BULLETIN No. 91i.FERAY18. FEBRUARY, 1898. ALABAMA Agricultural Experiment Station OB' THE AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL COLLEGE, AUBURN. CO-OPERATIVE FERTI LIZER EXPERI MENTS WITH COTTON I N 1897. J. F.: DUGGAR, .Agriculturist.: BIRMINGHAM ROBERTS & SON. 1898 COMMITTEE OF TRUSTEES ON EXPERIMENT STATION. I. F. CULVER....................................Union Springs Hope Hull. J. G. GILORRIsT............... ...................... H. CLAY ARMSTRONG.....................................Auburn. STATION COUNCIL. WM. LEROY BROUN................................... P. H. MELIL..........................................Botanist. B. President. B. Ross............................................Chemist. .. ........................... .............................. Veterinarian. Agriculturist. C. A.. CARY, D. V. J. F. DUGGAR..... F. S. EARLE.........................Biologist and Horticulturist. C. F. BAKER ....................................... Entomologist. J. T. 'ANDERSON................................ Associate' Chemist. ASSISTANTS. C. L. HARE..............................First R. G. WILLIAMS ........................ T. U. CULVER ............................ Assistant Chemist.. Second Assistant Chemist.. .Superintendent of Farm. SThe Bulletins of this Station will be sent free to any citizen of the State on application- to the Agricultural Experiment Station, Auburn, Alabama. CO-OPERATIVE FERTILIZER EXPERIMENTS WITH COTTON IN 1897J. F. DUGGAR. SUMMARY. Under the direction of the Alabama Experiment Station fertilizer experiments with cotton, or "soil tests," were made in thirty localities in the State. The object was to learn the best fertilizers for the different classes of soil. Two hundred pounds per acre of cottonseed meal was used to furnish nitrogen, 240 poundis of acid phosphate to supply phosphoric acid, and both one hundred and two hundred pounds of kainit to afford potash. These fertilizers were applied singly, in pairs, and all three together. Of these experiments twenty-two afforded definite indicationts of the manurial needs of the soils on which they were made. Phosphoric acid was most effective on eight soils, potash on four soils, and nitrogen on four soils; phosphoric acid And nitrogen were about equally beneficial in two experiments, and four soils stood greatly in need of all three fertilizer constituents-nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash. The experiments in which phosphoric acid was moist effective were located near Tuskaloosa, Tuskaloosa county; Clanton, Chilton county; Sterrett, Shelby county; Town Creek, Lawrence county; Lumber Mills, Butler county; Prattville, Autauga county; Brewton, Escambia county; and Burnt Corn, Monroe county. The experiments in which potash proved moist effective 44 were located near Dothan, Henry county; Union Springs, Ballock county; Coatopa, Sumter county; and Naftel, Montgomery county. The experiments in which nitrogen was most effective were located near Jackson, Clarke county; Perote, Bullock county; Greensboro, Hale county; and LeGrand, Montgomery county. The experiments in which phosphoric acid, potash and nitrogen were all greatly advantageous were situated near Berneys, Talladega county; Thomaston, county; Rutledge, Crenshaw county; and Daphne, Baldwin county. which nitrogen and phosphoric acid The experiments in. 'Were about :equally beneficial, and potash of slight or no ef fect, 'were located near Cusseta, Chambers county, and Kayilr, =Randolph :county. Fertilizer experiments with cotton were made in eight 'other -localities, in which the results were not entirely con clusive. :The fertilizer that afforded the maximum net profit in the greatest number of localities was a complete fertilizer made up as follows: 200 pounds per acre cotton seed meal, 240 pounds per acre high grade acid phosphate, and 100 pounds per acre kainit. This fertilizer mixture contained 2.59 per cent. of nitrogen, 7.75 per cent. of available phosphoric acid, and 2.93 per cent. of potash. The season was generally dry, and rust or other leaf disease was widely prevalent and very destructive. Under these conditions, lkainit greatly reduced the injury from leaf diseases in. 61 per cent. of the experiments, or eight ot of thirteen experiments of which complete reports were made., This does ,not imply Aso favorable an effect of kainit in seasons when weather conditions are normal, and when rust or blight is less widely prevalent. IMarengo 45 OBJECTS AND METHODS OF THE EXPERIMENTS. The soils of Alabama differ widely. Hence they require different fertilizers. For most profitable results the fertilizer must be suited to the soil. Misfits are frequent and costly, especially in a State spending several millions of dollars for commercial fertilizers. To decrease such losses is the object of the "soil tests," or local fertilizer experiments conducted under the direction of the Alabama Experiment Station by farmers in different soil belts. To map the ,State, even roughly, according to the fertilizer requirements of the prevailing soils, must necessarily be the work of years. In locating these experiments the writer has been guided more by the geological map than by county lines. The number of co-operative fertilizer experiments provided for in 1897 was thirty-six, from which 30 reports were received. Twenty of these reports give definite indications, and are discussed at length this bulletin. The others, deemed inconclusive, are more briefly tabulated. Small lots of carefully weighed and mixed fertilizers were supplied to each experimenter. Detailed instructions as to how to conduct the experiments, and blank forms for reporting results, were also furnished. in 46 The following is the list of those who made the fertilizer tests in 1897 and reported results: Name Post Office County Page Autrey, A.......... Berneys........Talladega.......85 _Anderson, J. P.... Thomaston......Marengo........83 Blackstock, J. J. Borland, T. M...... .... McLendon......Russell.........95 Dothan. . . Henry..........68 Ballard, J. L........Jackson........Clarke........75 Craddock, J. B...'..Abbeville.......Henry..........95 _Daffin, E. J... ..... Tuscaloosa......Tuscaloosa......50 Daugette, Prof. C. W.Jacksonville.. Calhoun........96 Dykes, J. W........Union Springs. Bullock.........69 Funkey, F........Tuscumbia......Colbert.........96 Gordon, Dr. Jno. . ... Healing Springs .. Washington.96 Hightower, W. T.... Perote.........Bullock......77 Horn, C. D.........Coatopa........Sumter.........71 ,Jarrett, J. W........ Sterrett........Shelby.........52 Jones, T. K......Greensboro..Hale.,..........79 Logan, J. A........Clanton.........Chilton.........54 McGregor, A.. A..Town Creek ... Lawrence....... 56 McDonald, F. C...Rutledge ........ Crenshaw..... McLendon,' J. R...Naftel........... Montgomery....' Meadows, T. T...Cusseta ......... Chambers....91 Mills. ..... 87 73 81 97 Robertson, J. T..Legrand......... Montgomery.. Roundtree, F. M..Evergreen....... Conecuh........ Smith, .... Butler.......... 59 Sellers, Geo. 0...Lumber Smith, McQueen . ... Prattville........ Autauga........ 62 97 G. W....... Brundidge .. Pike ........... 'Terry, J. W........ Brewton......... Escambia....... 63 Randolph....... 93 'Thornason, T. J...Kaylor.......... Baldwin........ 89 Valerio, A. M....... Daphne ......... Wilkinson, J. A...Autaugaville..Autauga........ 97 Watkins, J. P...... Burnt Corn. .Monroe ......... 65 47 The directions sent required each plot to be one-eighth of an acre in area. Rows were 32 feet apart, and each experimenter was advised to so thin the cotton as to leave the same number of plants on each plot, preferably at distances of 18 inches between plants. The directions stated that land employed for this test should be level and uniform, not manured in recent years, and not new-ground, or subject to overflow, and that it should be representative of large soil areas in its vicinity. The need of perfect uniformity of treatment for all plots (except' as to kinds of fertilizers used) was emphasized. Fertilizers were applied in the usual manner-that is, drilled, ridges afterwards being thrown up above the fertilizers. Notes on the weather show that in moist localitiesthe season was abnormally dry, a circumstance which naterially lessens the value of the results. A leaf disease, generally spoken of as rust or blight, was very prevalent, especially in the central and southern, portions of the State. THE FERTILIZERS USED. The fertilizers used in this experiment cost, delivered in Auburn in less than carload lots, as follows: Per Ton. Acid phosphate...... ............. $ 11.00 Cottonseed meal.......... ........ 19.00 Kainit...... ..................... 13.75 Slaked lime........................ 5.00 Prices naturally vary in different localities. Anyone can substitute the cost of fertilizers in his locality for the price given above. The above prices for high-grade acid phosphate (dissolved bone) and kainit are several dollars lower than the usual price. The manufacturers of the phosphate used, Edisto Phosphate Company, Charleston, S. C., supplied the Alabama Experiment Station with both phosphate and kainit at an extraordinarily low rate. A 48 part of the kainit was donated by the German Kali Works, New York City. In each experiment two plots were left unfertilized, these being plots 3 and 8. The following table shows what kind and amounts of fertilizers were used on certain plots; the number of pounds of nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash supplied per acre by each fertilizer mixture; and the per centage composition and cost per ton of each mixture, the latter being given in order that these mixtures may be readily compared with various brands of prepared guanos Pounds per acre o ' fertilizers, nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash used and composition of each mixture. FERITILIZERS. MIXTURE CONTAINS koy KIND. 42 0 0 4Z 4 Lbs. Lbs Lbs Lbs 3.54 5.76 200 Cottonseed meal........ 13.58 6.79 2.88 1.771 In 100 lbs. c. s. ~~~13857281 36.12 .... ........ 240 Acid phosphate ......... 2 15.05 In 100 lbs. acid phos ........... 24.60 420Kainit ... ......... ...... ....... ......... 12.30 In 100 lbs. kainit ..... 5 200 Cottonseed meal.... 13.5 1.88 3.54 240 Acid phosphate ....... j} .80 3.09 9.52 In 100 lbs. above mit 5.7.2.1 . 1358 61 200 Cottonseed meal .200 Kainit ....... .... .... 1.44 7.03 3.39 In 100 lbs. above inixt 240 Acid phosphate.o.. 7 j 1 meal.* $19,.00 6 } 11.00 13.75 14.60 16.38 12.26 N 200 Kainit.............................. f200 ~Cottonseed 9 240 In 100 lbs. above mixt..8.21 lAcid 1200 10 __ In 100 lbs. above mixt 2001 Cottonseed meal.. IKainit............ . meal.. phosphate........ 13.58 2.12 13.58 2.59 5.59 41.88 28.14 6.54 41.88 7.75 4.39 15.84 2.93 14.38 240 Acid phosphate........ J 100 IKainit ... ........... IIn 100 lbs. above mixt all of- the 14.44 * Average of many analyses. t Counting available. phosphoric acid in cottonseed meal as 49 Those farmers who are more accustomed to the word ammonia than to the term nitrogen, can change the figures for nitrogen into their ammonia equivalents by multiplying by 3/14. Unless explained, the term "profit from fertilizers" as used in the following tables, might be misunderstood. Profit or loss, as there used, is simply the difference between the value of the increase attributed to the fertilizer and the cost of the latter. To make this more exact, the careful reader may subtract from the apparent profit certain small items, which, because variable, could not be incorporated in the table-for example, cost of applying fertilizers and cost of picking and ginning the increase. Again, the actual profit per acre from cotton culture may be greater or smaller than the "profit from fertilizer." When on the unfertilized plot cotton isproduced at a loss of say $3 per acre, and when the tables show, say $10 as the profit from a certain fertilizer mixture, a part of this profit must go towards offsetting the loss that would have occurred without fertilizers, leaving the farmer in this case only $7 in actual profit, although the fertilizer may have been beneficial to the extent of $10 over and above its cost. On the other hand, when cotton is produced at a profit on unfertilized land, and when fertilizens also show a profit, the sum of these two items is very nearly the farmer's actual profit. In determining the increase over the unfertilized plots, the yield of the fertilized plots, Nos. 4, 5, 6 and 7, iscompared with both unfertilized plots lying on either side, giving to each unfertilized plot a weight inversely proportional to its distance from the plot under comparison. This meth ad of comparison tends to compensate for variations in the fertility of the several plots. It should be remembered that seasons, as well as soils, determine the effects of fertilizers, so that to be absolutely 50 reliable a fertilizer experiment should be repeated for several yeans on the same kind of soil. GROUP I. PHOSPHORIC ACID MOST EFFECTIVE. EXPERIMENT MADE BY E. J. DAFFIN, '2 MILES EAST OF TUSCA- LOOSA, TUSCALOOSA COUNTY. The field had been cleared probably sixty or more years before. The experimenter does not describe the soil, but gives the following list of the trees constituting the original forest growth: Oak, pine, hickory, gum, beech, mulberry, sassafras, persimmon, cherry, poplar and ash. The preceding crop was oats, which was preceded by two crops of corn. Rust was present, and there was no difference in this respect between the different plots. The season was very dry, and the crop was made by August 5. The .stand was almost perfect. "There were no outside rows." A spot extending across plots 1, 2 3 and 4 was struck by lightning, but apparently the effect was not very great, for the injured plot that was not fertilized lacked only a few pounds of equaling the yield onthe uninjured plot that was not fertilized. 51 .Tuscaloosa experiment t with cotton. RESULTS FERTILIZER. SEED COTTON FINANCIAL N 0 4- 44 KIND. O @ w 0w ~ 0 k Td 1 2 3 4 Lbs 200 Cottonseed meal....... 240 Acid phosphate........ 00 fertilizer........... 200 Nainit 200 240 200 0 No ze.......... Lbs.Lbs$ 648 50 $1.12 $1.90 -. 79 896 304 0.08 1.32 4.70 592. . .. . 68.. 1,064 94 .. 4019.203.20.10 3360 .. 0 8 10 Cottonseed meal.. Acid phosphate.... Cottonseed meal..... jjainit E .827 . .50. 20 Kainit............ 0 00 No fertilizer............608... ......... 200O Cottonseed meal. 40131.26 1,108 20Acid phosphate ........ 200 ainit............ Toaainit.... phospha.................. .... 14 2.9070 Increase of seed cotton. per acre whencttons 9 o 20acid phosphate.po...... .8 500.1..00 .6 e was added: To unfertilized plot .... ..... ...... ...... 560lbs.. To cidtponsph maplot...............162362 To kainit plot ................ 2..30 To cidtosph maeand kainit plot.......147 ' Average increase withacottposedameal. 12 52 increase of seed cotton per acre when kainit was added: lbs " " To unfertilized plot....................101 To Cottonseed meal plot................247 To acid phosphate plot.................109 To cottonseed meal and acid phos. Average plot... 4 increase with kainit............13S Phosphoric acid was the fertilizer constituent most urgently needed by this soil. Nitrogen was moderately effective. The most profitable fertilizer was a mixture of 200 pounds per acre of cottontseed meal, 240 pounds of acid phosphate and 100 pounds of kainit. The favorable effect of acid phosphate on the soil in this vicinity was shown in 1889 in an experiment made by Mr. A. V. Albright, of Tuscaloosa county. (See Bul. 12 of this station.) .EXPERIMENT MADE BY J. W. JAERETT,4 MILE SOUTH OF STER- EETT, SHELBY COUNTY. Soil gray ; very shallow ; slaty sujbsoil. Bleared o'nly ,three years before, This field was fresh only coirn prior to the time of this experi-. .and had produced ment. The soil is described as good cotton land, but as not very retentive of either water or fertilizers. There was no rust. The weather was dry. land, 53 Sterrett experiment with cotton. FERITILIZERS. SEED COTTONFINANCIAL RESULTS c~ KIND. 0 4-D 0 ~I(N. 4Z -4 k P-W r__4 QbJ Lbs. 1 2 3 4 5 2000Cottonseed meal....35 240 Acid phosphate...41 30 00 No fertilizer .......... 30 200 Kainit...... ........ Lbs. 1,080 Lbs $ 40 $0.80 $1.90 -1.10 8.16 2.3 10.66 Cottonseed meal... 240 Acid phosphate. 200 408. 1,448 1,040 ............ 118 1, 216 1,688 533 1.32 6.84 .8 7.22 36 3.22; 3.28 2.70 . 1.38 6 25 200 Cottonseed meal.." 200 Kainit........... 34 7 2401Acid phosphate.... 200 Kainit.......... 8 .00 No fertilizer..........27 1,200 1,520t -13 249 -. 26 4.98 2.28 9 10 U100 24 1,720 240 Acid phosphate ... ) 1200 Kainit ............. Cottonseed meal ... ) 240 Acid phosphate...... 24 1,512 )__________ Kainit ............. 1,328 .200.................... 7.84 4.60 39 184 3.68 3.90 3.24 -. 22, f200 Increase of seed cotton per acre when cottonse-ed meal, was added: ..... ........ To unfertilized plot . .... To acid phosphate plot.......... To kainit plot ........................ and kainit To acid phosphate plot .. 40 125 131 .143 lbs. " " .... Averagre increase with cottonseed meal...... 44" Increase of seed cotton per acre, when acid phosphate was added: Ms. "......408 plot........... To 493 " To cottonseed meal pl.ot ................. 131 To kainit plot ..................... To cottornseed meal and kainit plot........ 405 " unfertilized Average increase with acid phosphate". .... .359 54 Increase of seed cotton per acre when kainit was added: To unfertilized plot .................. 118 lbs. To cottonseed meal plot..............53 " 159 " To acid phosphate plot ..............To cottonseed meal and acid phoe. plot-141 " Average decrease with kainit................ 59 The chief need of this recently cleared land was for acid phosphate. As usual, on fresh lan.d cottonseed meal was not very effective. Kainit was not needed. The most profitable fertilizer was the mixture of acid phosphate and cottonseed meal, which was only a few cents ahead of acid phosphate used alone. These results accord with those obtained in. a two years test conducted by Mr. J. W. Pitts, Creswell Station, Shelby county, in showing a special need for phosphoric acid and no increase from potash. EXPERIMENT MADE BY J. A. LOGAN, CLANTON, CHILTON COUNTY. Gray sandy soil; pale red subsoil. The field used was cleared of the original growth of pine and oak ten or fifteen years ago. Corn was the crop in 1895 and 1896. The report does not indicate whether the yields were seriously affected by rust, although this was present on some plots. 55 Clanton experiment with cotton. FERTILIZERS. bEED COTTONI FINANCIAL RESULTS ;nton U ar Nr v I k I OO KIND. o E o U~ .32 1 38 1 2 4 Lbs. 200 Cottonseed meal. 240 Acid phosphate. 00 No fertilizer......... 1. 6 5 7 8 9 10 { { 200 Kainit.............. 200 Cottonseed meal.. 240 Acid phosphate. Lbs. 432 584 320 496 912 680 Lbs. 112 $2.24 264 5.28 3.38 578 11.56 338 6.76 169 4.60 $0.34 3.96 2.00 8.34 3.48 12.00 ainit .............. { 20 00 No fertilizer .......... 200 Cottonseed meal. '240 Acid phosphate.. 200 240 Acid 200 Cottonseed meal.. 40Acid phosphate..1 f} ) 1,084 356 1,032 1,112 r \r 735 14.70 1 200 Cottonseed meal... Kainit.............J phosphate... 676 13.52 756 115.12 3.90 8.90 11.20 100 Kainit ........ Increase of seed cotton per acre when cottonseed meal way added: ".....112 lbs. To unfertilized plot .. "........... " To acid phosphate plot................314 To kainit plot..........................169 To acid phosphate and kainit pot. 59 " Average increase with cottonseed meal..134" Increase of seed cotton per acre when acid phosphate was added: 264 lt. To unfertilized plot ................... 466 " To cottonseed meal plot........ ........ ". To kainit plot.........................566 iTo cottonseed meal and kainit plot....... 338" Average increase with acid phosphate ...... 409' 56 Increase of seed cotton per acre when kainit was added: To unfertilized plot ...................169 lbs. To cottonseed meal plot...............226 " To acid phosphate plot ................ 471 " To cottonseed meal and acid phos. plot .... 98 " Average increase with kainit................ 241 The chief need of this soil was for phosphoric acid. Potash ranked second in efficiency. To a less extent the yield was increased by nitrogen. The most profitable fertil izers were the mixtures of cottonseed meal, acid phosphate and kainit; apparently 100 pounds per acre of kainit was more profitable than 200 pounds. Mr. Logan conducted a fertilizer test on cotton in 1891 and again in 1892. All three tests agree in showing that phosporic acid is more urgently needed than any other fertilizi'ng ingredient. They all agree further in showing that the soil of that vicinity responds moderately to nitrogen. They disagree in regard to the effects of potash, muriate of potash in the two earlier experiments proving useless, and kainit in the present experiment proving decidedly benefi cial and profitable. This difference is not estrange in view of the fact that the seasons were not alike; that different potash salts were employed, and that almost certainly different fields were used. Apparently the land which in 1897 showed a need of potash was in poorer condition than the field used in the two earlier tests. Apparently a fertilizer for the soils of this locality should consist chiefly of acid phosphate. EXPERIMENT MADE BY A. A. McGREGOR, 24 MILES SoUTHWEST OF TOWN CREEK, LAWRENCE COUNTY. Yellowish red soil, 6 inches deep; subsoil red. This field had been in cultivation at least 70 years. Original forest growth' was red oak, post oak, black jack oak and hickory. The preceding crop was cotton, which was 57 immediately preceded by two corn crops. From many valuable notes recorded by the experimenter the following extract is taken as explanatory of the results on plots 7, 9 and 10: "Aug. 4.