Soils and Fertilizers for Pecans 83 



Stable manure supplemented with acid phosphate makes a 

 very satisfactory fertilizer for pecans. The beneficial effects 

 in increasing the water-holding capacity and the bacterial 

 flora of the soil, as well as improving its general mechanical 

 condition, extend far beyond the plant-food content of the 

 stable manure as shown by analysis. In actual plant-food, 

 100 pounds of cottonseed meal contains more nitrogen than 

 does a half ton of stable manure. However, when they are 

 both applied to the soil, the stable manure would probably 

 produce the better tree growth. Unfortunately stable manure 

 is seldom available in sufficiently large quantities to be de- 

 pended on as a source of fertilizer for large plantings of 

 pecans. From one-quarter to one-half a ton to a tree, de- 

 pending on its size, applied in late winter or early spring, is 

 satisfactory. It should be spread in a circle around the tree 

 extending out about twice the spread of the limbs and plowed 

 under or harrowed into the soil. From five to fifteen pounds 

 of acid phosphate may be applied to each tree, and worked 

 into the soil with the stable manure. 



The use of cover-crops. 



The importance of cover-crops for improving soils for 

 pecans is well recognized. The most economical method is 

 probably less understood than the use of commercial or 

 chemical fertilizers. For a long time it was thought that 

 turning under cover-crops while green would cause an acid 

 reaction in the soil which would be detrimental to plant 

 growth. Numerous experiments have proved this to be a 

 fallacy, however. 



Fertilizing materials are valued for their content of phos- 

 phoric acid, nitrogen, and potash. Lime, magnesia, and iron 



