Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1842-04-02
: Correspondence Of the Baton Rouge Gazeiio.
Loo HALL. March 4, 1912.


NY Dear Sir The present state OF
the cotton market, with the prospect before
US, admitting tina, India does not grow the
article, require oil who have grown cotton
10 look about for something that will aid
them. would therefore through your
columns, by your leave, suggest some
changes in the usual practices Of farmers.
Were | to propose to grow two bowls OF
cotton where only mi grew before, doubt
not but my article would be read over and
over; but as it is, | can only promise, to give
more satisfaction to those who are not cray
ing to make big crops. ] propose planting
for only 5 bales to the hand, handle very
nicely, 80 as to enhance the price, and de-
vote the residue of labour to making food
for man and boast. Much time can be ad-
vantageously spent, in putting the farm, in
farm. like condition, erecting necessary
buildings, for stock, putting up good fences,
and such like.
Iwould suggest, the planting of a great
er variety of articles for home consumption,
and for sale too. Were this done, we would
be able to supply our towns, and the river,
with much that is now either bought, from
abroad, as not used from its scarcity.
Were farmers to plant more largely OF the
sweet and Irish potatoe, less corn would be
required at home, as also -four; more OF
the first would be used in our towns, and
far less Of the second brought below for
sale; besides, in an unfavorable season for a
corn crop, both could be fed to hogs, and
the first to horses, to IN a~dvantage-or
they could be sold, and corn bought. We
might plant tho %grcund-put, or Pindar, tor
hogs, they are as easily cultivated, and no
doubt will feed and fatten, too, Us cheaply
as corn-they would also sell.
We can make hay or fodder to sell,
which will be another saving to our states
by planting more largely Of oats
and rye, sowing peas in corn and oats
feId-cutting up corn; stalk and all saved
at one operation-thus furnishing double
the supply Of forage to stock, and leaving
what hay can be gathered, for sale. Crab
grass hay is worth saving, and buying too
, # well cured, after oats are cut. Flush the
!, land-a crop ofgrass will soon be ready for
l. the g~rass.sythe; even a ton to the acre can
! bo cut. which is worth any how, Scots. per
: cwt. believe this hay superior to fodder
that always commands about 100 Cts, and
it is easier saved.
The farmer who determines on improv-
ing his stock, is reduced TO the necessity
of providing something else than corn and
} forage, and the range. No man can real
: good stock without good food, and enough
: Of it, and no one can afford corn. We must
? then sow down rye and winter oats; this
I. can be done in cotton fields, and corn fields,
or separately. We know that these grains
q will succeed with US, and Lean assure
> those who read, they have been sown in
cotton fields early in the fall, and in corn
fields before turning stock in, as the stock,
are intended totramp them in, while gather
ing the pea &c. In this field hogs lat ten
without corn, as | can shew, and can run
y on it from Oct. l, to March l, and by some
management, even until cotton is planted.
would say to. all, improve your stock, If IN
no other way than by selection and good
feed. There are many whose means
u preclude all expense at finer stock, even II
they would-to those, | would say, get your
present stock, in condition to bear the ex'
:. pense Of a blooded cross, and when you
c can, get a male this plan is very fortu'
nately not only the speediest, but the best
e to improve. If you want milk stock, the
bull when properly selected, gives the va
9 lue, as withthe other Improvements. Ma
: nv persons select breeders from the dam
instead of the sire, and so | did, a few years
since but | now place no positive reliance
on this alone my old "Dun," as good I
mixer as any body's cow, never gave me
: milk COW. Tho | took care of her heifers
: and have MIXED some A of them, be
lieve she would give more than all four
. This | can show in several instances.
If farmers will get good implements
large and stout work animals, well fed ant
taken care Of, they can cultivate well, NOR
land than many of them scratch over
Some of them work, the old 81 "carr,
n plow," and a little mule, that can scarei.
tote a good pillow. As a matter of cours'
the blowing is no deeper than IT should be
e and not a great deal done. 10 cultivate
7 well, does not imply to run over the crol
often; it must be done, to give the GRO
the greatest advantage; and l think
again, fortunately for us, the best is tn
speediest. I will nothe-e enter into deta'
but only give general principles pillow
: deep in the spring and fall, say, no nov
less than S or 6 inches; PLAINTIFF cropi IN
+ good, neat condition, fuse a turning plo"
n where admissable); then cultivate shallow
A plowman with a good cultivator or doubl
l. shovel, can cultivate one-third more thai
'e with those little ''carry's," or with shovel
cannot perceive any utility i~nplowing dee
in the cultivation of a crop; it must cut an
= ~lacerate roots; it must, if done by a turn
ing plow, expose what moisture is below, t
N the heat of the sun. Where the earth ha
IN been beaten, by heavy rains, il may be ne
cessary to stir a little deeper; but do so wit
a shovel, or its varieties, tho even here,
am doubtful, for if land be not broken U
rs when wet, and be broken up 6 inches.
Of think no spring rain, always excepting tn
Of food Of May 400, can beat the earth DEEP
er than what harrow, or cultlvator, Ca
: tighten.
Good tools, and such as are best suite
for each work, strong animals, steady wori
N deep blowing in preparing, well done' eve
n ~ inch broken out-and the master 8 pre-
h. c will remedy much the low prices
Yours DC. Nj. w. PHILIPS.
PARISH OF PINT CERPEE
STATE OF LUzYANNA:S
March the Goth 1912.