-No. 10 not fired or matured so much as No. 9 or No. 7. ... Sept. 20.-All plots containing phosphate have suffered from drought, but plots with phosphate and kai'nit more than others. There was no rust, but considerable loss from the shedding of forms. Leaves were shed about the middle of September, which was due not to maturity, but to drought and heat." The number of plants on each eighth-acre plot was as follows: 1131 on plot 1, 1151 on plot 2, 1037 on plot 3, 1042 on plot 4, 1143 on.plot 5, 1126 on plot 6, 1105 on plot 7, 1013 on plot 8, 988 on plot 9, and 931 on plot 10. The actual yields, independent of the number of plants per plot, constitute the basis for the following table. In studying these results to learn whether the yields were greatly affected by variations in. the stand, a calculation was made of the theoretical yields on the basis of a perfectly uniform stand. An analysis of these "corrected yields" pointed to the same general conclusions as those drawn from the actual yields. That is to say, the average increase due to acid phosphate was 329 pounds on the basis of actual yields and 332 pounds on the basis of yields corrected to allow for variations in the stand. Likewise the average increase on. four plots attributable to cottonseed meal was 168 pounds by actual yields and 177 pounds by corrected" yields. For kainit the average increase on four plots was 39 pounds, reckoned on actual yields, and 81 pounds on a basis of a uniform stand. 58 Town :Creek experiment with cotton. ,ww FERTILIZERS. SEED- COTTON FINANCIAL RESULTS, I.CRC) e'.4E 0 CG' iO C KIND. . -4- bL 4. ZS.4 z 0 O Lbs. 200 Cottonseed meal.. 3 .. 40 Acid phosphate .. 00 No fertilizer......... 200 Kainit....:.......... 200 Cottonseed meal. 240 Acid phosphate..; 200 Cottonseed meal. 200 Kainit...... 1 .. 240 Acid phosphate. 200 Kainit........ ..... : 00 No fertilizer.......... 200 Cottonseed meal.. 2401Acid phosphate....:. 200 Kainit .. :...........J 200 Cottonseed meal.... . 10) 240 Acid phosphate.. J 100 Kainit ............. n I c)rulli~~i~i~ 18 20 6 8 27 17 23 6 '1 Lbs. 756 1,036 660 796 1,248 844 854, 500 Lbs. 96 376 I.. . 56 03.8__3 168 652 280; 322 6.44 2.70 3.74 26 I1.1,008 26 1,144 508 10.16 644 : 4..60 5.5G 12.88 .3.90 (f8.98 Trease of seed cotton per acre when cottonseed meal w a6sadded : To To To To lbs. unfertilized plot................96 ......... 276 "' acid phosphate:plot... kainit plot................112 acid phosphate and kainit plot........186 168 Average increase with cottonseed ,ncrease' of useed cotton per acre when acid phosphate was meal. added: To unfertilized plot..................376 To cottonseed meal plot ................. To kainit plot.......................154 To cotton eed meal and kainit 556 lbs. " plot.......228." Average increase with acid phosphate...... 329 59 Increase of seed cotton per acrewhen kainit was added: ls. " " T;ounfertilized plot,.........68 To ,cottonseed meal plot....... To acid phosphate plot............. To cotton.seed meal and :acid pbo. ...... plot. .144 184 54 Average i ncrease Mwith kainit..............39 chief need of this soil was for phosphoric acid. The Ni- trogen was decidedly more beneficial than kainit. These results accord with Mr. McGregor's experiment in 1896. The. greatest profit from fertilizers, $9.82 per acre, was ,obtained' 'by a mixture of acid phosphate and cottonseed meal. EXPERIMENT, MADE BY GEORGE 0.. SELLERS, LUMBER MILL, BUTLER COUNTY. Graysandy,soil, 10 inches deep; Thius field, on which the original fore.° red clay subsoil. had been. growth yellow pine ,and: blackjack; oak, had been cleared eleven years be- The. season was dry until, the.-middle of there occurred days of rainy weather, favoring. rast, which' caused shedding of leaves on all plots where' n6 kainit was used. The estand ins reported gas: uniform._ 'ten August, -when 60 Lumber .Mills experinent u. with cotton. FERTILIZERS. SEED COTTON FINANCIAL RESUL'rg -)o cd y. N w 0 0 N s. 4Q Lbs. 1 200 Cottonseed meal...80 Lbs 520 Lbs. 152 $3.04 $1.90 2 34 17200 Kat....... phosphate.. N240 Acid 240 Acid phosphate ....... 85 00 No oto sed m a... " 63 0 ant ............ fertilizer.......... 9 67 600 368 ... 58 8 232 18 4.64 .8 .8 1.32 ....32 $1.4 2.32, . 4. 2(14 S{240OAcid 8 3 200 CKaint............ 6 200 Cotntnsed.e.....} 200aii..... phosphate.. 800 No fiiz......... 69 712 296 5.92 3.28 79 1 6 87 87 784 856 800 352 408 352 ____ 7.04 8.16 7.04 2.70 .60Kn 4.34 200 Cottonseed meal ... . 00 ofriie ..... 240 Acid phosphate. . . . . . 200 Cottonseed meal.... 240 Acid phosphate..... _ 4 001_Kainit J 3.90 __. 3.14 Increase of seed cotton per acre whencottonseed " " meat was added : 152 ......... To unfertilized -plot .... .... .. To acid phosphate plot...............152 To kainit plot........................112 To acid phosphate and kainit plot........56 lbs. Average increase with cottonseed Increase of seed cotton per acre when acid phosphatewas added: lbs. To unfertilized plot...................232 mealplot.................232 " To cottonseed 168 To kainit plot ......................... To meal.116 cottonseed meal and kainit plot.......112 " Average increase with acid phosphate......186 61 :Increase of seed cotton per acre when kainit was;added To unfertilized plot ......... ..... 184:t. To cottonseed meal plot................144 " 120 To acid phosphate plot ............... To cottonseed meal, and acid phos. plot... 24 Average increase with kainit.............108 Acid phosphate. was most effective. Both equalling acid meal and kainit, although were beneficial. The benefit from-kainit in 1897 essarily an indication that this soil is deficient since at least a large part of this benefit seems rust-restraining tendency of this fertilizer. ,not cottonseed phosphate, is ndt necin, potash, due the to 62 EXPERIMENT MADE BY MESSRS. MCQUEEN SMITH iDB. W. GREsHAM, ON THE FARM OF THE.FORMER.NEAR PRATTYILLE, AUTAUGA COUNTY. Soil, red clay or loam. This test was in pine, cultivation for perhaps 50 years. oak, hickory and chestnut. FERTILIZERS. made on nearly level upland which had been The original growth was cotton. Prattville experiment with- SEED COTTON FINANCIAL RESULTS FQ p.O : W KIND. O 4-; Indz 4- i616 16 30 ~tSS 4 O E Lbs. 200 Cottonseed meal .. 240 Acid phosphate... 00 No O 1 2 3 ~v fertilizer......... . 3S4 50 Lbs. -8 192 197 314 - .16 LI664 160 360 6168 3.84 3.94 6.28 3.10 6.96 $1.90 -2.06 2.52 1.32 1.38 3.22 3.28 -. 4 6 {240 Acid phosphate ... { 200 Kainit ............... 200 Cottonseed meal.. 200 Kainit.............j 2.56 3.06 18 200 Cottonseed meal..l Acid phosphate.. Kainit .............. No fertilizer........... 155 348 75240 i.200 00 ( 200 9 J' 240 S200 8 10 2.70 4.60 3 90 4.26 1 Cottonseed meal. Acid phosphate.. Kainit ............. 264 352 40 7.04 8.00 2.44 4.10 200 Cottonseed meal .) 240 Acid phosphate.. 1 100 Kainit ....... ,, Increase of seed cotton per acre when: cottonseed meal wa6 added: Lbs. To unfertilized plot....................-8 To acid phosphateplot..................122 To kainit plot.................... . -42 " To acid phosphate and kainit plot......4 Average increase with cottonseed meal......19 63. Increase of seed cott-on per acre:when acid phosphate was added: To unfertilized plot....................192 To cottonseed meal plot................322. To kainit plot ................... 151 To cottonseed meal and kainit plot.......197 " tbs. Average iricreae wit-h acid phosphae. .. 21 Increase of seed cotton per acre when kainit was To unfertilized plot....................1 To cottonseed meal plot................163 To acid phosphate plot.................156 To cottonseed meal and acid phos. plot.... 38 added s verage increase with kainit.. ..... .. 13 chief need of thirs soil wars for acid phosphate. Kainit nThe in this unfavorable season was moderately-effective. The cowpeas grown between the rows of corn on this field in 1896 apparently furnished enough nitrogen; at any rate, cottonseed meal was not decidedly beneficial in 1897. The largest profit, $4.26 per acre, ways obtained by use of 'a mixture of acid phosphate' and kainit, this, with the peavines of the pre ceding year, forming practically a complete fertilizer. EXPERIMENT MADE BY J. W. TERRY, BREWTON, ESCAMBIA the COUNTY. Gray soil ; clay subsoil. Pine, the original growth, was removed twelve years ago. The preceding crop was oats, followed by cowpeas. Corn occupied the field in 1895, and sugar cane in 1894. " The very hot and dry weather after the rain in July caused all the fertilized plots to shed bottom leaves. .Plots 5,.6,. 7, 9 and 10 never recovered from a storm in July." 64' Brewton experiment with cotton. FERTILIZERS. SEED COTTON FINANCIAL RESULTS o. dU 0 0IND. .0 4-4 z 1 2 3 4 t I 0 I- Lbs. Lbs 808 286 $5.7 $1.90 $3.82 Cottonseed meal........ 352 7.04 1.32 5.72 Acid phosphate........804 512. ............... No fertilizer........... 2.06 172 1.38 712 Kainit.......... . 704 Cottonseed meal Acid phosphate.. j Cottonseed meal .... 227 4.54 3.28 1.26 ani.........792 6 j}0 Acid ~40 phosphate. 200................. 816 234 4.68 270 1.98 ........ .. 00 . No fertilizer...........600... 8 200 Cottonseed meal. { .68 864 24 5.28 4.60 Acid phospate.. 200 Kainit.............J 200 Cottonseed meal. 10 240 Acid phosphate 880 280 5.60 Lbs. 200 240 00 200 200 240 200 3.44 3.90.1.70 100 Kainit.............. Increase of seed, cotton per acre when cottonseed meal wa* added: To unfertilized plot..... ............... To acid phosphate plot.............. 286 lb. -195" .... :.... To kainit plot ........ .......... 55 To acid phosphate and kainit plot........ 30" Average increase with cottonseed meal..... 93 cotton per acre when acid phospha to ~seed 1-crease of was added: "....353 lbs. To unfertilized plot .............. meal plot................129" To cottonseed 62 .................... To kain it plot ..... To cottonseed meal and kainit, plot......... 37 " Average increase with acid phosphate.......145 65 Increase of seed cotton per acre when kainit was added: To unfertilized plot ........... ..... 172 lbs. To cottonseed meal plot. ................To acid phosphate plot ................. 59 " 118 " To cottonseed meal and acid phos. plot.... 107, ' Average increase with kainit .............. 