548 



Alabama College Station, Bulletin No. 22 (New Sei'ies), January, 1891 (pp. 29). 



Experiments with cotton, J. S. Kewman and J. Clayton 

 (pp. 3-24). — These included a test of varieties and experiments with 

 fertilizers. 



Test of varieties. — IlTotes and tabulated data for seven varieties. 

 Southern Hope, Peterkin, and W. A. Cook produced the most valuable 

 lint. 



Experiment with phosphate. — In an experiment with cotton on a piece 

 of new land phosphoric acid was applied on two plats, phosphoric acid 

 and cotton- seed meal on two, and no manure on one. The results as 

 tabulated, indicate that the decomposition of vegetable matter in the 

 soil did not furnish all the nitrogen needed by the cotton i)lant, and 

 that while the soil was deficient in phosphoric acid the profit was not 

 as great with 1,000 pounds as with 500 pounds per acre. 



Floats vs. acid phosphate. — The results of an experiment on sandy 

 drift, long in cultivation, in which floats were compared with acid phos- 

 phate, agreed with those of similar experiments in previous years in 

 showing that " in conjunction with cotton-seed meal floats were 

 more profitable than acid phosphate." 



Cotton at different distances and with different quantities of manure. — 

 Cotton was planted at distances of from 3 by 1 feet to 4 by 5 feet, and was 

 manured with cotton seed meal and acid phosphate, each ingredient 

 beiug used at the rate of either 250 or 500 pounds per acre. The results 

 as tabulated, agree with those of similar exiieriments in 1889 in indicat- 

 ing that 4 by 2 feet was the best distance to plant cotton on this land, 

 and that doubling the amount of the fertilizer was not profitable. 



Soil test of fertilizers icith cotton. — In 1890 an experiment was made on 

 fifteen i)lats in a field which had not been cultivated for many years. The 

 fertilizers used were sulphate of ammonia, dissolved bone-black, and 

 kainit, singly, two by two, and all three together; floats aloneand in com- 

 bination with sulphate of ammonia or green cotton seed, stable manure, 

 and green cotton seed, singly. Three plats received no manure. The 

 tabulated results, indicate that this soil needed nitrogen and potash 

 but was most deficient in phosphoric acid for the production of cotton. 

 The use of fertilizers seems to have hastened the maturity of the crop, 

 and kainit had a favorable effect in retarding the appearance of blight. 



While the stable manure produced the largest iucrease aud the largest profit per 

 acre, atteutioii is called to the fact that it was applied at the rate of nearly two tons 

 per aci'e, or half a ton more than the amount annually saved from each mule kept. 

 There is no question about the efficacy of good stable manure properly used, but the 

 available supply is too small. 



Intercultural manuring. — On two plats to which cotton-seed meal and 

 phosphoric acid had been applied before planting, additional amounts 

 of cotton-seed meal were applied at the first (June 18) aud last (July 

 30) plowing. The results as tabulated, indicate a large increase in the 

 yield of seed cotton from the intercultural applications. 



