SOILS AND FERTILIZERS 479 



ClemsoB Col. B. 21; R. I. E. S. Bs. 71, 90, 95, 104, 106, 112, 118; 

 O. E. S. Bs. 114, 168; N. H. E. S. Bs. 26, 88, 97, 108, 140; Purdue 

 Univ. B. 88; Univ. 111. B. 130; Mass. Col. B. 45; Md. E. S. B. 128; 

 Fla. E. S. B. 20; Colo. Ag. Col. B. 168. 



SPECIAL FERTILIZING. 



Owing to the variations in soil and climatic conditions it is 

 impossible to give any fixed rule for fertilization of any special crop, 

 either as to the formula of the fertilizer, time of application, 

 amount to be applied, or manner of application. A fertilizer that 

 might succeed well in Texas might prove a failure in Minnesota. A 

 fertilizer might succeed on one field in a State and fail of satisfactory 

 results on another. All the Experimental Stations have conducted 

 experiments looking to solving the problem and finding the best 

 fertilizer for each crop on soils of the same general characteristics, 

 but the results of the experiments vary largely. It should be again 

 emphasized that the first requirement to be successful in growing 

 any crop and the use of any fertilizer is for the farmer to know 

 the condition of his soil, what plant foods it contains and their avail- 

 ability for the use of the crop he desires to grow. 



Cotton. In reviewing the results of the experiments conducted 

 at or under the auspices of the experiment stations, and taking into 

 account the general experience of successful cotton growers, certain 

 general conclusions on the subject of the fertilization of cotton may 

 be accepted as tentatively established: 



(1) Cotton is a plant which responds promptly, liberally, and 

 profitably to judicious fertilization. 



(2) By judicious fertilization the maturity of the crop may be 

 hastened and the period of growth, from germination to fruiting, so 

 shortened as to materially increase the climatic area within which 

 cotton may be profitably grown. 



(3) As is the case with most other crops, the profit from manur- 

 ing cotton with concentrated fertilizers is much enhanced by ante- 

 cedent proper preparation of the soil. It pays to bring cotton lands 

 up to a condition of good tilth by mechanical treatment, and espe- 

 cially by incorporating in them liberal quantities of organic matter. 

 Upon lands in such condition fertilizers of all kinds yield more 

 profit, either from small or large applications, than upon lands not 

 so treated. 



(4) Renovating crops, and especially the cowpea. furnish an 

 efficient and economical method of bringing cotton lands into condi- 

 tion to respond most liberally and profitably to the application of 

 concentrated manures under cotton. The most profitable plan of em- 

 ploying the cowpea for this purpose on cotton is to gather the peas 

 at maturity, cut the vines for hay, and turn under the stubble along 

 with the manure resulting from feeding the hay to stock and cattle. 



(5) Barnyard manure and similar bulky manures are more 

 efficient and profitable as soil renovators than as specific fertilizers 

 for cotton. They should be broadcast liberally and used rather as 

 soil improvers than as immediate fertilizers. The same is probably 

 true of cotton seed, except where the price to be had for the seed 



