St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1921-03-19
Fertilizers for Sweet Potatoes.

uc o"CCL poIaIO Ao AOC O. SoAA ALL
proven, but on the contrary requires
considerable fertilizing for best re-
suits. Last week l suggested ii,
would be profitable for farmers Il
buy less commercial fertilizers an
instead grow their fertilizers i
home. Some years ago the 4ExJeri
ment Station at Baton Rouge pun
li3hed the results of some eight e.
Deriments conducted over three seit~
sons OF growing sweet potatoes with
the application of kainit contain
ing potash, acid phosphate, and col
ton seed meal, both singly and in
various combinations. 1t found that
kainit and cottonseed meal alone
actually decreased the yield as COM
pared with no fertilizer on the crop,
that application Of potash was I'M
necessary in this state, and that the
most profitable yield from any singte
application was where acid phos-
plate was used, indicating that phos-
phoric acid is the element most need
ed by potatoes on these soils. AS
cottonseed meal Is chiefly valuable
for the nitrogen contained In it, and
as nitrogen can be obtaied by grow
ing legumes, such as velvet beans,
peas and clovers, why should the
sweet potato grower buy cottonseed
meal for fertilizer when he can more
profitably gorw its equivalent?
Another point in favor of home
produced fertilizer Is that the meth
cd is the only practical one for ia7
creasing the fertility Of the soil. 1t
is a we'll known fact that, excepting
nitrogen, there is usually sufficient
of the other chemical elements al
ready in. the soil. I'm examining
these so-called WORKOUT soils, one
finds they are short on humus and
lime (sour) with a good supply
Gotten 5000 to 10000 pounds) Of
phosphoric. acid and potash to the
acre in the first foot of soil, but not
now available to the plant. The av-
erage crop seldom takes more than
100 pounds OF any Of these plant
foods from ali acre and usually much
less-25 to 80 pounds. These ele-
ments have become locked UP and
must be unlocked again" Where is
the key to unlock the etorehouse?
Drainage Is the Key.
'tIf your soil Is wet and soggy
from bad drainage you must drain,
ditch or undertile it, SO that the air
can get into it and oxidize the hlmus
and mfnerels and give the plant
roots chance
It Is largely a, waste to use COM
mercial fertilizers before the soil Is
put In proper condition to use them
economically.
cit must be first remembered that
the greatest efficiency from the use
of commercial fertilizers can only he
expected when the soil to which
they are applied is plentifully sur
piled with decaying vegetable mat
ter This can best be accomplished
by the saving OF farm manures and
by the growing of crops to be turn
ed under. One of the greatest
wastes OF the Louisiana farm today
is to be found IN neglect OF farm
manures. Besides supplying vege-
table matter, their conservation and
use means the saving of the plant
food contained in the materials con-
sumed. These are the very ingredi-
ents that we purchase in commercial
fertilizers and the neglect of this
manure and buying commercial fer
tilizers is closely a kin to the prac-
tice Of saving at the spigot and vast
ing at the hung hole" Such are in
part the "Suggestions on Farming
Plans in Louisiana for 1921" re-