14 The Bulletin. 



"(3) The fresher the land the less the need for nitrogen. 

 "(4) Phosphate hastens maturity and may make more severe the 

 injury from cotton rust. 



EFFECTS OF FERTILIZERS ON MATURITY. 



"Cotton growing on poor land is late in maturing, unless the process 

 be hastened by the loss of leaves from rust, or by the premature death 

 of the plants. 



"Acid phosphate decidedly hastens the maturity of cotton. Its 

 use enables the farmer to obtain at the first picking, or at the first and 

 second pickings, a larger proportion of the total crop of cotton than 

 by the employment of any other single fertilizer. Other forms of 

 phosphoric acid, including raw phosphate and basic slag, when used 

 in connection with stable manure, have also been found to hasten 

 maturity. 



"Nitrogen in commercial fertilizers in small or medium amounts 

 somewhat favors early maturity. When a nitrogenous fertilizer is 

 combined with acid phosphate, the highest degree of earliness is 

 secured. On the other hand, ripening is retarded if the amount of 

 nitrogen be excessive or if a nitrogenous fertilizer be applied very 

 late. 



"The use of potash usually causes the crop to retain its leaves and 

 to continue growing late into the fall. 



"The use of kainit often prevents rust and should be used on soils 

 where rust in cotton occurs. Experiments have shown that on some 

 soils muriate of potash is as effective for rust as is kainit. At the 

 Alabama Experiment Station 100 pounds of kainit per acre was as 

 effective in stopping rust as were 200 pounds. It seems to be un- 

 known why potash stops rust, but it is nevertheless worth while for 

 persons who are troubled with rust in their cotton to give it a trial, 

 even if they do not apply more than 75 pounds per acre. We doubt 

 the advisability of applying a less quantity than this." 



In applying the fertilizer to the soil, it is better to apply the phos- 

 phoric acid and potash at least ten days or two weeks before planting, 

 and if cotton seed meal, blood or tankage is used as sources of nitro- 

 gen, all may be mixed together and applied at the same time. 



If heavy applications are made, 400 pounds and upwards, a dis- 

 tributor should be used that will cover a space of ten or twelve inches 

 or a cultivator should be run through the furrow to thoroughly mix 

 the fertilizer with the soil. If nitrate of soda is used as a source of 

 ' nitrogen, it is better to apply at planting time twenty-five to forty 

 pounds per acre, or a few days after planting, by distributing on the 

 top of the row just before the cotton comes up; other applications 

 later if needed. 