2 Unfortunately at the date when the report was forwarded to Auburn some cotton still remained unpicked on plots 1, 2, 4 and 5, estimated roughly by the experimenter at about 10 pounds on each of these eighth-acre plobs. The table does not include the cotton on these four plots opening at that late date. As recorded, the figures show that the greatest increase in yield is attributed to acid phosphate. Cottonseed meal increased the yield, in spite of the fact that the preceding crop of cowpeas had already contributed to the supply of nitrogen in the soil. Kainit was unprofitable. This experiment by no means indicates that under normal weather conditions and on land not recently in cowpeas acid phosphate and cottonseed meal could be used singly to greater advantage than in combination. We should expect a mixed fertilizer to give best results on this pine woods land. EXPERIMENT MADE BY J. P. AND J. C. WATKINS, 2 MILES NORTH OF BURNT CORN, MONROE COUNTY. Gray, sandy and rocky soil; red clay subsoil. The field on which this test was made had been in cultivation about thirty yeans. The original forest growth is reported as pine, oak and sweetgum. No note is made of injtiry from rust. Burnt corn experiment with cotton. FERTILIZERS. SEED COTTON FINANCIAL RESULTS c2 40 KIND. 53 Lbs. 5 4 0 ... . 2Lbs 4 3 . -.. . Lbs. Lbs.6 Lbs. 1dm~l,.. 2 480 4 61 200 Cottonseed meal. 18 60020 240 Acid phosphate. *pae7 648 0 7{ No fertilizer......... .5 4403 26 6 28 200 Kainit. .............. 200 Cottonseed meal. 240 Acid phosphate.. 10 200 Cottonseed meal.. 200 Kainit ... ... ....... s 240 Acid phosphate .... 200 Kainit... ... ...... No fertilizer........ 200 Cottonseed meal.. 240 Acid phosphate.. ... 200 Kainit .......... Cottonseed meal..:.. 240 Acid phosphate. aa $ 08 .8 .0 5- 19 .2 2 11 25 28 .5 2Q0 LC 100C Kainit..............J Increase of seedcotton per acre when cottonseed meal was added: To unfertilized plot.......... ...... To acid phosphate plot............. To kainit plot............ ............ To acid phosphate and kainit plot ........ 40 l&s 94 239 132 " Average increase with cottonseed :meal ...... 126, Increase of s~eed: cotton per- acre when acid phosphate was added:: To unfertilized plot...................... lbs. " " To cottonseed meal plot................262 To kainit plot.. ...................... 210 To cottonseed meal and kainit plot.......144 Average increase with acid phosphate......206 67 Increase of seed cotton per acre when kainit was added: 51 lbs. To unfertilized plot ................ " To cottonseed meal plot...............250 53 " phosphate plot ................ To acid To cottonseed meal and acid phos. plot... 132 Average increase with kainit................122 In spite of the wide variation in the yields of the two fertilized plots, there is sufficient evidence to prove that this Isoil was especially deficient in phosphoric acid, and that nitrogen and potash were also needed. In 1896, when the yield on the unfertilized plots was only about half that of 1897, nitrogen afforded the greatest increase in yield. GROUP II. POTASH MOST EFFECTIVE. EXPERIMENT MADE BY T. M. BORLAND, DOTHAN, HENRY COUNTY. Soil sandy ; subsoil clay. This piney woods field had been in cultivation for eight years, corn and cotton alternating. Cotton on all plots died prematurely, wh!ch the experimenter attributed, not to "rust," but to unusually hot weather in the latter part of July. 68 Dothanm experiment with fertilizers. FERTILIZERS. 0 0 C3 0 N SEED COTTONIFINANCIAL RESUJLTS . 0 U4 z 0 O 0z KIND. 04 .r 34.04 1.2 .0 Lbs.1 1 -200 Cottonseed 2 3 4 {200 1 8 240 Acid phosphate....... 65 49 00 No fertilizer .......... 39 200 Kainit........... 7 5 200 Cottonseed meal.... 240 Acid phosphate. meal. ... 59 Lbs. 440 512 360 592 480 680 720 352 848 776 Lbs. 80 152 234 113 325 366 4'.6 1'3 32 meal. .:: E 200 Kainit............ Cottonseed 7j240 Acid phosphate.. 5 9 10 1 ~200 Kainit.............:} 00 No fertilizer. ......... 200 Cottonseed meal .... 240 Acid phosphate.....~ 200 Kainit............. 68 45 7.32 2.70 4.62 72 81 486 4z~3 9.72 8.46 4.60 3.90 5.12 4.56 200 Cottonseed meal .... 240 Acid phosphate... L100 Kainit :............) Increase of seed cotton per acre when. cottonseed meal wa~s added: lThe. To unfertilized plot...................80 -39 " To acid phosphate plot................. 91 .......... To kainit plot...... ........ To acid phosphate and kainit plot ........ 120 " Average increase with cottonseed meal...... Increase of seed cotton per acre when acid phosphate was added: 152 lbhs._ ....... To unfertilized -plot........... ...... 33 " To cottonmseed meal plot........ ,............132 kainit. plot.... ...... 63 To 7fo cottonseed meal and kainit. plot........161 " Average increase with acid phosphate....... 120 69 In crease of seed cotton per acre when kainit was added lbs. plot...................234 To cottonseed meal plot...............245" " To acid phoisphate plot.................214 To cottonseed meal and acid phos. plot... .373" To-unfertilized Average increase with kainit............267 In this test kainit stands ahead of the other two fertilizers in effectiveness, a large and rather uniform increase in yield occurring on every plot where kainit was used. In a complete fertilizer 200 pounds per acre of kainit proved better than 100 pounds. effectThe fact that acid phosphate was only lye, and that cottonseed meal was only slightly beneficial, is probably due to the extremely unfavorable season in July and August. It remains uncertain whether the favorable effects.of kainit are here due to (1) a deficiency of potash in the soil; .(2) to. the tendency of this fertilizer to increase the water to the rust-restraining tenholding power of the soil, or dency of kainit. The experimenter reported no marked dif ference in amount of rust on kainitplots and those moderately ,(3) ing no kainit. EXPERIMENT MADE B J. Y receiv W. DYKES, THREE AND A HALF MILES WEST OF UNION SPRINGS, BULLOCK COUNTY. Red soil, 5 in~ches deep,; subsoil red clay. The land had been in. cultivation thirteen years, cotton and' ,corn alternating. The crop in 1896 was cotton. The origietc. nal forest growth was hickory, post oak, "blight and This soil is reported as especially liable rust," and these leaf diseases were very destructive in' 1897, especially' on plots 1, 2, 3, 5 and 8, the only plots on which -sweetgum, to writes: no kainit was used. Replying to a question relative to the extent of the shed.ding on the different plots, the experimenter "The 70 extreme heat of- the last part of June caused all plots'to shed., Plots where no kainit was used shed most, especially plots 1, 2 and 5." Union Springs experiment ri> with Cotton. FERTILIZERS. CI SEED COTTON FINANCIAL RESULTS U k O 00 O ." y u 4 IND. y Lbs Lhs 1 3 200 Cottonseed meal .... 2 240 Acid phosphate:.... 2.200 00 Cottonseed 4 200Kainit............... 20 Ka~~ofini........... j 00ttned el . 240 Acid phosphate .. 200 Cottonseed meal. 240 Acid phosphate... 200 Kainit.. ....... No 78 94 18 648 664 5:20 g4 fertilizer ........... meal .... 97 77 9 86 812 0 704 688 704 ........... 294 18 5.88. 3.74 173 290 Lbs. 128. $2.56 $1.00. $0.66 144 2.88 1.32 1.56 .. 1.38 3.22' 4.50 .52, 6 7 8: } 78 8 .15 3.46 3.28 5.80.2.70:3.10 00GNo fertilizer....... f201) Cottonseed meal. 200 Kainit......... ... 95 512............ 9 240 Acid.phosphate....81 200 Cottonseed, meal..... 240 Acid phosphate....... Kainit.......:...... . __100 91 808 784 296 272 5.92 5.44 4.60 3.90 1.32 1.54 10, seed cotton per acre when cottonseed meal. Increase wal added: .... 128.lbs.. unfertilized plot.............. of, To To kainit hsht ai plot ...................... lt4 To acid phosphate and .,o -121 kainit plot ......... 6_" Average increase with e-ttonseed meal....14. 11 Increase of seed cotton per acre when acid phosphate was added: To unfertilized. plot .... . .. . 144 Lbs. 59'" . To cottonseed meal plot.:....... To kainit plot........................-4 To cottonseed meal and kainit plot.......123 " . Avcrage increase with acid phosphate....... 81 Increase of seed cotton per acre when kainit was lbs. To unfertilized plot..................294 " cottonseed meal plot.................45 ........ 146 To acid phosphate plot........ To cottonseed meal and acid phos. added: To plt. .109" Aveage increase with kainit............159 " The results for 1897 show that the soil needed kaiiiit chiefly as a check on rust. The largest profit was obtained where kainit alone was used, a mixture of kainit and acid prosphate standing}seeond in this rekspect. In a complete fertilizer 100 pounds of kainit afforded nearly as large a. yield and a slightly greater profit than double that quantity. EXPE~RIMENT, MADE. BY Yellowish, sandly soil,'With red subsoil C.' D. HORN, COATOPA, SUMTER COUNTVY. 'at a depth of 3 inches. This field had been in cultivation for, about forty years, almost continually in cotton, except one year, when corn alid cowpeas a p oa t were grown, and ill 1896, when cowpeais and both occup'ed portions. of, the field. tPhe sweet: potatoes original; growth was red oak and hickory, with occasionally oak. as On ;Augu't 10th plants, on, all plots appeared to havedied the result of rust; but new leaves developed on every plot receiving kainit. (Plots 4, 6, 7, and 10.) table gives yields based only on the September and The 9 72 October pickings. Unfortunately the light November picking, which was at the rate of seventy pounds per acre, way mixed by laborers. Apparently the ,slight yield at the last picking would n ot have greatly changed the results here. recorded. Coatopa experim ent with cotton. FERTIiAZERS. SEED COTTON IFINANCIAL 1RESUL.TS- Q3 0 KIND. 1 00 0 ON o34Q 1 '~ cc~0 kO U 3 00 1 3 2 4 1 6 7 0 90 f { 100 200 240 200 200 240 200 phosphate.. 200 Kainit ............. : 240 No fertilizer.......... 200 Cottonseed meal.. Acid phosphate.. 200 Kainit .............. ) 240 Cottonseed meal.. Cottonseed meal... Acid phosphate... No riiefertilizer. ........ Kainit ............... Cottonseed meal..2 Acid phosphate .. Cottonseed meal.. Kainit ............ Lbs. 264 400 296 496 520 648 640 296 760 688 Lbs. 32, $0.64 $1.!D0 104 '2.08 1.32 200 224 352 344 4.00 4.48 7.04 6.88 1 .38 3.22 3.28 2.70 1.26 .76 2.62 1.26 3.76 4 18. Acid I 464 392 9.28 4.60 4.68. 3.94 Acid phosphate . 7.84 3.90 Kainit ............. Increase of eed cotton per acre when cottonseed meal was added: To unfertilized plot..................... 32 To acid phosphate plot................120 " lbs. " To kai nit plot ............................ 152 meal...106" To acid phosphate and kainit plot.......120 Average increase with cottonseed 73 Increase of seed cotton per acre when acid phosphate was added:. To unfertilized plot ................. 