Food for ing Tennessee and Kentucky, are, in round numbers, as 



P^^"^^ follows: 



^34 }{ay 15,000,000 acres. 



Wheat 8,000,000 " 



Rye : 772,000 " 



In most of these States large quantities of commercial 

 fertilizers are used, either because the soils are naturally 

 poor or because they have been depleted of their original 

 constituents by continuous cropping, and, even with added 

 fertilizers, the yields are not large enough to make the crops 

 in themselves highly profitable. In many States the yield 

 in particular districts is large, but the average yield of hay 

 is but 1.25 tons per acre; of wheat, but 13 bushels per acre, 

 and but 15 bushels of rye. The aggregate production of 

 these crops is, however, very large, and, because of the condi- 

 tions which prevail, it is likely that their growth will continue 

 for some time to come, though it is eminently desirable that 

 the average yield should be increased. 



One of the chief reasons for the low average yield is that 

 the farming is on the "extensive," rather than on the "inten- 

 sive" plan. The relatively large areas used are not well pre- 

 pared for the seed, and the fertilizers applied do not fully 

 supplement soil supplies of plant-food. These conditions 

 too, are not liable to change at once, because the farmers are 

 not yet prepared to adopt the more rational intensive system; 

 the adjustment to new conditions requires time. The sug- 

 gestions here given as to the use of top-dressings of nitro- 

 genous substances are therefore of primary importance, 

 because, if followed, it will enable the farmer to obtain 

 more profitable crops, and will encourage the gradual adop- 

 tion of better systems of practice. 



The farmers have, however, reached the point where they 

 are asking the general question: "How shall I profitably 

 increase the yields of these crops .?" They are not satisfied 

 with present conditions, nor with the general advice to supply 

 the crops with additional plant-food. The advice is not 

 definite enough, and they are not sure that the cost of expen- 

 sive plant-food will be returned in the immediate crop, and 

 they cannot afford to wait for future crops to return an 

 interest on the invested capital. As soon as it is made clear 

 that a profitable increase in crop from the use of fertilizers 

 is a reasonable thing to expect, then the questions are — firsts 



