The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1889-05-29
SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL.
Suggestions for May.

PdrV Vi tne period OF cultlvatlng the
main crops of the South, corn and cot
ton. The farmer who has good stands
and his fields in good condition on the
first day of the month, and pushes his
work with skill, energy and good judg-
ment to its close, will have practically
won the fight, so far as depends on his
efforts. It has often been said that a
crop we'll planted on well-prepared
land Is half made. Such preparation
and planting involves good seed and
liberal manuring, as we'll as good
blowing and careful management of
all details, and almost certainly re-
suits in good stands. The real objects
OF blowing and hoeing the crops should
be kept steadily in view, and the means
for their accomplishment should be
adapted to The ends 1t is an error to
proceed in the cultivation of a crop as
as If the only object were to destroy
the grass and weeds; and yet these
must be either prevented or destroyed
or the crop will prove failure. Weeds
and grass, these are not an unmixed
evil to some farmers, since the neces-
sity for their suppression. and the
means employed for that purpose, as
sure to the crop, to degree, the STIR
ring and eration of the soil that will
be necessary to vigorous growth and
| development of the pl ants and a bOun-
tiful harvest.
The main object of cultivation
should be to keep the surface soil, to
the depth of one or two inches, in a
loose, friable condition, SO that the
air may have easy access to the roots
OF the plants, while at the same time
the moisture is prevented from too
rapidly evaporating. A shower of rain
sufficiently copious to stand for few
moments On the surface will cause the
particles of soil to run together"
just as if a handful of soil be dropped
in glass of water and the ves-
sci briskly shaken few moments.
The running of the water on the
surface, or the combined agitation by
the successive falling raindrops, pro-
duces the same condition of the upper
half inch of the soil as observed in the
glass. Now pour off the water in the
glass, or permit the water to flow off
from the soil, Or sink into it.. and the
same result will shortly follow in both
cases-the formation of compact
crust or cake. In both cases the par
ticles of soil have adjusted themselves
to each other more closely, just as
kernels of wheat or corn in a half
bushel will do when shaken. In this
condition the soil is like a soft brick,
or lump of sugar, and will draw up
the moisture more readily and rapidly
by capillary action. Any one can
easily illustrate the principle of cap
Hilary action, and the rule by
which it is governed. Take two
panes or pieces of glass; lay one
on the other. separating them by sew
eral thicknesses of paper along two
opposite edges. Now dip the open
edge OF the combined glass in water
and note the rise of the fluid in the thin
space between the surfaces of the two
pieces of glass. Note further if the
thicknesses of the paper be reduced SO
as to bring the pieces of glass nearer
each other, the water will rise higher
and higher in proportion as the sur
faces be brought nearer each other.
Now the particles of soil, when in the
condition described just now, are much |
nearer together than the thickness of
a single sheet of the thinest paper,
and thus form a series of very fine cap
Hilary tubes, capable of drawing up
the water many inches. AS the water
thus drawn up reaches the surface,
and even before it reaches the surface
of the soil, it is converted into vapcr
and escapes into the air. II now we
disturb or break up the close contigui-
ty of the particles and thus destroy
the continuity of the capillary spaces
or tubes, we to that extent prevent or
greatly retard, the escape of moisture
by evaporation. This is accomplished
by stirring the surface OF the soil, and
forming it into a mellow, loose layer.
This layer may be considered as a mulch |
to the subjacent soil in which the roots
are feeding. for it acts very similarly
to a matching of the usual materials,
in preventing undue evaporation. But |
not only does the hard, compact crust
facilitate the escape of needed moist
ure, but it also prevents the free en-.
trance of the air into the soil.
We believe properly conducted ex-
periments would also prove that the
stirring of the surface soil tends to
facilitate the sinking OF the SUPER
abundant water into the underlying
subsoil and into the natural or arti-
fetal rainage outlets, after series of |
too copious rains.
How to accomplish this repeated |
stirring of the soil in the cheapest and |
most effectual manner is a problem
that has not been solved by Southern
farmers generally. The traditional
"nigger and mule" with a shovel,
or gopher, or some similar implement,
requiring from three to four burrows
In a four-foot row. is reproach
on Southern farming. The winged
sweep, large thanks to David Dickson
for improving and popularizing it,
was quite step in advance, followed