104 lbs. " To cotto'nseed meal plot................192 To kainit plot ........................... 144 To cottonseed meal and kainit plot........112 " Average increase with cottonseed meal......138 Increase of seed cotton per acre when kainit was added: To unfertilized plot .......... ....... 200 lbs. To cottonseed meal plot................220 " To acid phosphate plot ................ 240 " To cottonseed meal and acid phos. plot .... 240 " Average iucrease with kainit................. 225 " All three of the usual fertilizer ingredients were needed. Applied singly there was a financial loss with all except kainit. The mixtures containing kainit were more effective than any other fertilizer. A complete fertilizer was most profitable, and the profit was greater with 200 pounds per acre of kainit than with 100 pounds. EXPERIMENT MADE BY J. R. McLENDON, NAFTEL, MONTGOMERY COUNTY. Light, sandy soil; red clay subsoil. The land had been cleared about forty years, and had been fertilized but twice during that time, once with commercial fertilizers and once with a crop of cowpea vines. The original growth was pine, red oak and hickory. The preceding crop was cowpeas. The season was extremely dry. The stand was defective. 74 Nftel FERTILIZERS. experiment with cotton. SEED COTTON FINANCIAL RESULTS o a .~ v Q v 4 -N ¢' ~U2 ' O KIND. O p O= ¢ V ^Z e 4 ; 1 2 3 4 tr 8 Lbs. L. s 200 Cottonseed meal.......79 152 phosphate........ 76 200 00 No fertilizer........... 77 14. 20u1 (ainit ................ 88 360 20'CIlottonseed meal 88~ 344 240 Acid phosphate. meal 84 456 Lbs. 8 $0.16 $ $1.90 -1.74 240Acid 56 1.12 1.32 ... 215 19 . .632 .3 -.20 . 1.08 .7 {0084ottonseed 310 4 92 408 148. 616 488 468 340 6.20 5.22 3.28 2.70 2.92 252 240 Acid phosphate 261 9 1 f 00 No fertilizer...........79 200 Cttonseed meal.) 240 Acid phosphate.......87 9.36 6.80 460 3.90 4.76 200 Kainit....... 1 200 j240Cottonseed meal. acid phosphate. ... 8 2.90 Increase of seed cotton per acre when'cottonseed meal was added-: To unfertilized plot.............8 . .0 lbs. To acid phosphate plot..........142 To kainit h s h........ n ................. o a i plot t a nt p o 95 , "" Average increase with. cottonseed meal..."..113" Increase of 'seed cotton per. acre when acid. phoepha te* ....... ... 56. ,,Ws unfertilized plot .. e:To To kainit plot Lbs. To cottonseed meal plot............. .190" .......................... 46 To cottonseed meal and kainit plot.....158" with acid phosphate increase .. .... .Average 113" 75' SJnreae in .seed ._cotton:per acre when kainit was added .. 15 b To un fertilized p'lot i. I. .. To cottonseed meal plot.................302 " .... 205 " To acid phosphate plot......... ... To cottoniseed meal and acid phos. plot. . .270 " Average increase with kainit..............248 The lessons taught by this experiment are plain. soil was deficient in nitrogen, phosphoric acid andpot: Every fertilizer wars unprofitable when applied separately. Every combination of two fertilizers was but slightly promost fitable; all three used together were necessary profitable results. The complete fertilizer containing'200 pounds per acre of kainit (plot 9) was more profitable than the one .containing half that quantity (plot 10). while 'cottonseed meal, acid phosphate and kainit were all necessary, augmenting the the latter exerted the greatest influence yield during the unfavorable season of 1897. The experimenter reports that rust prevailed on all plots without kainit, and that it wa most destructive on the'unfertilized plots. The h. for in It is evident from the data given elsewhere in this bulle tin, that the favorable effect of kainit was at least largely attributable to its rust-restraining tendency. Doubtless on 'any other field than that growing a pea crop the preceding year, cottonseed meal would have afforded a larger increase in yield. GROUP Ill. NITROGEN MOS~T EFFEtCTIV.E. EXPERIMENT MADE BY J. L. BALLARD FOR SOUTHWEST ALABAMA AGRIuCULTURAL~ SCHOOL, This upland field had been cleared ten years,' the original growth having been pine, oak, etc. It was in .corn and, cowweather was peas in 1896, in cotton in 1894 and 1895. lied soil, 5 inches deep JACKSON, CLARKE COUNTY. subsoil red clay. The 76 almost continually dry during the growing season, and from this cause the crop was greatly injured. Jackson experiment with cotton. FERTILIZERS. SEED C'TT'N FINANCIAL RESULTS KIND. . z 4-ai ) O Q .N, ~ P- 1 2 3 4 Lbs Lbs. Lbs. 200 Cottonseed meal ..... 777 170 $3.40 $1.90 $1.50 240 Acid phosphate ....... 756 512 i50 3.00 1.32 1.68 00 No fertilizer.......... 711 362 ...... ..... ..... ..... . 532 390 200 Kainit............... 735 22 44 1.38 -. 94 { 5 8 A fertilizer.........756 f200 Cottonseed meal... 9 240 Acid phosphate .... 672] 1200 Kainit .I meal.. .. ...... 00 No 200 Cottonseed 200 Cottonseed meal.. 240 Acid phosphate ... 200 Ctonee;ea. S200 Kainit .............. 247cd hshte...735 200 Kai ni t.. .... .... 77.0025..0 77662350 32.18 .2 18 2.10 1.38 .. 756 808 588 390 ...... 269 204 5.38 4.08 ... 3.28 2.70 ....... 532 512 140, 122 2.40 2.44 4.60 -2.20 3.90 -1.46 10a 240 Acid 100 Kainit ........ lOb' I240 phosphate.......... ( 200 Cottonseed meal... 100 Kainit................. Acid phosphate ... ""590 200 4.00 5.40 -1.40 L600 was Lime........... .. Incre-ate of seed cotton per acre when cottonseed meal added: To To To To .. 170 ts. ........ -unfertilized plot ........ acid .phosphate plot.................103" 247 kainit -plot........................ acid phosphate 'and kainit plot.......-64 " Average -1ncrease with cottonseed meal ..... 114" 77, Increase of seed cotton per acre when acid phosphate was added: lbs. To unfertilized plot....................150 To cottonseed meal plot1....................83 'To kainit plot.........................182 'To cottonseed meal and kainit plot. -129 " Average incerase with acid phosphate......72 Increase in seed cotton per acre when kainit was added: lbs. To unfertilized plot....................22 " To cottonseed meal plot.................99 54 " .......... To acid phosphate plot.... To cottonseed meal and acid ph-os. plot. -113' Average!increase with kainit............. 16 Both cottonseed meal and acid-phosphate increased the yield, cottonseed meal leading in spite of the preceding crop of cowpeas. Kainit was not effective, and the only plots on which any rust was noticed were plots 1 and 3. With lime there was an increase of seventy-eight pounds of seed cotton (compare plots l~a and lob), or just enough to pay the cost of the lime. Doubtless in a normal season -fertilizerswould afford -results very different from those of 1897, when complete fertilizers made a very poor .showing. EXPERIMENT MADE BY W. T. HIGHTOWER, PEROTE, BULLOCK COUNTY. of 8 inches.. Red soil, with clay. subsoil at a This field had been in cultivation, thirty-(seven years. :growth was red oak and post oak. The crop in- 1895 and 1896 was corn. The -weather was very hot and dry during3 -the growing season, -and: there was " no rust or dropping of -leaves or fruit except. from dry weather." depth 'The Q = 7.$,. Per te eaperiment with .cotton. FERTILIZERS. r12 PobL :.SEED COTO cUT IACA Q u 0 cd O a)4> 4. KIND. z 0 S G1en cr41 G 2 ~~U 1 2 :3 4 6{ 8 9j 14{ 200 Cottonseed meal. 240' Acid phosphate..' meal.. 00 No fertilizer........ 200 Kainit .............. 200 Cottonseed 240 Acid phosphate... 200 Cottonseed meal. 200 Kainit .............. 240 Acid 13 29 25 28 23 22 22 17 18 . 1.7 Lbs. 624 496 440 568 736 744 688 560 656 512 Lbs. 184 $3 68, 56 1 12 104 248 232 152 -9 2 08 4 96 4 64 di2 U C190. $1 78 -20 L 2 [38 70 174 79 tj.3 3 3 22 70 328 1 46 31 phosphate.. 200 Kainit .............. 00 No fertilizer........ 200 Cottonseed 3 04 a 1 92 I' meal. 240'Acid phosphate... 96 -48 160 -2 68 200 Kainit ... 200 Cottonseed ........ 249l Acid phosphate .... 100 Kaini t.............. meal... 399 --4 86 Increase of seed cotton per acre when cottonseed meal 184 lbs. " " was added: To unfertilized plot ............... To acid phosphate:plot..............192 ........ 128 To kainit plot ................. To acid phosphate and kainit, plot.......-t52 Average increase with cottonseed meal...1'26 Increase of seed cotton per acre when acid phosphate was added: 'To unfertilized plot.................... To cottonseed meal plot.... To kainitplot.... ................... 56 lbs. 64:; 48 To cottonseed meal and kainit plot....:.136" Average increase with acid phosphate... 4 79 Increase in*seed cotton per acre when kainit was added: ... 104 lbs. To unfertilized plot .............. To cottonseed meal plot.................48," To acid phosphate plot.................96" To cottonseed meal and acid phos. plot.-152" Average increase with kainit.............62t" Cottonseed meal was most effective. It was also profitable, although at best the profit wa slight.;There .was a large financial loss when a complete fertilizer was used at the rate of 540 and 640 pounds per acre. EXPERIMENT most M.XDE BY T. K. JONES, 2 MILES SOUTH of GREENS- BORO, HALE COUNTY. Yellowish, sandy soil. This land has been in cultivation, chiefly in cotton, for than thirty years. The original growth is reported as hickory, oak and other hard woods. 'The number 'of stalks eighth acre plot was as f( llows: 1274 on plot 1, 1000 on plot 2, 1016 on plot 3, 1048 on plot 4, .1049, on plot 5, 1126 on plot 6,:1023 on plot 7, 838_ on plot 8, 1027 on -plot 9, and 1086 on plot 10. In the following, table no corr~ections have judging by. the fact been made for a defective stand, 8.38 plants' yielded' more that the unfertilized plot than. the- unfertilized plot. with 1016 plants, the plots -plante-d thickly had no advantage over other plots. The land was level and apparently very uniform. There was some rust on all plots, against which kainit was apparently in,effectual. ,more per with -for, 80 Greensboro experiment with cotton. FERTILIZERS. SEE!) COTTON FINANCIAL RESULTS 0 U I - 1 O O 40 - z So 6~ 4Q KIND. tp 00 . O Q~ s0, F0 -Q Lbs. 1 200 Cottonseed -meal.......'38 2 240 Acid phosphate........50 3 00 No fertilizer...........24 4 200 Kainit................35 51 200 54 & 240 Acid phosphate.. 6 200 Cottonseed meal.......51 KainiE ............... 7 240Acid phosphate......46 200 Kainit.............. 8 00 No fertilizer........... 21 200 Cottonseed meal. 9 240 Acid phosphate........54 L 200 Kainit.............. 1 200 Cottonseed meal. 240 Acid phosphate ....... 62 10L 100 Kainit.............. 200 (-ottonseed meal....t Lbs. 904 704 600. 648 Lbs. 304 $6 08 $1 00 $4 18 104 2 08 1 32 ...... 33 66 1 38 -- 72 76 944 968 768 696. 928 912 300 310 91 6 12 620 1 82 ......... 