The Panola weekly star. (Sardis, Miss.) 1882-18??, 1883-06-02
Clean Fields and Heavy Crops.

There are two drawbacks in the
methods largely adopted by the farm
FRS Of this country in the cultivation Of
their crops during the first half Of the
season. These methods involve n need
less expenditure of labor, and permit
IN extensive growth Of weeds. The
surface Of the soil is not broken or
stirred often enough. A frequent pub
important uses, namely, the destruction
Of young weeds, and an Increased
growth Of the crops, We have shown
ON former occasions the Importance Of
destroying weeds just as they are COM
mencing growth, and even before they
have reached the surface Of the ground,
when the minute and tender sprouts arc
broken by n touch Of the pulyerizing
implement. The experiment was tried
II few years ago Of passing the steel
rake weekly over u given measured
surface In the garden, and allowing
alongside an equal area TO become COW
cred with a growth Of weeds from six
inches TO q foot high before killing
them. A record was made BY the watch
OF the time consumed by each method.
During the two months Of growth II
was necessary TO pass the steel rake
eight times over the surface; but this
was done so easily and rapidly that only
onc-half Of the time and labor were con-
sumed that were required TO clear out
once the tall weeds from the growing
crop, The crop made one-half more
...tl. la. tL. Awuf tttafHAl uaI tLa
seeds Of the weeds in the surface soil
were thoroughly destroyed by the eight
operations. A successful farmer, on
whose rich fields about fifty bushels of
corn per acre were obtained by ordinary
management, assured us that by pass
ing the c%ultiyator once . week between
the rows until the corn was Us high ms
the horses back. he had increased the
crop to between sixty and seventy BUSH
els per acre.
A radical Improvement would be
made on many farms by the adoption Of
the practice Of keeping the surface
crust Of the soil constantly broken, and
By never allowing young weeds to see
daylight. BY thus clearing the farm Of
foul seeds, in q few years the costly
labor Of handwriting would be nearly
superseded. To accomplish this rcsul,
II Is necessary TO secure the best mod.
crn tools for ~cultivsting the crops. The
work should DO commenced before the
Young weeds have reached the surface.
Potatoes. for instance. are some weeks
in the soil before coming up. and dur.
Ing this period the ground should be
kept narrowed. the operation being ~.
pcatcd rs often as the young weeds Ia
the soil have %sprouted. the narrowing
breaking the sprouts and killing the
weeds Just rs they ARE starting t.
grow. In this way the foul stuff ma,
be materially reduced. The narrowing
may be continued after the potatoc.
: have reached the surface, and hav'
grown some inches. without injury e
them. Corn may be narrowed one.
i, before IL ms up; and will
fine. slant-tooth harrow thu
operation may BE- continued every iiv'
} days till the plants are nearly
foot high. This will obviate the laboI
, Of hand-hoeing. After this. the one
horse cultivator may pass several times
running shallow 40 as not TO tear IN
roots. setting the reversible teeth tirs
!, TO throw the earth away from the ruv
J Of corn. and next time against the row
| q very shallow ridge being sufficient n
, cover the young weeds as they are jus
I appearing. for there will be no larg'
ones II tho previous work has becI
0 promptly attended TO. We hasl
: adopted this course-of first narrowing
and then cuitivatinr from aud toward
the row, and left the field Is clean as
floor without any hand-hoeing. Tn
repeated stirring Of the soil aud keepinI
! the crust broken. gave q handsome Gro
af corp. decidedly larger than when N
|. whole treatment consisted a one or ~
dressings with the cultivaior. and . Il
! bprious chilling" with the hoe.
VI frt-~~~ seid-, che rehrr-e e~r'sfvnsc
viii. II eoarse. rive war 10 the tws
4 hprse walking % riding eulfiv=tor. I
either ca<e. such implements should /
v|~E = ma5 y cunfrnllrd perfectly a
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