The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-09-18
FARMS AND FARMERS
Short Talks With Men Who Guide
the Pillow.
Many Questions About the Farm, Answered
by DIR. W. l.. Jones. Formerly OF
the Southern Crltivator.


The recent gaperal and copious rains have
wet the ground sufficiently TO insure a good
start of fall crops If energy and good manage
ment are not wanting. After our long hot
summer the ground is apt TO DO dry, not at the
surface merely, but 10 great depths, and IS so
absorptive of moisture that the effects OF a
good ordinary rain soon disappear. Young
plants started whilst the surface soil is COM
paratively wet perish because their roots in
going downward find little or no moisture.
But We Judge that the earth is now wet to
considerable depths and will hold its moisture
for some time. One can therefore SOW clover,
grass, etc, with very decided assurance OF
success. Whom these can be started in the
fall il is very desirable to do So During winter
and carly spring the ground even below where
it has been disturbed 10y the plow, is compare
lively soft from the abundance of moisture in
the soil and the roots Of growing plants can
ramify through it quite easily. Plants thus
get a strong foothold and are prepared to make
a vigorous growth when warm weather fairly
sets in This is especially important with
deep-rooted plants like clover and lucerne;
they draw heavily on the subsoil, and 1t is inn
portant that their roots have all facilities for
penetrating it. There is quite as much diiter-
ence between these crops when sown in the fall
and in the spring, as there is between fallsown
and spring-sown oats.
If land has not been broken before these
latter rains break ii at once, and harrow thor
oughly. 10 not plow more than once If the
land can be gotten into any condition by one
plowing rcpeated plowings will mako it dry
off too rapidly. Getting the surface very fine
IL the important matter. This, repeated roll
ings and borrowings will do. Sow seed on
freshly narrowed surface and then roll it.
The rolling is importanti first to press the
seed into the soil, second to firm the soil about
and under the seed, so tho moisture from below
can come up and reach the seed. Unless this
precautiuu is taken small seeds are not apt to
come up until after rain, and several weeks
OF valuable time may be lost Grass and
clover mature and shed their seeds in summer,
and these are scattered on the surface ready to
be beaten in tho soil by the autumn rains, so
that they may terminate and begin growth.
Fall, therefore, is nature 3 time for starting n
now crop of winter grass. With summer
grasses tic seed remain dormant and lay over
till spring.
1t is very desirable that farmers below the
head of navigation in our rivers should expert
ment with lucerno II is not so welded to
clay soils as clover is, and would probably grow
we'll in the lighter soils OF the regions indi-
Gated. 1t will not grow, however, on poor
soils it should be tried on rich spots If it
will grow on these it will amply repay the
expense Of enriching land, because 1t may be
cut three times or more in year. and will last
fifteen or twenty years from one sowing. As
to quality nothing surpasses it. Horses, cows,
hogs, poultry love it and thrive upon it. Sow
in drills fourteen inches apart fifteen pounds
OF seed TO an acre. Reader, II you have never
grown it, try little; it will not cost much
w l.. j.