The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-07-10
FARMS AND FARMERS
Short Talks With Men Who Guide
the PIoW.
Many Questions About the Farm, Answered
by DR.. w. L. JONES' Formerly of
the Southern Ccltiyator.
Fail Crops.

!. 1t is none too early to plan and begin prep.
Hration for fall crops. 1t will not do to defer
breaking land for them till just before they are
10 be started, because rain is too uncertain.
Only at intervals, and for very short periods of
time at this season of the year, is land in con-
clifton to take the plow. Land lying unculti-
Fated through the summer is apt to get very
hard and dry the subsoil after even copiods
Taihs remaining unfit to receive the plow
tMuch of the water which falls upon its hard
Surface runs off instead of being absorbed, and
lthis contributes to its dryness. Break, there
fore, what you can after each rain. That
which is broken will absorb the rainfall better
than the unbroken; the moisture will pene-
crate deeper, giving deeper sed bed. One of
the great troubles in starting fall crops is that
even after quite good rain it is the surface
soil only of unbroken land that is wet, and
when this dries off, as it viii do rapidly there
is no moisture below to rise up and take its
place, and the young plants frequently perish
from lack of water. Net so with land that has
been broken some time i'll advance, which has
been catching and holding the rains as they
fell. If, therefore, one wishes to be sure of
Starting crop of clover or lucerne or grass or
turnips, in September or October, let him
begin to break his land at once, and continue
to break, roll and harrow till seeding time.
All experienced farmers know that this is the
plan to get stand and raise crop of turnps.
1t is equally applicable to success with grass
and other crops named.
1t is not alone for the sake of securing moist
ure that the above method OF procedure is
recommended. 1t is equally important to pro-
vide good supply of available plant food in
the soil, in order that the young plants may
make good growth and become firmly estab-
lished before cold weather. Frequent stirring
of the soil promotes disintegration, decomposi-
tion, nitrtcation, and all the processes that
generate plant food. 1t is well, also, to incor-
porate with the soil in advance of seeding any
manure to be given the crop. There is little
danger of loss from teaching at this season of
the year, and manures act better after they
have been distributed through the soil by pillow
and rain-water. To render this distribution
probable, at a time when rainfall is scanty,
application of manure should be made month
or two before seeding time.
After the land is brought into fine filth it
should be somewhat compacted, either by rain
or by roller. Small seeds do not terminate
well and young plants do not grow thrifty on
very loose soil. The soil should be neither too
compact nor too loose. If too compact the
roots cannot permeate through it; if too loose
they cannot establish close connection with the
soil, an essential condition to the absorption of
moisture. We have good illustration of this
in turfy soils.
1t is urged upon all farmers who have not
already done so, to experiment in small way
with these fall crops Especially would we
urge the planting of patch of lucerne. 1t
will not cost much to do this, and then YOU
can judge for yourself whether it will pay or
not. Take all proper precautions and do it
right, that if failure results it will not lay at
your door You might try it on light and on
heavy soils, and see which succeeds best. Such
experiments cost little, but are very helpful.
w. l.. j.