Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-05-17
F ARM EDUCATION
Nitrate of Soda Will Not Hurt
CathaUe
BY DIR. ANDREW M. SOULE

Nitrate of Soda Will Not Hurt
Cabbage
+. r. S., Dalton, Ga, writes:
Is nitrate of soda Is fertilizer
for cabbage dangerous at any
stage of growth? l have just
applied it to my plants with a
half dozen leaves. How long
should | wait for a second dust
ing?
Your letter leaves us somewhat
. confused as to the information you
desire. If you mean that there is
any danger of making cabbage poi
sonous to human beings from the
use of nitrate of soda, the answer
is positive no. If you mean that
nitrate of soda can be used to an
excessive degree in connection with
cabbage, the answer is yes. In 9th
err words, the over-use of this ele
ment might induce the cabbage plant
to develop too much leaf and stalk
at the expense of heading-up. You
can use nitrate of soda so as to pro-
long the growth of cabbage a good
deal. The right procedure is to put
a good fertilizer under the row
where the cabbage are to stand.
A good formula to use under cab
bage is one containing 10 per cent
of phosphoric acid, 4 per cent OF
nitrogen, and per cent of potash.
The fertilizer should be thoroughly
mixed with the soil so as not to
come into direct contact with the
roots of the young plants. We
would use this formula on the basis
of 700 to 1000 pounds per acre. The
= cabbage is a shOrt-season crop and
requires to be literally fortified.
If the cabbage make a good and
uniform growth and receive no set
back, we do not advise the use OF
nitrate of soda in the form of side
applications; but in case they do
not develop rapidly or are stagnated
by drouth periods, then we would
use side applications of nitrate OF
soda. 1t should be applied at the
rate of fifty pounds per acre. Two
applications should be made; one aft
er the cabbage have begun to grow
off rapidly and the second when the
heads begin to form. The last ap-
plication will tend to produce growth
at the expense of maturity.
Implements Suited to Cotton Guilt
walton
w. J. B., Swainsboro, Ga,
writes: What are the proper
implements to use in cultivat-
ing cotton at different stages
of growth; that is, before it be-
gins to fruit; at time of fruit
ing; and at maturity. The main
implement used in this section
throughout the growing season
Is the Sweep" Kindly suggest
simple outline for analyses Of
soils.
The types of implements to use
In the cultivation Of cotton depends
a great deal on the nature of the
land and the area devoted to this
crop. On the level soils of South
Georgia, two horse cultiVators can
be used with good advantage. I'm
der the conditions portrayed, the
rows may be made straight and of
substantial length, thereby avoiding
the necessity Of much turning. Very
close siding of the cotton can be
done with tWo-horse machines and
the ground so thoroughly stirred and
kept in such good condition that
very little hoeing will be necessary
after the cotton has been chopped
to a stand, Two-horse cultiVators
may be used for the greater part
of the season. A one-horse cult
vator Of standard type known as
Planet Jr or Iron Age can be used
to advantage in the cultivation of
cotton. These cultivators are adj
Unstable and may be opened out or
closed UP according to the size of
the plants to be worked. Differ
ent kinds of hoes may also be at
tached, thereby making it, possible
TO stir the soil to a considerable
depth in the middles Of the rows,
and to a shallow depth out towards
where the plants stand. Scrapes
may also be used on these cult
vators, thereby tending to preserve
dust blanket in dry seasons.
The principal thing in connection
with the cultivation of cotton I'M
der boil weevil conditions is to try
and see that the soil is stirred at
least once each week during the
period of growth and until the crop
is well along towards maturity. FIRE.
quent, shallow cultivation of the
land after the crop is we'll estab.
lished is the practice to which to-
adhere. The idea in cultivating this
crop so often is not to hold weeds
In check, but to preserve a dust
blanket during the drouth period
when 1t Is necessary to conserve
moisture and drive it through the
tissues of the plant rather than to
have it dissipated directly into tho
air by the process of evaporation.
The analysis of a soil is a rather
complicated undertaking, and I do
not believe any suggestion l could
offer of the character you have in
diGated would be of material bene-
III Sandy soils, as a rule, are de-
Hfcient in vegetable matter. They
also need to be Systematically en-
riched with a high grade, complete
fertilizer, depending on the crop to
be grown thereon. On most types
OF soils, lime will be found helpful
IL applied previous to the planting
OF legumes. The type of land in
south Georgia known technically as
the Triton sandy loans is a richer
soil than the gray or sandy land so
frequently met with in your part
OF the state. The Triton soils do
not need quite so heavy fertiliza-
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