FOOD FOR PLANTS 37 



of Nitrogen being thus indicated by laboratory tests, 

 the writer has during the past two seasons supervised 

 and directed a series of experiments upon the farm 

 of Mr. J. C. Moore, near Auburn, Alabama, who was 

 desirous of securing a formula adapted to the grow- 

 ing of cotton upon the sandy soil of his farm and of 

 the immediate section in which he resided. 



This soil is designated by the U. S. Soil Survey of 

 this region as the "Norfolk Sandy Loam." It is 

 described in the official report of the soil survey of 

 Lee county as follows: "The Norfolk Sandy Loam 

 is an easily tilled soil and the best for general farm- 

 ing of any of the Norfolk types in this country. It 

 is well adapted to cotton and when fertilized pro- 

 duces fair yields of corn and oats. The lightest 

 phase is well adapted to the production of potatoes, 

 berries and truck crops. The soil needs organic 

 matter which may be supplied by green or stable 

 manure." 



The cotton experiments conducted upon the farm 

 of Mr. Moore were carried out upon several plots ag- 

 gregating in area two-thirds of an acre. 



The land, after proper preparation, was laid off in 

 rows seventy yards in length, while the distance 

 between the rows was so adjusted that ten rows 

 would constitute a plot of one-sixth of an acre. Two 

 blank rows were left between the individual plots so 

 that the fertilizers applied to one plot would not have 

 any undue effect upon the adjacent plots. 



Plot No. 1 was fertilized by the application of an 

 acid phosphate containing 14 per cent, available 

 phosphoric acid and 4 per cent, potash, this fertilizer 

 being applied at the rate of 300 pounds per acre. 



