The Opelousas courier., 1873-11-15
(Comm unicdted. J

AS the majority of your subscribers arr
planters, and your correspondent being OF
that fraternity himself, he proposes a few
hints to the brotherhood, through the col
umns OF your paper upon our agriculture
pursuits, with the hope it may prove an intro
dnctlon to a frequent interchange of opinions
experiments and results, in the cultivation O1
the different products which are adapted tc
our Immediate climate and soil. El, paSsaut
Mr.. Editor, We would ask if it would not re
dound more to our mutual interests as pub
fishers and planters if a column or two OF
your valuable paper We're appropriated to the
publication of facts which would promote
agricultural development, and the improve
ment of stock in our section!
In this and the adjacent parishes we have a
climate and soil that will repay the farmer
well for all his labor, if he will only bestow it
at the proper time and in a proper manner.
He should with the proper aids of infUrma-
tionl study the nature and character of the
land he cultivates, its organic elements. and
endeavor to establish by appropriate fertil-
1zers the want of any essential plant food, or
neutrallze an injurious excess of any given
portion of constituent soil. A planter, to
bring land and keep it to high and remuner-
ative condition OF fertility. should understand
not only the mechanical cultivation of differ
ent soils, but their chemistry-the relative
ana proportlonate compounds of matter which
enter into their composition. Sometimes one
element predolnnates to the detrment of an
other. or is entirely wanting in conducting fer
tility to soil. By an efficient analysis, these
wants and defects can be ascertained and re-
medled. Ii manures or fertilizers are ars)lied
indiscriminately and disproportionately, you
are more apt to injure than benefit a growing
crop. Again, a fertilizer that would benefit
one character OF soil would imiure another
Hence the necessity of studying and under
standing the nature of soils-so that we can
apply the proper remedial agents of recupera-
tiOn and Improvement.
Mr.. David Dickson, of Georgia, who is ac-
knowledged to be the highest authority in the
successful cultivation of cotton, says that you
must not only know what special food your
soil requires, but also the amount aud proper
tlon of its compounds, and the manner of it's
application" His plan is to continually inn
prove The fertility of his lands, and not inn
poverish them by exhaustive cultivation. BY
study and patient experiments, he ascertained
the fertilizing wants of his land aud he re-
celves generous and certain remuneration
for his time and trouble. In report of one
OF his experiments to the Southern Cultirat0r,
published at Athens, Ga, he says that he
made one acre of old pine field yield 5000 lbs.
of seed cotton" But in connection with the
use OF manures, he says: ''lf you expect such
results, goa must not cat the roots Of the cotton.
Cotton is q sun plant, as you will see by its
turning its leaves to the sun, as the latter
moves through the heavens. SO have deep
water furrow in the spring, work fiat by hot
weather, and on level land run the rows North
and South" He further says: Manure annu-
ally and literally, SO as to reap one hundred
and twenty-five per cent. from your outlay of
time and expense Mr.. Dicksons system for
corn and cotton is to break the land deeply
and thoroughly, and pulverize it well before
planting; and give the crop a shallow culti-
vation.
As corn is the bread or staff of life, your cor,
respondent would report two of his expert
ments with new varieties, or rather with i'm
provements of the old variety. Last year he
introduced "Cooley's Early White FIELD Corn"
from Mr.. Cooley, of Ohio, planted two quarts
of it, which .matured in ninety days, and
yielded at the rate of twenty bushels per acre.
BY planting early, two crops of the Cooley
corn could be made in year, provided the
summer was not too dry. 1t is white and
rather hard corn. and makes excellent meal.
This year he procured two quarts of pea
body's Premium Prolific Corn,' from Mr. Pea
body, of Georgia. and planted the same on
about three-eighths of an acre, manuring
with a small handful of cotton seed to each
hill of corn. The stalks yielded from two to
average of three good ears to each stalk.
Owing to the extreme and continued wet
weather, the corn received but little cultiva-
ton. 1t was only barred off and hoed out,
8nd received two burrows with solid sweep.
The middles remained unbroken. yet the yield
was at the rate of fifty bushels per acre. Your
likes it so well that he intends
planting it altogether next year, except two
Dr. three acres Of the Cooley corn, for early
bread. There is no doubt that the Peabody
,orn, planted on rich land and properly cul-
,ivated, will yield one hundred bushels per
acre. 1t is one month earlier than the ordi-
lary corn. Would like to hear from other
Dlanters-if you will allow us space in your
paper. JM.T.
st..Landry Parish, Oct 9th, 1873.