^°piaSs Fertilizers for Tobacco. 



2U There are few products whose quahty and quantity are 



more affected by kind of soil and fertihzer than is tobacco. 

 For bright tobacco, the main kind grown in this State, the 

 fine and deep sandy loam with yellow-colored sandy clay 

 subsoil is the type of land most largely used and the one 

 which grows the best grade of this character of tobacco. 

 Generally, the kind of soil that is suited to the production of 

 tobacco is better understood than the fertilizer that should 

 be used on it. Evidence of this is seen in the great variation 

 in the composition of fertilizers sold in the State, especially 

 for use on the tobacco crop. In 1901 there were registered 

 with the Department of Agriculture one hundred and eight 

 (108) special fertilizers for tobacco. It is interesting in this 

 connection to note the wide variation as well as the average 

 composition of these fertilizers. The highest amount of 

 available phosphoric acid guaranteed in any of them was 

 9.25 per cent., the lowest, 5 per cent., and the average 8.12 

 per cent. The highest amount of ammonia guaranteed was 

 10 per cent., the lowest 2 per cent., and the average 2.73 per 

 cent. The highest amount of potash guaranteed was 5 per 

 cent., the lowest i per cent., and the average 2.64 per cent. 

 These wide variations in the amounts of the valuable fer- 

 tilizer constituents indicate that the fertilizers themselves 

 must have had very varying effects on the quality and 

 quantity of the tobacco crop. 



A study of the experiments in tobacco-growing and a 

 consideration of the experiences of good tobacco growers 

 show that the amounts of ammonia and potash in the aver- 

 age tobacco fertilizers, as stated above, are not as large as are 

 needed to give the best results. It would appear that the 

 largest amount of ammonia (10 per cent.) in any of these 

 "specials" is greater than is required for bright tobacco, 

 while the maximum quantity of potash (5 per cent.) in any 

 of the 108 brands is less than is used by numbers of our best 

 bright tobacco growers, especially in the eastern part of the 

 State. A considerable number of these growers either mix 

 their own tobacco fertilizers, or else have them put up 

 according to formulas of their suggestion. Below are given 

 five formulas for mixing fertilizers for tobacco. The grade 

 of those fertilizers will be higher and they will, of course, 



