96 FIELD CROPS FOR THE COTTON-BELT 



County, Georgia. Furman recommended the composting 

 of such nitrogenous materials as cotton seed and barnyard 

 manure with acid phosphate and kainit for the purpose of 

 providing a "complete fertilizer" at a lower price than 

 that which was being paid for the ammoniated guanos 

 so extensively used at that time. Furman's formula, as 

 originally recommended was as follows: 



Barnyard manure 750 pounds 



Cotton seed 750 povinds 



Acid phosphate 367 pounds 



Kainit 133 pounds 



In addition to the above materials, farmers often added 

 considerable absorbent earth. The general plan followed 

 in making the compost heap was first to put down a layer 

 of 20 to 25 bushels of stable manure, and to cover this with 

 an equal amount of cotton seed. Next, 200 pounds of 

 acid phosphate was applied and occasionally kainit was 

 added to the mixture. Absorbent earth was used at fre- 

 quent intervals in sufficient amounts to cover the entire 

 heap. 



The benefits derived from adding the acid phosphate 

 were: (1) it supplied the deficiency of phosphoric acid in 

 composts; and (2) it added calcium sulfate (an important 

 constituent of acid phosphate), which prevents the loss of 

 ammonia during fermentation. The absorbent earth also 

 prevented the loss of ammonia. 



A few days before, or at the time of planting, the com- 

 post is thoroughly mixed and applied in the drill at the 

 rate of 400 to 800 pounds to the acre. 



GREEN-MANURES AND ROTATIONS FOR COTTON 



108. Need of organic matter. — The most profitable 

 use of commercial fertilizers in the production of cotton is 



