Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1869-08-07
W.. Thorough Cultivation.


the following excellent report
Thorough Cultivation IF there
IS any one lact III horticulture more
IMAM another That IL being impressed
on my mind, it il that of The thor
ouSlt cultivation ofthe soii-terme
often used, but not perhaps with
sufficient definite significatjnn for
ma. one man calls Thorough cul-
tiFation" another does not.
"A few years since, when commence
ing To stir the soil, l thought | could
easily cultivate so many acres with
gwen amount of working copital
Inc second year saw an increase m
tie working force, anu n decrease In
tue number OF acres and this increas-
IN OF men anu OF the working c,pi
TAI sun goes on, and is likely to con
tihhe 10 go on. with no addition to
the number of acres.
III is estimated that in GARDENING
operations ten men will work ten
acres as 1T should be done. We may
h"i he able to meet this demand AT
once, nut We must come to it. if we
expect the best results.
TO thoroughly cultivate. !. to
thof@tighly fertiliZe-fer that is the
meaning on the word necee.itstes n
frequent stirring Df the soil-uot
SIMPLY To plough when the weeds
appear. Thorough cultivationv
mas broader and higher mission
thah SIMPLY weed killing. We fail
10 Jake III The meaning of the term
view. "a
To cultivate is TO make nroauctive
10 manure and to this nIanovrjnp
OF the soil are we indebted for the
best results on the farm. and i'm the
garden, guano and the phosphates
not excepted.
II may be asked then, when and
no" nov o!teh shall we stir the ground >
W. answer, always after every rain
anu as soon after as the ground will
WORK Wen. Never plough wet land.
~ VIII break up and dry in clods, and
receive INJURY, from which il will not
recover for the season.
Ihe frequency of ploughinp will
uepend somewhat on circumstances
the nature of the soil and the char
acter ana advancement of the grow
ing crop. 1t is safe to say that once
week Is not enough. Twice a week
Is better, and three times a week bet
Ier SUN. You have heard the story
oi the man who hoed his corn eyery
morning while his neighbor who
cultivated three times each week.
was asleep, and the result,
Inc idea of ploughing simply to
NH weeds Is ridiculous We seek,
III tiie frequent stirring ofthe ground,
iieiio" son, with open mouths or
pores, eagerly taking in from the
atmosphere an abundance of pIant
1000, which is always present for
their special use.
some plants take more from the
ar IMAM they dc from the soil. 1t
80 WIN The melon. Hence frequent
stirrlng of the soil is the best manure
Tor this crop.
II we nave weeds, we must of
course hight them to the death. but
l, Is shame to have weeds and a
double shame to sit at our ease and
wait ior the weeds to grow.
but III order To have thorough cul-
tiVation, Il certain order of things is
desirable. We now speak of straight
ro VS., and rows both ways, and level
culture These points are all impor-
lahi, anu none more so than the last
naned-level cultivation. And this
IL especially demanded on hillsides,
where 1T has the tendency of pre-
venting the washing of the soil,
which Is great evil, as all know by
sad experience, who have farms on
the hillside.
Good cultivation implies also a
moderately deep loosening of the
SOIL, so long as the roots of plants are
not disturbed in the oneratioD. And
deep culture implies horse power.
which suggests the straight, check
row system, of which We have spok-
en-. The one horse ploughs and cul-
liHators must be kept in constant
and persistent motion among the
growing crops. But there is work
lor lhe hoes also, which should be
KEPT IN constant action in this sys-
tenn OF thorough doing" and in no
part OF the season is this work so
pressing as now.
June il called the"month ofroses.u -
We know it IA the month of work.
We might call ii the horticulturist's
battle month-the time more than
any other when he struggles for the
mastery over not only weeds, but
over insects and bugs. And surely
he IL not thorough cultivator of
the soil who will not condescend to
hunt out and Kill the bugs. Nigi-
lance alone will give us our fruit and
price for it. Understanding "the
Hi'"hti'li WIN Il VIII 10 work, We
may become thorough and SUCCESS
ful tillers of the soil, and not other
wise.
y word with reference to the pe-
culiarities of the season, and the un-
usually destructive elements attend
ing it:
l. The cold wet weather of Nav
has rotted many seeds put in the
ground, especially melon seeds, ne
replanting. Melons plant
ed IN April have done better than
those planted in May, the weather
being more favorable for the ger
nlination of the seed. This is pecu-
liarity OF the season.
:. Storms of hail and wind have
been unusually severe, doing i'm
mense damage to the growing crops.
). The depredations of the mole
have been greater than ever before
IN our experience. Who Will tell how
to Kill him?
4. Last, but not least, the cu.worm
mas played havoc with the early set
tomato and sweet potato plants, and
also In destroying corn and melons.
What is the remedy?
WITHIN few years q great reyo-
InfIan has fal ION ,Ioo. e.