482 



to 250. The stations of Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, and 

 South Carolina obtain similar results from experiments, and indi- 

 cate that the application of fertilizing material to cotton seems, with 

 few exceptions, to be profitable. 



To the teaching of these specific experiments may be added the 

 general experience of the great bulk of the cotton planters, and it 

 may be accepted as proven that cotton responds favorably to artificial 

 manuring, and that upon most of the soils of the cotton States all 

 kinds of manures, including concentrated commercial fertilizers at 

 the prices at which they are commonly held, are profitable when 

 judiciously used. 



Comparative Values of Commercial Fertilizers and Home 

 Manures. Results of experiments on this point also vary consider- 

 ably with the soil and season. In Alabama green manuring ap- 

 pears to have been most profitable upon both prairie and sandy soils. 

 Peas and melilotus both gave good results ; pea vines appeared to be 

 the best fertilizer for cotton; peas were more economical for green 

 manuring for one season, melilotus for two ; stable manure generally 

 gave good results, lasting in effects; upon canebrake soils, both 

 drained and undrained, crushed cotton seed and stable manure each 

 gave small returns, commercial fertilizers none. Upon a field with 

 sandy soil which had not been cultivated for many years stable 

 manure, contrasted with chemical manures of various kinds and in 

 various proportions, produced the largest increase and the largest 

 profit per acre, but it was noted that the amount applied was at the 

 rate of nearly 2 tons per acre, or one-half ton more than the amount 

 annually saved from each mule kept. 



In Arkansas, cotton seed and cotton-seed meal gave best results 

 when tested against acid phosphate and kainit separately. On worn 

 sandy bottom lands almost continuously planted in cotton for thirty 

 years cotton-seed meal and stable manure each gave better results 

 than chemical manures, and better results when used alone than 

 when mixed with acid phosphate and kainit. Other experiments 

 indicated, however, that stable manure (from feeding cotton seed 

 and pea-vine hay) extended the growing season of the plant, de- 

 layed maturity of the crop, and hence decreased the possible yield 

 and profit. 



In Georgia, cotton seed and stable manure alone were found 

 unprofitable as compared with the same composted with acid phos- 

 phate, and gave less profit, when used in amounts of equal cost, 

 than chemical manures. In Louisiana, cotton seed and stable 

 manure alone were of doubtful profit as compared with chemical 

 manures. Manure from the farm should be re-enforced with cot- 

 ton-seed meal and composted with acid phosphate. The compost is 

 the best manure in the world for cotton. The formula recom- 

 mended for the compost is 



Green cotton seed bushels. . 100 



Stable manure do .... 100 



Acid phosphate pounds. . 2,000 



