Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-03-19
ood Requirements of Certain Truck Crops
Pounds Removed
Per Acre.

member that plants do not imme-
diately take up all of the food ap-
piled in the form of commercial fer
tilizer. There will be residue of
this material left in the Soil, hence
one might say that super-fertilization
is necessary with most truck crops
Plenats of the kind indicated must
be produced in a relatively short sea-
son and forced to maturity. Beating
the market by few days may mean
100 per cent profit or 100 per cent
loss. The use of fertilizers to this
end becomes an important factor
In the growing Of truck crops. OF
course, seeding early on lands that
have been properly prepared and the
selection and use of the best types
of seeds are all matters of equal
Importance.
In our climate here in the south
we have a relatively long planting
preston in our minds that there is
no necessity for getting crops into
the soil at given time. This is a
very great error on our part, and it
is one reason why trucking has not
proven more profitable. Some of our
people plant Irish potatoes, for in
stance, from January up to April
The profitable Irish potato crop is
the one which can be brought to
maturity say in north Georgia about
the first of Maya If it natures saw
thirty days later everybody then has
irish potatoes, and there is a slump
on the market and no one wishes to
nuy, hence the crop is put down as
Improbable when the trouble is
entirely. due to mismanagement. The
suggestion made. of course, applies
only to north Georgia conditions. The
crop would need to be matured and
orought on the market in south
georgia at a much earlier date.
nra, nat trick lands should be wA,1
si,iarnhiua ana broken up to a cor
srally appreciated. II is ap doyh gen gen
however if the importance of II tb Ii
idller IS generally recognized &c -
should be. There is an oninion +b1t
~ vegetables grow very close to
t the surface OF the ground and that
.iie ro1Is 81 given plants occupy( hnt
careful Investigations made Will, very
t.tGhce to this matter indicate +har
potR OF these conclusions AFRO az
loneous. At Geneva experiment sta
Ton In New York. for instance #
US l'Ird tlts t Such relatively small
r. rs as Isl lettuce sent their roots in
20 the Soll TO deuth of rs inches
S S 'hat shey sHl cad below the sur
lace over an area of u inches IN
"Ateht The roots of spinich meme
trates the soil to a depth of "a inches
W. Witn lateral sbread of Is inches
Inc English Lea pcnetrates the soil
10 Il depth of SO inches. with snread
OF IL inches. The cucumber meme
tiaies The soil to a depth of "a IN
with spread of % inches. The
bect Denetrates the soil to a denth
CT "a inches with a spread of 40
inches. These facts demonstrates
that truck soils must not onlv he
deep and friable, but that sufficient
spacing between the rows must be
given to permit of the generous later
al deVeIopment of the root system.
nitrogen is an important asset IN
ne truck grower. 1t has been said
mat the eye of the master fattens HE
cattle. 1T may also be said that tho
eye. OF the master grows his truck
crops out successfully. An abundance
OF nitrogen means that the Dlants
Will pc green in color and vigorous
In growth and development. The ab.
sence OF nitrogen results in stunted
growth and in a yellow, sickly ap-
pearance. Frequent applications of
nitrate OF soda are beneficial to truck
crops. One hundred to $50 pounds
may be used in two or three appIica-
tions. Balancing the commercial
plant food ration is an important
matter. Applications of 500 to 1000
pounds or more of plant food per acre
to truck crops are now commonly
made by our best growers. Formulas
used on these crops should contain
from 3.5 to per cent nitrogen, to
10 per cent Nphosphoric' acid. and 8
to per cent potash. ~'t