3 22 328 270 2 90 292 200 -7 04 232 4 64 4 60 216 4 32 3 90 42 Increase of seed cotton per acre when cottornseed meal was added:" To unfertilized. plot .................. To acid phosphate plot ............ To kainit :plot.........:.............. To acid phosphate and kainit 304 1b. :.....204" 277 " plot........0141 Average increase with cottonsee~d meal...... 232 Increase of seed cotton per acre when 'acid phosphate was added : To unfertilized plot..................104 To cottonseed meal plot............. .. 2 " To kainit plot ....................... 58 To cottonseed meal and kainit .plot........ 78 " lbs. Average increase with acid phos pha te. .. . ... 61" 81 increase in.seed cotton per acre when kainit was added: 33 To;unfertilized plot................... 6 To cottonseed meal plot.............. " To acid-phosphate plot................-13 To cottonseed meal and acid phos. plot.,.-74" Tbs. Average decrease with kainit... ........ than phosIt is clear that nitrogen was more phoric acid. Potash was useless and unprofitable. The iost profitable fertilizer was cottonseed meal used alone. EXPERIMENT MADE BY effective 12'" MONTGOM- J. T. ROBERTSON, LEGRAND, Gray soil, with clay subsoil at a depth of 3 inches. of ERY COUNTY. This land had been in cultivation about forty years, and the, crop in all recent years had been cotton. 'The original growth was oak, hickory, 'pine, etc. rainy weather The season was dry until several days about the middle of August, following which rust injured the plants growing on plots where no kainit was used. 82 Le Grand FERTILIZERS. exeperiment -withfertilizers. 4 I SEED COTTON FINANCIALRESULTrj Cbo~ k4.4 i Oo ) 0.D k . - O 4 4-1 Q~ 4 1 2 3 45 6 7./ Lbs -Lbs Lbs. 320 648 200 Cottonseed meal..54 264 592' 240 Acid phosphate.......56 328 ... 51 00 No fertilizer .......... 200 Kainit. .......... 200 Cottonseed meal..." 240 Adid phosphate .... " 6 200 Cottonseed meal. 200 Kainit...58 51 9 608. 7 84 $6 40 $1 90 $4 505 28 1 32° 3 96= ............. 3.94 1.38 5 32 266 8 38 3 22 5 419 16, 58 84.5.91.32.58 42 .1-.32856 4 240 Acid phosphate. 200) Kainit......52 8. 9 S200 .200 {200 To 73:.517..2... 4 400............ .-.. 00 v4o fertilizer,........... Cottonseed meal. Kainit............ 240 Acid phosphate . 53 .1,000 600 12 00 4 60 .90 7:40- Cottonseed meal:.;..'..z 10 1. 100 Kainit............. 240 Acid ~6,98 phosphate.......53 944 544 10,88; 3 Increase of seed. cotton per acre when cottonseed meal. was added: unfertilized plot ................... 320 Ibis. " " To acid phosphate plot ............... To kainit plot.................. ....... 186 249 . .155 To acid phosphate and kainit plot. ...... Average incre~ase with cottonseed meal...225" Increase of. seed. cotton per. acre when acid phosphatewas To unfertilized plot .................... added: 264 tbs. " " " 99 To cottonseed meal plot....... ........... To kainit plot....................... To cottonseed meal and kainit plot......148 Average increase with acid*phosphate.....149 83 Increase To. in sed cottonper "acrewhen' .... kainit was ; . added: " -unfertilized: plot:..... 266 lbs. To cottonseed meal plot................132 To acid phosphate plot. . ............... 87" acid phos. plot....181 o cottonseed meal and Average inerease with kaiit..............167 Plainly the chief needy of thins' soil was for nitrogen. It equally clear that phosphoric acid was also needed by this soil. Kainit was highly advantageous by reason of its Whetherthe.latter fertilizer .rust-restraining tendency. would be profitable in a normal season when rust is 'less prevalent is an open and interesting question. The complete fertilizers, made up of cottonseed meal, acid phosphate and kain it, were decidedly nore profitable'in than any single fertilizer or mixture of.two fertilizers. Two hundred pounds per acre of kainit was more profitable than half that quantity. with In1896, on the same farm, but on a different a poor reddish soil, only fertilizers.containing nitrogen were profitable, the increase in yield from the use of acid phosphate and kainit being scarcely appreciable. Both experiments.,agree in giving pre-eminence to cottonseed meal. is 1897 field, GROUP IV. PHOSPHORIC ACID1, POTASH AND NI- TROGEN ALL EFFECTIVE. EXPERIMENTS MADE: BY J. P., ANDERSON; ON FARM OF DR. THO1MAs, THOMASTON, MARENGO COUNTY. Gray,'sandy soil, 4 inches deep, 'with red :clay subsoil. All recent This field been in cultivation for'thirt y or~ forty years. crops consisted of cotton. tIhe -original growth had was oak, hickory, gum and pine. Rust was very injurious, especially on the plots where kainit,Was not, used. . CE 84 Thornastorn, experiment with cotton. I FELITILIZERS. C~1 0 KIND . bO . 33 SEED COTTON FINA:ENCIAL RESULTS, r} U NN .4 ~ED 0 z 0 4-U U 0 0 .1 2 3 4 Lbs. 200 Cottonseed meal:.. 240 Acid phosphate. . 00 No fertilizer........ 200 Kainit ............. 200 Cottonseed meal... 240 Acid phosphate .. 200 Cottonseed meal.. 200 Kainit ......... ..... 240 Acid phosphate ... 200~ Kainit ........ ..... 00 No fertilizer ........ 200 Cottonseed meal. 240' Acid phosphate ... 200 Kainit ............. 200 Cottonseed meal... 240 Acid phosphate... 100 Kain it ...... ........ 50 53 41 48 71 59 57 .33 43 47 Lbs. 640 i 744 656 728 776 832 780 428 - Lbs. -16 88 118 211 312 32 $1.90 1 76 132 2 36 5 22 6 24 5 72 1 38 3-22 3 28 270 22 44 I1 00 2 90 302 286 8 608 '12 16: 4,60 3 90 722 10{ 06984 556 11 12 Increase of seed cotton 20..... per acre when cottonsee ....... -16 lbs.. meal was added: To unfertilized plot....... ..6L. 123 To acid phosphate plot ................. To kainitplot...........................194 To acid phosphate and kainit plot.......322 " " Average increase with cottonseed meal.....155 Increase of seed cotton per acre when acid phosphate was added: To unfertilized plot....................88:lbs. To cottonseed meal plot ... .: .. 27' To kainit plot......................168" .To cottonseed meal and kainit pot........296 Averag, increase with acid phosphate......195c 85 Increase in seed cotton per acre when kainit was added: 118 lbs. To unfertilized plot ............ To cottonseed meal plot...............328 " To acid phosphate plot ................ 198 " To cottonseed meal and acid phos. plot .... 397 " Average increase with kainit ............ 261 The most effective fertilizer was kainit, the favorable effect of which was due, at least in large part, to its effect in checking rust. Phosphoric acid and nitrogen were also needed by this soil. Every fertilizer was used to greater advantage in combination than alone. The complete fertilizers (plots 9 and 10) were most profitable, the one containing the larger quantity of kainit leading. Mr. Anderson also conducted a fertilizer test in 1896. Although an accident prevented a statement of the yields, the appearance of the different plots led him to conclude that his soil needed a complete fertilizer and that nitrogen was especially important in 1896. EXPERIMENT MADE BY A. AUTREY, BERNEYS, TALTLADEGA COUNTY. Soil and subsoil red clay; soil 3 or 4 inches deep. This field had been in cultivation forty or fifty years. The original forest growth was oak, pine and hickory. The preceding crop was oats. There was only about three-fourths of a stand on all plots. The plants on all plots remained free from all leaf diseases. 86 Berneys experimentt with cottoa. FERTILIZ ERS. '~ SEEDOCOTTON FINANCIAL IUE''ULTS 04-0 S 4Z KIND. . 4z 0 P4 0.r C "r. Z o . M-4.. E_ Lbs I200 Cottonseed, meal.,. phiosIhate 2 240 L;bs. 11 456 Lbs .8 Acid $0.16 $1 90 .,00 2 200 Cottonseed mieal ....... l40 Acid1 pIosphate:. 200 Kainit ... 71240 Acid. phosphate .:......12 0 1 aiiit........ , Sti' 00 No fertilizer.. C200 Cottonseed meal .. 240 cid =hosphlte..:. 9. 20 ;0Kainit.. ........... 10 6 N 951 20 64128132 --1.74 -=04 1 76 $ eti z. ". 13 11.48,4:20Kainit............ 616 157 680 56 3 14 1 38 210 14228 4 20 3 22 3,8 200 Cottonseed' meal ..... 14l I3 23 26, .624 13 2.84:328.-41 627Q -4 6 3 08 2,02 0 .,04 88 $00,; ______ ..,;.1....................... 384 296 768'4:60' 5 9~ 3 90 r206 Cottonseed "meal'.. 240 Acid phosphate ........ 100 Kainit................... _________ Increase of seed cotton per acre when cottonseed meal was added: ... .......... To 'acid phoisphate plot..........146" To Kaini To unfertilized plot . 8 l~. 15.......... J~ tplot To acid phosphate and kaiiit plot.....221" Average increase with cottonseed. meal.....90 Increase of seed cotton per acre when was added: To unfertilized plot...... .............. To cottonseed meal plot ................. To kainit plot........................... To cottonseed meal c'd phosphate 64 2X02 6 lb s. " and kainit plot........ 242" Average increase with acid phosphate .. "....129 S7. Increase in -seed cotton per acre when kainit was added: To unfertilized plot....................157 To cottonseed meal plot................134 To acid phosphate plot.................99'" To cottonseed meal and acid phos. lts. plot.. .274" Average increase with kainit...........166 The results, which are not as uniform as desirablsuggest that the land was somewhat deficient in all three of the usual;fertilizer constituents. Kainit slightly in the lead. The greatest profit was afforded by the plots. which the complete fertilizers were applied. was to: EXPERIMENT, MADE ON FARM OF F. C. MC)DONALD, RUTLEDGE, CRENSHAW COUNTY. The report does not describe the soil, but the' prevailing soil in that locality is gray and sandy. 88 Rutledge experiment with FERTILIZERS. ,fertilizers. SEED COTTON FINANCIAL RESULTS ~-44KIND. o. o Lbs. 200 Cottonseed meal......... 240 Acid phosphate.......... 00 No fertilizer............ 200 Kainit.................. P- 1 2 3 4 Lbs 000 48 $0 96 $1090 - 94 700 208 4 16 1 32 2 84. 552................. 696 150 3 00. 1 38 1 62 493 9 86 322 3 28 2 70 664 8 86 2 84 Lbs.$ 5{200 Cottonseed meal ......... 240 Acid phosphate.... ...... Cottonseed 7 8 9. 10. meal..... 6{200 Kainit................... 6 200 200 Kainit. .................. 00 No fertilizer ............ Cottonseed 240 Acid phosphate........... . . 1032 1140 808 007 12 14 282 5 64 r200 Acid phosphate ........... meal .......... 240 . Increase of seed cotton per acre when cottonseed meal was L added: TPo t~200 Kainit................... (200 Cottonseed meal ......... 5 011 786 6 , 15 -72 3 240' Acid phosphate ........... 100 Kainit .................. 90 11 82 931304 48 bs. unfertilized plot..................... To acid. phosphate plot ................. 