40 EXPEEIMENT STATION EECORD. 



and both were applied in the drill, the percentage of total seed cotton opened 

 at the first picking was about 35 per cent and at the end of the second more 

 than 20 per cent greater than on an unfertilized plat adjacent. 



As to the effect of different carriers of nitrogen when 78 lbs. of high-grade 

 dried blood was added to acid phosphate and manure salt, the percentage of 

 total crop open at the first picking was increased 3.3 per cent. Where one-half 

 the blood was replaced an equivalent of nitrate of soda, used as a side 

 dressing and applied early in July, the percentage of total crop open at the first 

 picking was generally greater. When one-fifth of the nitrogen was derived 

 from nitrate of soda and the remaining four-fifths from dried blood there was a 

 rather marked increase in the percentage of total crop open at the first picking. 

 When the nitrogen was derived from blood, one-half of which was applied at 

 planting and the remainder as a side dressing.early in July, a larger percentage 

 of total crop opened at the first picking than where nitrate of soda was divided 

 and applied in the same way. With cotton seed applied in the drill at plant- 

 ing, the effect upon maturity was about the same with dried blood ; while with 

 stable manure there was a material increase in the percentage of total crop 

 open at the first picking, but no difference at the second picking. 



In regard to potash it is noted that as its proportion increased the percentage 

 of total crop opened at the first picking gradually diminished, except for the 

 year 1907, August of which had about 3 in. less rainfall than was normal. 



For the types of soil studied, increasing from 200 to 800 or 1,200 lbs., the 

 amount of the application per acre of a fertilizer analyzing 7 per cent available 

 phosphoric acid, 2^ per cent nitrogen, and 2i per cent potash, was accompanied 

 generally by an increased percentage of the seed cotton open at the first picking. 



The following tentative deductions are made relative to the influence of ferti- 

 lizer upon the growth of cotton: "(1) Fertilization with ordinary applications 

 of commercial fertilizers hastens maturity. (2) Sandy and sandy loam soils, 

 whether fertilized or unfertilized, yield larger percentages of total cotton open 

 at the first 2 pickings combined than do red clay soils. (3) Heavy phosphoric 

 acid (N-Ps-K) fertilization on sandy and sandy loam soils, and medium heavy 

 (N-P2-K) applications of phosphoric acid from basic slag, have produced the 

 largest percentages of total seed cotton open at the first picking. (4) Normal 

 (N-P-K) fertilization yields on both sandy and red clay soils a larger per- 

 centage open at the first picking than high nitrogen (Ns-P-K) applications. 

 (5) High nitrogen (N3-P-K) applications generally yield on all types of soil 

 studied larger percentages of total yield open at the first picking than high pot- 

 ash (N-P-Ks) applications. (6) Air-slaked lime alone does not hasten ma- 

 turity, but when used in connection with commercial fertilizer it augments their 

 influence in hastening maturity." 



Local fertilizer experiments with cotton in northern Alabama in 1913, 

 J. F. DuGGAR, J. T. Williamson, and L. J. IIawley {Alabama Col. Sta. Bid. 

 175 (IdlJf), pp. 3-//7).— "This bulletin records the results of 32 fertilizer ex- 

 periments with cotton, conducted by the Alabama Experiment Station in the 

 counties of the northern half of Alabama in 1913. Of these, 21 are regarded as 

 conclusive. 



In 17 of the conclusive experiments cotton-seed meal was apparently needed 

 and profitable. In 12 experiments, phosphate was more effective than kainit; 

 in 3 it was about equally as important as kainit; and in 2 tests, it was less 

 effective than kainit, though apparently needed. Kainit was apparently needed 

 to a greater or less extent in 16 tests. 



"As a rule, the complete fertilizers were more profitable than cotton-seed 

 meal, acid phosphate, or kainit applied singly or in pairs. The complete fertil- 

 izers were also the most profitable applications in 1911 and 1912 in north Ala- 

 bama. In the general average it was more effective and more profitable in all 



