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southern Georgia; Various points must be considered in selecting a fertilizer, among 

 them the resulting tonnage, sucrose content, and quality of product, in connection 

 with the cost of the fertilizer. For instance, a fertilizer giving a very large yield 

 might give a small sucrose content, and vice versa. It must also be determined 

 whether the soil most needs phosphoric acid, nitrogen, or potash, what amounts of 

 each will be most profitable, and what is the best time and method for applying the 

 fertilizer. It is well known among fruit grow r ers that potash promotes the early 

 ripening of fruits, and the question arises as to whether the analogy would hold good 

 for sugar cane, causing an early development of sucrose. A number of experiments 

 along these lines, made at Mr. Roddenbery's plantation, are given in detail in Part I 

 of this bulletin. In general, however, far too little attention is paid to the question. 

 The fertilizer commonly used per acre is from 15 to 25 bushels of cotton seed and 800 

 pounds of guano, having about the following composition: 9 per cent of phosphoric 

 acid, 2 per cent of nitrogen, 3 per cent of potash. Large amounts of cotton seed 

 are used by nearly all the planters, some using as much as 90 bushels to the acre, 

 although 25 bushels is the usual amount. The fertilizer is put on in two applica- 

 tions one in the furrow with the cane and the other in drills at each side of the row 

 later on in the summer. In using cottonseed and. guano the cottonseed and half the 

 guano are applied in the drill with the seed cane, while the remainder of the guano 

 is applied in drills later in the season. Barnyard manure or compost is highly 

 prized as a fertilizer for cane, and gives much larger returns than its mere fertilizing 

 constituents could produce. 



It is not only necessary that fertilizers be used during the cultivation of cane, 

 but some form of humus must be added to the soil continually in order to prevent a 

 decrease in the fertility. Two legumes are used for increasing fertility, viz, velvet 

 beans and cow peas. Velvet bean land showed a distinct superiority over rye land with 

 the same amount of fertilizer on both, and when plowed under as a green manure or 

 pastured off by stock thebeans undoubtedly have a very beneficial effect upon theland. 

 Besides adding nitrogen to the soil, the beans probably help to make inert plant 

 food available through the addition of humus to the soil, as does barnyard manure. 

 The question arises, however, as to whether cow peas can not be more profitably 

 grown for this purpose, although the velvet beans may add somewhat more fertility 

 to the soil. The 1 wans have a very rank growth, and can be used for feeding purposes 

 only by grazing, causing of course a large waste, whereas if peas are planted together 

 with corn, after they have performed their function of supplying nitrogen to the 

 soil, the farmer gathers enough to plant next year's crop, and probably 15 bushels 

 of corn per acre. Or the peas may be sown broadcast and mowed, making the finest 

 hay obtainable. The question of obtaining food for stock confronts the farmers of 

 this section, as the land naturally furnishes very poor pastures. For this reason 

 velvet beans are used on only a few of the extensive plantations, and corn and peas 

 are generally planted for an " upbuilder." 



In regard to the question of cottonseed versus cottonseed meal, which is touched 

 upon under fertilizer experiments, Mr. Wight, of Cairo, thinks that if cottonseed 

 meal is used correctly, in proper proportion and properly applied, better results can 

 be obtained than by using cottonseed, (lood results have hern obtained, however, 

 by using the seed as a top dressing in middles when cane is laid by, the general 

 opinion among the farmers being that cottonseed makes just as good a manure after 

 sprouting as before. A disadvantage in using a large amount of seed is that the cane 

 is frequently attacked by wood lice. This can be prevented, however, by mixing 

 the need with guano containing phosphoric acid before applying. The usual amount 

 of cottonseed applied is 15 bushels per acre, while of cottonseed meal 400 bushels per 

 acre is used. 



While drainage is not a question with the south (Jeorgia planter, the best cultiva- 

 tion during a drouirh:. is a practical issue, and here again fertilization must be 00H- 