285" To kainit plot.........................457 To acid phosphate and kainit plot.......406 " Average increase with cottonseed Increase of seed acre when acid phosphate cotton-per meal.299" was added: To unfertilized plot...................208 lbs. To cottonseed mealplot.................445 " To kainit plot..........................132 To cottonseed meal and kainit plot........89 " Average increase with acid phosphate.....219 89 Increase in seed cotton per acre when kainit was added: 150 Ms. To unfertilized plot ................... To cottonseed meal plot................559 " " To acid phosphate plot.................74 To cottonseed meal and acid phos. plot. .. .203 " Average increase with kainit................247 This soil was evidently deficient in all three of the essential elements of plant food, for it responded to every fertilizer or combination of fertilizers. The largest yields and the greatest profits were obtained by the use of the complete fertilizers. In a complete fertilizer 100 pounds of kainit 'per acre was better than double that quantity. Likewise in 1896 this soil responded profitably to each of the three usual fertilizer ingredients, the complete fertilizer affording a greater profit than combinations in which any one of these was wanting. EXPERIMENT MADE by A. M. VALERO, DAPHNE, BALDWIN COUNTY. The experimenter describes the soil as follows: "Poor, pine land; stiff red clay soil, with some humus at the top p: pretty well worn. out by five years' of corn culture, during which time it was poorly cultivated and fertilized." "The severe hot weather, which has no precedent in the meteorological records of this county, has proved a drawback to the growth of the plants." By an oversight, all fertilizers were applied at a rate:per acre, which is25 per cent. greater than the rate for any other experiment in this bulletin. 4 , m 90 Daphne experiment with , fertilizers. FERTILIZERS. SEED COTTONFINANCIAL RESULTS G)t ~ate. U .r, G) + oo 0 KIND. P4 U)- C) z 0 ?d ~4G 40 +z 4-j U) U co 0 10 : 1 2; 3. 4 8 10 Lbs. 250 300 00 250 250 300 250 250 300 250 00 250 300 250 250 300 125 375 Cottonseed meal...' Acid phosphate....... No fertilizer .......... Kai ni t............... Cottonseed Acid Lbs. 200 100 80 150 350 440 520 80 560 Lbs. 120 $2 40 $2 38 $0 02 20 40 1 65 -1 25 70 270 360 440 1 40 5 40 0 meal... Acid phosphate....... Cottonseed meal.-... Kainit ................ 1 73 4 03 410 3 38 -33 1 37 310 5 42 7 20 phosphate....... Kainit ................ Cottonseed No fertilizer .......... 8 9 80 Acid phosphate..... Kainit................ Cottonseed meal.... ... Acid phosphate.. Kainit................ Lime................. -meal... 480 60. 40 5 75 3 85 600 520 10 1 5 81 4 59 Increase of seed cotton per acre when cottonseed meal 2Avera0 orsee Iin wih otosedmel 17 was added: To unfertilized plot ... ............ 120 250 40" lbs. " To acid' phosphate plot ................. To kainit plot.........................290 To acid phosphate and kainit plot ......... AIncrease of seed cotton per acre when acid phophate was added: ...... .. 20 To unfertilized plot.... To cottonseed mealplot................150 To kainit plot.......................370 To cottonseed meal and kainit plot.......120 lbs. " " Average increase with acid phophate ..... 165 91 Increase in seed cotton per acre when kainit was added: To unfertilized plot ..................... 70 lbs. To cotton,seed meal plot................240 " To acid phosphate plot ................ 420 " To cottonseed meal and acid phos. plot... .210 " Average increase with kainit...............235 Applied singly, every fertilizer entailed a financial lossa In combination, each of the three fertilizing material was effective, indicating that the soil was deficient in nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash. Kainit was most effective. The most profitable fertilizer consisted of a mixture of kainit and acid phosphate. GROUP V. PHOSPHORIC ACID AND NITROGEN ABOUT EQUALLY EFFECTIVE, AND POTASH NOT VERY EFFECTIVE. EXPERIMENT MADE BY T. T. MEADOWS, CUSSETA, CHAMBERS COUNTY. .RBedsoil, with clay foundation at a depth of 3 inches. This field had been in cultivation. forty or fifty years. It was very poor. The season was "very dry until July 9; then rain was too late to benefit the plants, as they had stopped growing and made no second growth." There was some rust. There were 'no outside rows. 92 Citseta experiment with cotton. FERTILIZERS. SEED COTTON FINANCIAL RESULTS 0 . . P4 KIND. P4 1 2 3 4 7 8 9 Lbs.Lbs. Lbs. .104 $2 08 $1 80 $0 18 200 200 Cottonseed meal......... 160 3 20 1 32 1 88 256 240 Acid phosphate......... 00 No fertilizer............. 96....................... 58 1 38-80 29 200 Kainit..................120 200 Cottonseed meal..... 362 724 322 402 240 Acid phosphate.........448 5 200 Cottonseed meal...... 336 254 508 328 180 200 Kainit............ 240 Acid phosphate.. 192 200 Kainit.................. .. 200....... fertilizer.............72.. 00 No 200 Cottonseed meal. 2 76 4 73 3 440 240 Acid phosphate......... 200 Kainit............... 100 10 1 200 Cottonseed meal. 240 Acid phosphate..........504 Kainit ................... 432 8 64 3 90 4 74 Increase of seed cotton per acre when cottonseed meal was added: To To To To 104 unfertilized plot .................... 202 acid phosphate plot....... .. ...... kainit plot.........................235 acid phosphate and kainit plot........253. ts. " " Average increase with cottonseed was 199 meal ... Increase of seed cotton per acre when acid phosphate added: 160 Its. To unfertilized plot .................... To cottonseed meal plot.................258 " 84 To kainit plot ......................... To cottonseed meal an~d kainit plot....... 114 " Average increase with acid phosphate ...... 156 93 Increase in seed cotton per acre when kainit was 29 tbs. To unfertilized plot..... .............. To cottonseed meal plot................150 To acid phosphate plant ................ 45 " 6 " To cottonseed meal and acid phos. plot.... added: Average increase with kainit...............36 Cottonseed meal and acid phosphate were both fairly effective. The most profitable fertilizer was a complete fertilizer meal, 240 -containing 200 pounds per acre of pounds of acid phossphate, and only 100 pounds of kainit. close second to this in point of profit was mixture of cottonseed meal and kainit. Of the three separate fertilizer materials kainit was least effective and practically worthless except when combined cottonseed .A a with cottonseed meal. EXPERIMENT MADE BY T. J. THOMASON, KAYLOR, RANDOLPH COUNTY. Cray soil 5 or 6 inches deep ; yellow subsoil. This field was. supposed to have. been cleared for about fifty years. The. preceding crop was, cotton. Nothing is said about fertilizers used in previous years, but the good yields obtained on the unfertilized' plots-888 and 1000 pounds of seed cotton. per acre-suggest that the laud had been highly' fertilized in recent years. Rust did not do any special damage.. 94 Kaylor experiment with cotton. FERTILIZERS. SEED COTTON fFINANCIAL RESULT&~ 4-2. U IZI~R;S P KIND. Vpl bo 0 C,' N OU 4. CJ 00 0 ON 1 2 3 4 Lbs. 200 Cottonseed' meal .. 240 Acid phosphate...I 00 No fertilizer......... . 200 Kainit................ 37 32 18 21 34 32. 31 25 130 31 Lbs. 1116 1240 Lbs. 228 352 114 .387 245 142 $456 $1 90 1 32 1 38 3 7 04 2 28 7 74 4 90 2 84 $3 365 72 90 4 52. 1 6214 888 1024 1320 1200 1120 1000 1312 1360 200 Cottonseed meal.. 240 Acid phosphate 200 Kainit............... ... 22, 200 Cottonseed meal .. 8 240 Acid phosphate... 200 Kainit............... 00 No fertilizer......... 200 Cottonseed meal ... 240 Acid phosphate... .... 20(0 Kainit ........... 200 Cottonseed meal.. 240 Acid phosphate... 100 ;Kainit ............... 3 28 2 70 312 360 6 24 7 20 4 60 3 90 1 643 30, 1o~ Increase of seed coton per acre when cottonseed meal was added: To To To To 228 lbs. unfertilized plot .................. acid phosphateplot.................35 " kainitplot.......................131 acid phosphate and kainit plot.......170 " Average increase with cottonseed meal.141 " Increase of seed cotton per acre when acid phosphate, was added: To unfertilized plot.................. 352 lbs. " " To cottonseed mealplot..............159 To kainit plot .......................... To cottonseed meal 28. and kainit plot.......67 Average increase with acid phosphate.....152 95 Increase in seed cotton per acre when kainit was added: To unfertilized plot ................... 114 lbs. To cottonseed meal plot.................17 " To acid phosphate plot ............. 210 " To cottonseed meal and acid phos. plot . .- 75 " Average decrease with kainit............. 39 " Acid phosphate and cottonseed meal were about equally effective, both giving moderately profitable returns. Kainit was used at a loss. The plot which yielded most profit was the one to which acid phosphate alone was applied. Neither in 1896 nor in 1897 was the complete fertilizer the most profitable fertilizer for land capable of producing 800 to 1000 ipounds of seed cotton per acre. INCONCLUSIVE EXPERIMENTS. The experiment near ,McLendon, Russell county, was :made by J. J. Blackstock on the farm of Hirsch Brothers. The field was level and the soil loamy. It had been cleared about sixty years before. The original growth was gum and .short leaf pine. The stand was reported good. The variable effect of fertilizer in the several mixtures renders conclusions impossible, but raises the suspicion that the soil, by reason either of a sufficiency of all three of the usual forms of commercial plant food, or because of defective physical condition, was unable to profit by any of the ordinary commercial fertilizers. In 1896 also the results were negative or inconclusive. An experiment was made by J. B. Craddock on farm of Southeast Alabama Agricultural School, Abbeville, Ala.: The land had been in cultivation for about fifty years. The original growth was oak and hickory. The experiment is incomplete, having no unfertilized plot, but by comparing the yield obtained by use of the mixture containing all three fertilizers with the yields afforded by 96 the plots.to which fertilizers were applied singly and two by two, we find that the results in 1897 agree substantially with those of 1890, 1891, 1892 and 1896 in showing that all three of the usual fertilizer constituents increase the yield of cotton on this soil. experiment at Jacksonville was conducted by Prof. C. W. Daugette. The figures afford no suggestio'ns as to the needs of this soil. Probably previous applications of manure, or previous methods of treatment, have rendered the field unfit for experimental purposes. The EXPERIMENT MADE BY DR. JOHN WASHINGTON T. GOBDON, COUNTY. HEALING SPRINGS Gray, sandy soil, 12 inches deep; sandy clay subsoil. The field its described as a gently rolling ridge between two branches, on which the original growth was long leaf pine. It was in cotton in 1896, and for the three years preceding that time it wars continuously in corn and cowpeas. "There was no rust or other leaf disease. Leaves remained green until the dry, hot winds came, about the last of August and first of September, when the leaves seemed to wither, at first in spots, afterwards. pretty generally." Although the yields of the unfertilized plots point to uniformity in natural fertility, the results are perplexing. Ap-, parently some undiscovered cause was more influential than the fertilizers. This is the fifth test of fertilizers on. this soil. Previous results were either inconclusive or uggestive of a deficiency of all three of the usual fertilizer ingre dients. EKPERIMIE T M&DE BY F. FUNKiEY, MILS SOUThI OF Tus.