CHAPTER V 



FERTILIZERS FOR COTTON 



COMMERCIAL fertilizers were not used 

 for cotton until about 1860. At this 

 early date wonderful results were at- 

 tributed to their use in increasing the crops. 

 For several years the increase in the use of 

 them was followed with good results, but 

 after a time the idea began to spread that 

 the stimulating effect gave out and the soils 

 really became poorer. The truth of the mat- 

 ter was that with their continued use and with 

 the clean cultivation, all the vegetable matter 

 and humus became exhausted. A natural 

 consequence was poor land and decreased 

 yields. The alluvial bottoms along the streams 

 and some of the rich uplands will produce 

 profitable cotton crops without the aid of 

 manures of any kind. 



Commercial fertilizers, when wisely used, 

 have been profitable to the cotton grower, 



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