176 



A liAlMoNAL SVSTK.M OF I'KRTHJZATION. 



Coiisi(l(^rin^ peniunu'iH'y of elTei't, as woll as influence 

 on the crop iiiniKMliatcly following", tlie cowpc^ and otlier 

 l('«»uniinoiis plants must be ranked as a cheaper source 

 of nitro«!:en tluiu i«s any nitrogenous material which may 

 he houiilit as commercial fertilizers. Tlie aim of the cot- 

 ton farmer should he to grow such areas of legumes as 

 will enable him to disix^nse with the purchase of nitro- 

 genous fertilizers for cotton, using the funds thus saved 

 to purchase increased amounts of phosi>hates or other 

 necessary non-nitrogenous fertilizers. The money that 

 would Have been necessary tx) purchase one pound of ni- 

 trogen will buy about three pounds of phosphoric acid, 

 or of ix>tash, which larger purchases of phosphate and 

 potash will enable the fai-mer to grow heavier crops of 

 legumes. And heavier crops of legumes trap larger 

 amounts of otherwise unavailable atmospheric nitro- 

 gen and result in further soil enrichment. 



In the writer's opinion the most promising method of 

 increasing the yield of cotton per acre and the profits of 

 cotton culture is hi/ a more general use of leguminous 

 plants as fertilizers. These invaluable allies are by 

 some farmers utilized and appreciated, but their use 

 might be increased twentyfold with advantage to the 

 current crop, to the permanent upbuilding of the soil, 

 and to the filling of the farmer's pocket. It is putting 

 the case very mildly to say that the average yield of 

 cotton per acre in Alabama might be increased by at 

 least fifty per cent, through the general use of legumes 

 as fertilizers. 