- 11 CUMBIA, COLBERT COUNTY. Reddish soil and subsoil. This field had been in cultivation. about fifty yearis. Theoriginal forest growth was oak,,blackjack oak and hickory. Oats was' the crop in 1894, corn in 1895 and 1896. The stand 97 was reported as good. The season was dry after July 1. The land was not sufficiently uniform to permit of conclusions. The experiment at Evergreen was made by F. M. Roundtree on the farm of the South Alabama Agricultural School, on red sandy soil. The test is not conclusive. The figures suggest in 1897, as also in 1896, a need of nitrogen in ,spite of the fair yields obtained on the unfertilized plots. It is evident that the variations in the fertility of the soil are so great and so abrupt as to render impossible the drawing of any definite conclusions from these experiments. EXPERIMENT MADE BY J. A. WILKINSON, AUTAUGA 4 MILES WEST OF AUTAUGAVILLE, COUNTY. ,Soil,chocolate sandy, or red; subsoil red,with some gravel. This land, cultivated for fifty or sixty years, had been in cotton for many years without fertilizers of any kind. The stand was uniform. Rust, present on some plots, was apparently not destructive. The weather was dry during most of the growing season, which probably explains the slight influence of fertilizers on the yield. The wide variation in the yields of the two unfertilized plots introduces an element of uncertainty which is, perhaps, not entirely overcome by the method of computing the increase. Bearing this in mind, we can regard the experiment as only suggestive, and not as indicative, of a moderate increase from cottonseed meal and kainit, and of a slight effect from acid phosphate. An experiment was made by Mr. G. W. Smith one mile 98 southeast of Brundidge.,It was made on gray soil, under-: laid by clay at a depth of two feet. The field had been cleared 44 years. The original growth was oak, hickory, gum and. dogwood. Preceding crops were cotton in 1895 and 1896, and corn in 1894. The great difference in the yields of the two unfertilized plots prohibits drawing any definite conclusions as to the relative values of the three fertilizing materials, all of Which, under some conditions, were apparently beneficial.'i Inconclusive experirnents with cotton. i4 FERTILIZERS. z c I -I. I-.-----.--- Inc I _nc -- r Inc *I~ nc_. In __ 7_ z 0 KIN~D. Seed cotton per acre. over unfertilized plots. Seed Seed Seed cot- cot- cotton ton ton per per per acre. acre. acre. Lbs. 6,24 over unfertilized plots. Seed over Seed over cot- uncot- un- ton ton ferti- per fertilized lized per acre plots. acre. plots. Seed cotton per acre. over unfertilized plots. Lbs. 30 70 84 158 292 106 60 Seed cotton per acre. over Unfertilized plots. 1 2 3 4 200 Cottonseed meal.................... 240 AcId phosphate................ ..... oo No fertilizer............. ........... 200 Kainit............... 200 Cottonseed meal ............... ....... 8 10a 240 200 200 200 200 00 200 240 200 200 240 r 10b.4 t' 100' 200 240 100 600 Acid phosphate.................... Cottonseed meal..................... ... Kainit..... .................. . Acid phosphate........ ..... ....... .. ....... Kainit........ .......... .... No fertilizer................. Cottonseed meal................... Acid phosphate............... .... . . Kainit.............. Cottonseed meal..................... . .. Acid phosphate .................... . Kainit... ........................ . Cottonseed meal............... ...... .. ... .... . ........... Acid phosphate ........................... Kainit. Slacked lime............... "_ .. Lbs. Lbs. 680 . 592 -88 . 680 912 . 213 1000 282 872 728 776 744 728 Lbs 672 408 1200 972 408 1456 824, 1236 736 8241136 904 1264 1184 Lbs. Lbs. 864 608 864 608 256 579 832 672. 423 720 736 240 776 880 656 474 493 536 640 Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. 470 280 736 3 ?8 1616 510 1144 -144 768 312 440 456 1288 560 640, 104 51 1296 670 368 1776 590 984 1512 1280 1032 1304 380 97 272 816 880 856 976 1032 120 104 120 176 840 690 620 680 Lbs. Lbs. 330. 80 680 ,210 470 704 165 992 384 1136 1152 816 1216 920 458 405 410 104 134 -29 -32 .976 -48 816 11024 890 -=142 992 1 1 600 I -20 1 416 1 -40.................... 1 I ~ .... ~.~.~ . ! I 1 I I 100 EFFECT OF KAINIT ON RUST. In Bulletin No. 89 were published the results of a fertilizer experiment made in 1897 on the station farm, in which kainit exerted a decided effect in reducing the injury due to, "rust," or "blight." Early in the summer every one conducting a fertilizer test for this station was requested to keep a record of the amount of rust or other leaf disease on the plots differently fertilized. The records bearing on this subject are summarized here: Number of experiments in which kainit was decidedly effective in checking leaf disease................. 8 Number of experiments where rust was present, and where kainit did not check it....................... 5 Number of experiments where the rust-restraining effects of kainit were slight.......................................... Number of experimenters reporting no difference between different plots, but failing to note the presence or absence of leaf diseases........................... Number of experiments entirely free from rust.......... 9 The other reports contained no data relative to this ques tion. At Lumber Mills, after the rainy weather beginning August' 14, "all plots that had no kainit began to throw off leaves. The leaves would have dark spots come on them, and then they would rot and drop off.. Plot 5 shed worse than the others. Plot 4 did not shed any." At Cusseta there was some rust on plot 5 (cottoneseed meal and acid phosphate), but none on plot 9 (complete fertilizer). No notes were recorded relative to the presence or absence of rust on the other plots. The experimenter writes: "Kainit helps to keep off rust." Mr. J. M. King, who conducted a test at Wilson, Escambia county, but whose numerical results were not sent in, writes as follows: "During July Tlots 1 and 5 were the best, but as the 101 weather became dryer and hotter these plants began to blight, the leaves and forms began to shed, and by the last of August both plots were dead. Plot 4 (kainit) remained green the longest." .From Coatopa the experimenter writes: 'August 10 I thought the plants on all plots were dead-rusted. They afterwards put out some leaves on the following plots: 4, 6, 7, 9 and 10." These were the plots which received kainit. Kainit in this experiment afforded a larger increase in yield than acid phosphate or cottonseed meal, which result is probably attributable rather to this renewed growth on the kainit plots than to a special deficiency of potash in. the soil. The report from Thomaston contains the following notes: "Rust was bad on all plots relatively in order named: 5, 8, 3, 2, 7, 4, 10 and 9. Kainit does not prevent, but only alleviateis, rust." At Union .Springs, on a field especially ,subject to rust, "the extreme heat of the last of June caused all plots to shed, where no kainit was used, especially plots 1, 2 and 5. July 8 I noticed that rust appeared on the unfertilized plots. July 15 rust appeared on.plots 1, 2 and 5," those receiving no kainit. No mention is made of rust in connection with plots fertilized with kainit. From LeGrand, Mr. Robertson writes: "There was comparatively no shedding of leaves or rust except on plots where there was no kainit used. Plot 4 did not shed a leaf, and remained green until frost. Plots 9 and 10 did almost as well." A.tNaftel "Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 8 suffered more with rust than the others; Nos. 3 and 8 (unfertilized) more than any other." The report contains the following estimate of the percent- 102 age of leaves which were shed prematurely as a result of rust: Plot 1 (cottonseed meal)........50% Plot 2 (acid phosphate)......................33 Plot 3 (no fertilizer).............. ..... 75% Plot 4 (kainit)...... .... ................. 00 Plot 5 (meal and phosphate)...... ......... 20% Plot 6 (meal and kainit)...................00% Plot 7 (phosphate and kainit)............... 00. Plot 8 (no fertilizer).... .................. 60 Plot 9 (meal, phosphate and kainit).......... 00% Plot 10 (meal, phosphate and kainit).......... 1% Here both 100 and 200 pounds per acre of kainit effectually checked rust. Above we have the reports which show a decided rustrestraining effect of kainit. Five experiments, as follows, show that kainit, under their prevailing local conditions, failed to reduce the injury from leaf diseases. At Tuskaloosa the amount of rust was as great on the kainit plots as on any others. This field had been subsoiled by following the turn plow with a scooter. At Abbeville there was apparently no uniform effect on rust due to kainit. At Prattville "plot 1 was worse affected, and commenced to drop the leaves about five or cix days sooner than the others. All the rest dropped the leaves about the same time." At Jackson rust was detected only on plot 1 (cottoinseed meal) and plot 3 (unfertilized). At Greensboro there was some rust on all plots, but no marked difference. It is evident from the preceding paragraphs that kainit did check leaf diseases in eight of the thirteen experiments affording definite data. This is equal to 61 per cent. of favorable results. It is not strange that the effect of kainit on rust was widely different under different conditions of soil and weather. 103 For that little word "rust" is used to include almost all of the leaf diseases, of which Prof. G. F. Atkinson has described several in the earlier bulletins of this station. The one which, in his experiments, was influenced by kainit, was what is generally known as black rust, but which he designated as "mosaic disease," or "yellow leaf blight." Leaf diseases were widely prevalent and destructive in 1897, and until late!summer dry weather was general. Remembering these abnormal conditions, we should not expect kainit to exert so favorable an effect in normal seasons and in years when leaf diseases are less injurious.