The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1874-12-03
Provision Against Drought.

Droughts are getting to be the rule;
there is hardly a season without them.
We cannot foretell when they will occur:
For the past few years we have had
drought early in the season, and now in
the fall, though usually in midsummer.
Though there is hardly year that we are
not afflicted in this way, yet we seem to be
careless about it, expecting, hoping for
good season. We decide on running our
chances, and so do not provide as we
should against their occurrence.
But can we successfully provide IN TINS
way, not only to take advantage OF the
drought, but without incurring expenses
that will lessen the profit This is nice
point, and, if practicable, is of importance,
for the loss by drought, as the seasons
run, is one of many millions yearly in our
State alone, and it is even worse in other
States, particularly in the West. The thing
can be done. and is done, and i'll various
ways. Irrigation is one. But we Will
waive that and go to the common means
which are in the reach of every one. Luck
lily they occur in the ordinary course OF
farming. having their basis in the general
Improvement of the land.
A moderate drought is not seriously
hurtful to grain indeed, where the land Is
and lodging will be prevented. | have
known some of the best crops so grown.
So with corn, and may say with most of
the hoed crops. Deep cultivation and
stirring the soil will always insure good
crop in a moderate drought, if the land is
not poor. Where there is deep cultiva-
ton, deep wealth of soil and thorough
drainage, as in our best river bottoms, and
the cultivation is what it should be, and
the ground is constantly stirred till growth
forbids, almost any drought can be detied;
in the worst cases fair crop can be real
| lied. But the soil in such case must be
deeply rich and deeply porous. The sub
soil plow will aid largely here. The same
soil and treatment are also required for
grain in drought.
Are we then to provide, as a rule, against
drought? Is our land for grain and hoed
crops always to be prepared in this way? -?
This is simply improving the land, taking
the chances with the drought. And is this
recurring too much? The droughtis met,
which is almost of yearly occurrence. If
there should be little or no drought, the
hoed crops will flourish all the better, but
the grain will be apt to suffer, and it is the
only item of objection. But it is well
known that harm from lodged grain, or
overgrowth. is of less occurrence than lack
of growth, as in the case of poor soil.
Better run the risk of some lodged grain
than the all but total failure of a crop on
poor land in drought. To the general
farmer, then, his security against the
drought is in the condition of his soil.
His only hope is, aside from irrigation, in
a deep, rich, porous soil, kept well stirred.
There is nothing new about this-it is only
what the best farmers do more or less.
But we have yet the most important
point to considerable dairy, or grazing.
Here we find new relations to the drought.
Grass land cannot be cultivated like that of
hOed crops, and must be left to run its
I chance yet much can be done by prep
aration of the soil and the establishment
of the crop. Land prepared as for grain
or hoed crops will answer exactly the pur-
pose of forage growth, clover especially !;
so also for corn; and the grasses will flour
ish on such land. There will not only be
the growth, but the close set-a necessity
in drought, shading the ground as it does.
This close set is secured by thick sowing
on an even, well-pulveriZed surface, and the
seed covered to insure it against drought at
the time or Immediately after. The time
of sowing is to be early in the fall or
spring-in the spring is better, as it gets
the winter moisture TO startit. Late SOW
ing is always risky. Your crop started,
the good, forcing soil. aided by top fertili-
Zers, will soon establish it so that it will
protect itself against the sun and the dry
ing winds, and, if clover, push on to at
least fair crop in apretty severe drought.
1t is the richness and good condition Of the
soil that are required to start crop IN
dry time, and a close set in addition to con-
tinue the crop. When struggling, the
plant will find it difficult to survive hot
dry period, however strong the ground.
Yet Notwithstanding all this precautiOn
severe drought will tell. There will be
less feed; the allotted pasture will in gen.
eral not be sufficient; and when the feeC
once gets short a double evil will result
There will be a shrinkage in milk and flesE
. of the cows, and the roots of the herbagt
will be exposed to the sun and the drying
air. which will make short work of pas
ture. almost ruin it; and unless Other
remedy is provided the animal vii
equally suffer. This is the effect on gOOC
land well prepared and the crop well estab
lished. 1t is the great evil, in drought
TO expose the roots of vegetation
To aggravate the evil, it occurs at time
when the feed is most needed. But tC
save the grass it must not be fed off toe
close. Hence the dressing, the absolute
! necessity OF resortlng 10 otner Ieeu' WHICH
! experience has proved can easily be fur
nished. In an early drought the winter
moisture on good land will give you fai
growth of rye. Clover may follow fol
J later difficulty; and that, in connection
: with corn, finishes out the season. These
crops can be made to grow well in
drought. As it does not require grea
, area. the cultivation can the better be at
: tended to. The advantage in furnishing
feed in this way is twOfold-it secure
: fresh and full rations when the crop o
T Grass is short, and it realizes more iron
] fine land. This is strikingly seen wher
part of the land allotted TO pasture
!. given to raising these crops for soiling
And this often is the better way. By thi
means the land intended for pasture cal
4 4 be made self-supporting. Sometimes 1t |
V found convenient to devote small lot il
: pasture to this purpose. Or large tiel
. NAV be fenced of, say the poorest part
; for grass, and manure and cultivation
piven it. This is a step towards soillne
and would eventually lead to it. 1t is get
ting more from the land, and that is a
offset to the labor required to produce il
a so that the provisions against drought
{ while they meet the remedy, do not il
n crease the expense over the correspondent
| nrofit f q IN the Country Gentleman.