The Wilmington morning star., 1941-02-17
T0P-DRESSINC AID
TO SMALL GRAIN
About SSS,0O0 Acres of Land
In State Is Seeded to
Small Grain

About 1888, 900 acres of North Car
DINA farm land was seeded to small
grain - wheat, oats and barley
last fall. w. H. Rankin, agrono-
mist of N. C. State college, says
that three out of every four acres,
Or IS percent of the small grain
would be benefited by a top dress
ing of nitrate of soda.
Top dressing of readily soluble
nitrogen, such as nitrate OF soda.
should be applied generally be-
tween March 1 and l5." Rankin
advises. TOO often top dressings
are applied too late 70 produce
maximum benefit. When S m a i
grain is in the boot, or already
headed out, the maximum in
creases in yields will not be OBJ
tanned"
With this in mind, the agronomist
suggested that the top dressing
should be applied in early spring,
after most freezing weather is pass
and about the time small grain be
gins to make spring growth.
Rankin says it is wise to apply
top dressings on all soils and under
all conditions where the supry OF
nitrogen is relatively low, and vege-
tative growth inadequate for the
production of at least 20 to Is bush
els of wheat, and 40 to IS bushels
of oats per acre. He estimated
that more than 900, 900 acres OF
small grain land in North Caro-
lima would be benefited by the fer
tilization practice.
Uniform Distribp ion Needed
For conditions where small grain
was seeded behind soybeans OF les
pedeza cut for hay, and after corn
and other cow cultivated crops,
Rankin recommends the use OF 10
to 125 pounds of nitrate of soda
per acre. Uniform distribution OF
the top dresser is essential he
saws. land this ear best be &C.
complished with the use OF a err
tilizer attachment on a grain drill.
Distribution by hand is less uni
form, but with sufficient careful
ness, a fairly uniform distribution
can be accomplished
The agronomist strongly urged
the seeding of lespedeza or fed
clover at the same time the nitrate
of soda is applied to the gram
Every acre now growing small
grain for seed should be planted
with a legume," he stated. Les
pedeza generally is best, but a mix
ture of lespedeza and red clover,
or red clover alone will give favor
able results"
Rankin pointed out that both top
dressing and seeding of the legume
can be done at one operation. II
it is desired to apply phosphate
for the legume, this may be mixed
with the nitrate and three jobs Will
be done at the same time with a
grain drill.
Poor management practices at
seeding time cannot be entlrely
overcome by substitute treatments
in the spring." the State college
man declared, but top dressing
will aid in improving yields where
the vegetative growth of the small
grain has been light" He does
not recommend the application OF
nitrogen where very heavy applica-
tons of stable manure have been
used, or where heavy crops OF
lespedeza, red clover or soybeans
have been turned under prior to
the seeding of the small grain crop.
Aso, he advises against using top
dressings on extremely poor stands
of grain.
Sums Up Suggestions
In summing up his suggestions
to farmers, the State college ag-
gronomist said: MANY farmers fail
to get the fu" benefit of their top
dresser because they wait too late
to apply it. The effectiveness OF
top dressing may be reduced as
much as % to 10 percent by apply
ing the material too early or too
late.
"A good rule to follow is to apply
nitrogen fertilizer about the time
active growth begins in late winter
or early spring. In the Coastal
Plain the common practice is to
apply 300 to 40G pounds per acre
of 4-8-4 or 1856 fertilizer at plant
ing time. ane 100 to $50 pounds
Of nitrate of soda about March /.
In the Piedr ont and Mountains
farmers generally use 300 pounds
OF a 0-1O.4 fertilizer on fertile
soils. or 300 pounds Of a 4-1O-4 on
poor soils, and apply rs to 100
pounds of nitrate of soda in the
spring.
increases of eight to ten bush
els of oats, and five to six bushels
of wheat per acre are achieved
where top-dressing is applied cor
recty." l