, $4,000.
8. Triton sandy loan (brown peb-
BILE land)-,Nitrogen, 2,516; phosphor-
ic acid, 1915; potash, 10,908.
9. Norfolk sandy loan yellow sub
soil(--Nitrogen, 2,204; phosphoric
acid, 1874; potash, 1858.
10. Kalmia sandy loan yellow
subsoiD-Nitrogen 1,156; phosphoric
acid, Lass; potash, 25,S63.
Probably ilability-Nitrogen 2
per cent; phosphoric acid, 1 per cent;
potash, rs per cent.
Cotton crop zone bale)-Nitroge
"a pounds; phosphoric acid, 80
/ pounds; potash, 40 pounds.
Formulas-Nitrogen ga per cent;
phosphoric acid, 8-12 per cent; pot
ash, 3-5 per cent.
It is worthy of note that most of
the soil types represented are very
low in phosphoric acid and potash.
Some of them contain plenty of pot
ash and others a superabundance
of this element, though it largely
occurs in an unavailable form. This
arises from the fact that it is held
in insoluble silicates Of potassium
and alumina. Many of the soils in
question have been cultivated for
a long period of time in cotton and
very little effort made to build up
the supply Of nitrogen through the
use of organic matter. If we con-
slider that even under the most IA
vorable circumstances 2 per cent Of
the total supply Of nitrogen, L per
cent Of the phosphoric acid, and one
fourth of 1 per cent of the potash
will become available to crop OF
cotton, it is evident that we can only
anticipate the harvesting Of approx
mately one-third or less of a bale OF
cotton per acre. A crop of this size
is neither profitable nor desirable.
Cotton cultivation, to be reasonably
satisfactory to the landowner, must
be based on a minimum yield OF
one-half bale per acre. A bale would
be much better and would take the
crop out of the speculative field in
so far as the grower is concerned.
If this is to be done there must be
at least eighty-four pounds of avail
able nitrogen, thirty pounds OF avail
able phosphoric acid, and forty-ni11e
pounds of available potash at the
command Of the crop, because it is
self evident from the figures pre-
scented, relative to the total store OF
plant food in the first twenty-one
inches Of many of our principal soil
types, that only one-fourth, or at
most about one-half Of the nitrogen
needed can be supplied by the land
itself. In some instances it would
appear that there would be enough
phosphoric acid, but in practice this
has never proven to be true, and
while potash is less essential on the
Cecil clays than on some other soil
types, it can even be used there to
advantage in spite Of the apparent
superbaundance of this element con-
tanned in these particular soil types.
The foregoing facts make it plain
that care and skill should be exer-
cised in the selection Of the land
to be planted to cotton. In the past
this question has not engaged our
intelligent consideration. Faced by
the necessity of increasing the yield
and lessening the cost of making
the crop, it is self-evident that the
selection of a desirable soil type now
becomes a matter Of great impor-
lance.
The situation is further con1pli-
Gated by the fact that the soils
hitherto considered as best adapted