The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1884-02-23
Communicated


Editor Lake Charles Echo:
AS the planting season is coming on
and the farmers will soon be pTepar-
ing their lands for putting in their
crops, we venture to offer few
suggestions which we hope will prove
beneficial to those who may see fit to
give them a trial. In the first place,
we would say, in the preparation of
land to be planted in corn, pillow as
deep as the strength of your team
will permit, and as the nature of your
soil requires. There is such a thing
as Plowing to deep for both team and
land, never strain your horse, they
should walk with the plow when set
at proper depth as they do with an
average load on level roads, and the
depth to which you should plow your
lands is to be determined by the
nature of the subsoil, if the subsoil is
clay of any kind, you may pillow as
deep as you choose if you will use a
pillow that will not turn the clay up,
simply loosen it. Murties' or Brinly's
subsoil plows, either are excellent for
deep blowing in shallow soils, where
the object is to break the subsoil with,
out turning it over. A long, narrow,
shoVel-plow, called a Bull Tongue"
we have found to be very good
substitute for subsoil plow, though
they are much harder to draw at
given depth than either of the subsoils
we have mentioned. In the applica-
tion of fertilizers, where they cannot be
broadcasted, which is more generally
the case, and have to be placed in or
under the drill, We say put them deep,
for at least two reasons, if your fer
tilizer is green cotton seed (Which is tho
proper way to apply thCm) or unrotted
barnyard manure, especially should
1t be placed deep or else the cotton
seed may germinate, thereby lessoning
their fertiIizing properties, and the
barnyard manure prove too heating
for the growing crop when the season
has advanced Another reason why
fertilizers should be put low is, that a
great part of that applied on or near
the surface is taken by the grass and
is not only lost to the growing crop,
but is fruitful source of trouble to
the farmer, as it forces luxuriant
growth of this same grass which some
times requires all the wits of the
farmer to control A good plan for
putting down compost is to scatter it
in the old water furrow, which can be
done from wagon by taking four or
FIVE rows at the time, which will
greatly facilitate this iTksome part of
: farmers work, when you have done
This, take turning pillow and throw
out two furroWs, then the reverse
throw two furrows back, and you will |
have your compost thoroughly mixed |
with the soil; then fridge up" on this |
and you are ready for planting. The
'election of seeds to plant is perhaps
Of more Importance than is generally
appreciated. Cotton is receiving more
attention in this direction than per-
laps any other crop grown in this
altitude and we would not discourage
his but urge the necessity of improv-
ng other crops, especially corn, by a
udicious selection of seed, as it is too
ate to select from the field for this
'ears' planting, have box or some
barrels in your crib, and as you are
'hucking corn sfor stock or milling,
hrow into this box the finest looking
'ars and continue this for some time
lntil you have two or three times as
much as you need, and then from this
assortment you can make your selec-
ion. A very common error that
armers fall into in the planting of
orn is getting it too thick, if you
will take the time to make the calcu-
alton you will see that corn planted
our feet apart, each way, with one
,ood ear to the stalk, viii give you
2 barrels of 1875 ears each to the
ere. This, dare say, is more than
great many of us average on our
hin lands, and yet lands that will not
make corn at this distance will not
'ay to cultivate. The trouble with
: is sroWding it, and this prevents a
'reat many Of the stalks from making
nything. Try it, farmers, and let Us
ave the results through the stEcao.n
/ this does not find its way into the ,
'aSte basket We may give you
omething on corn culture and cotton
lanting further along. Il