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Show To prosecute its land management programs, TVA entered into the Memorandum of Under- standing referred to above and arranged for the agricultural phases to be carried out by the agri- cultural colleges of the seven valley States. Agree- ments were also made with other agencies, particu- larly the State forestry agencies. Fertilization of the land base.-The TVA Act transfered the two nitrate plants at Muscle Shoals to the Authority, and make it responsible for conduct- ing an extensive fertilizer research and demonstra- tion program. The two plants had become obsolete and un- economical for their original purpose of nitrate pro- duction. Moreover, the importance of phosphorus in the restoration of the soils and establishing a sound agricultural economy led to emphasis on phosphatic rather than nitrogenous fertilizers. TVA began, developing techniques and processes for the manufacture of phosphatic fertilizer. One of the Muscle Shoals plants was converted in part into a phosphate research and production facility and a plan was formulated for use of phosphatic plant foods to overcome soil deficiencies, stimulate the growth of cover crops, permit better, more varied use of the soil, and check erosion. Most commercial fertilizers available to Tennes- see Basin faxmers in the early 1930's were mixtures of nitrogen, phosphate, and potash, and had rela- tively low plant food content. Nutrient concentra- tions are new generally somewhat higher, although still not as liigh as desirable. TVA improved an electric furnace process for making triple super- phosphate, and later developed a process for making calcium metaphosphate, and fused tricalcium phos- phate. A nmimber of other fertilizer processes have been worked out, and the products have been sub- jected to laboratory, greenhouse, and experimental plot tests. Test demonstration farms have been selected for testing the most promising of these plant foods through the£r use under practical, scientific farming methods. TMie demonstrations are carried out either on single or unit farms, or in selected areas where most or all frarms participate. In fiscal 5^ear 1949, about 27,000 tons of phos- phatic matexials-4,127 tons of concentrated super- phosphate, <4,712 tons of calcium metaphosphate, and 18,092 tons of fused tricalcium phosphate- were distrib-nted for use on the test-demonstration farms. The first two of these fertilizers and am- monium nitx-ate are also sold through cooperatives and a few private fertilizer companies. 1950 were as follows: Sales in Tons Ammonium nitrate fertilizer________136, 000 Calcium metaphosphate___________ 6, 700 Concentrated superphosphate_______128,000 The Authority also sold 49,000 tons of dicalcium phosphate to aid in meeting the shortages of mineral animal feed supplements. A survey was made by TVA to compare the re- sults obtained in the 63 counties in the valley with progress made in the 32 outside, where no test dem- onstrations have been established. The results are summarized in the following figures, which show agricultural changes per 100 acres of open farm land in valley and nonvalley counties in Tennessee. Source: Tennessee Valley Authority. These various indices suggest a gradual improve- ment in farming methods both inside and outside the basin. 736 Percentage 1936 1047 change, 1936 to 1947 Pounds of phosphatic fertilizer used (PiOi) per 100 acres...................... 14 9 523 373 3,600 4,100 Tons of lime used per 100 acre....................... 1.9 1.0 8.9 7.1 370 610 1935 1945 Row crops: Acres per 100 acres..................... 28.3 37.4 22.5 32.5 -20 -13 Soil-conserving crops: Acres of hay and small grain per lOOacres.................. 18.0 13.8 22.3 15.5 24 12 Legumes: Acres of alfalfa and clover per 100 acres... 8.7 8.4 12.9 9.8 48 17 Dairying and livestock: Number of cows and calves per 100 acres... 11.3 9.6 13.2 10.8 17 13 Milk production, gallons per 100 acres..... 1,697 1,495 2,289 1,584 36 6 Valley counties Nonvalley counties Valley counties Nonvalley eomnties Valley counties Nonvalley counties Valley counties Nonvalley counties Valley counties Nonvalley counties |