The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1886-07-07
inst. Speeches will be made and a
general good time is expected.
TRINITY COLLEGE CLUB - MEETING
JUNE 26.-SUBJECT: PREPARATION
FOR WINTER CROPS

FOR WINTER CROPS.
DIR. Parke Ready, ready. There
is no other word in all Of our Ian
guage so complete, SO full, SO eloquent,
as this word ready. Did you ever
look out this word in the dictionary?
Let us see what Worcester says
about it. He says it means pre-
pared; prompt; not to seek; near
at hand; not slow; accommodated
to any design; apt; eager, &C., &c.
To have everything in complete
readiness for properly seeding
crop is of paramount consideration
to the farmer. Begin now with these
fine seasons we are having to turn
your stubble and other lands that you
intended for wheat, oats, rye or bar
ley. Sowpea if possible so as to have
an abundant supply Of vegetable
matter in the soil this is essential, if
you intend to phosphate your fall
seeding. These poor and worn fields
are deficient in humus, and this must
be restored, if you expect to i'm
prove your land and make paying
crop By all means seed down in
some winter grain crop or grass, or
clover, all of the corn, cotton or to-
bacco fields you can. Don't leave
them bear and naked to leach, wash
and waste away by the winter and
spring rains. If some growing crop
occupies the soil, this plant food is
held secure It has been found by
actual test of the waters running out
of an under drain in fields that were
naked, that the water was heavily
charged with the best elements of
fertility, whereas, if the land be
occupied with some growing crop,
the water thus tested showed scarcely
trace of fertilizing properties. In
the North where the land is hard
frozen and covered with snow for
the greater part of the winter, there
is scarcely any waste from this
source, but here in the South, with
our open winters, it is quite other
wise, and it is important, gentlemen,
that you know these things, and be
ready to be benefited thereby.
w. III. Harris.-If clover sod, be-
gin to plow when clover is at it's
greatest growth to secure seed and
the greatest amount to turn under.
If fallow or any other land not sod
ded, begin in early spring. Turn
about tour inches deep and subsoil
as deep as your please. About the
18th June SOW some green crop
peas, sorghum or corn; and when
about grown turn under. Always
take the fallow harrow with you to
the field and pulverize as fast as you
plow. AS soon as this green crop is
decayed, which will be in twenty or
thirty days, cross plow with gofer
deep. In ten days cross break again
with gofer. Never prepare more
than you can manure, or have money
to buy commercial fertilizers with.
l could not risk mortgaging for fer
tilizers 1t will not pay to properly
cultivate land for winter crop that
produces less than ten bushels per
acre. Always have clover to fallow
winter crops. The above cultivation
will secure catch. The best stand
of clover / ever had was from plow
ing four or five times, first turning
under a green crop of peas and
sorghum. If you cannot prepare
very nearly as above better lay over
for next year.
Will Robbins.-To prepare fresh
stubble land for a wheat crop l cut
the wheat near the ground to avoid
having too much stubble in the way.
Sow peas after harvesting the wheat,
and plow them under with double
gofer. When the vines are suftici-
emily large plow them under with
two-horse plow. After decomposition
cross pillow with gofer deep. This mode
enables us to plow with light rain
The fallow land | plow in spring
when I have good seasons and get a
crop of weeds to turn under in sum-
mer. For oats I plow in the spring,
and again in fall. Sow 200 lbs. fer
tilizer and two bushels oats to the
acre. l have the best crop OF oats
lust harvested that | ever had, put