The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1890-10-30
THE DRoUTH OF 1891.

iAS' DiouIhs aio no1 vi frequent Oc-
currence in Texas, but they do come
once in a while, and then woe unto
them that have not provided against
the visitation. But while the chance
OF drouth is remote, we have almost
certainty of six or eight weeks dry
spell during June, July and August,
and that is just the critical time with
the cotton crop, on which mainly
rests the hopes and expectations of the
farmer.
II we had timely rains during sum.
mer every year we would make twice
as much cotton as we could harvest,
and at greatly increased cost, while
the increased yield would reduce prices
to point that would make the crop
more improbable than at present.
That such would be the result of
regular and good seasons may be fairly
inferred from experience with the corn
crop. Every farmer knows there is
more profit in general half or two
third crop than in full or extra full
one. With full crop corn is often
hard to sell at Is cents bushel, while
a half or two-third crop finds a ready
sale at 60 to Is cents, with half the
cost of handling and hauling.
Of course every farmer wants to
raise full crop every year and take
his chance of the market, knowing
that the odds are in favor of general
short crop. The full crop in the short
year is what he is or ought to be after.
This result cannot be made GER
tainty, but there is way of encourag
ing things that goes long way
ward success.
The first thing toward making a
big crop next year is to thoroughly
prepare the land. This is not new
idea, but it's good enc, and will
bear repeating. Most farmers admit
this proposition, but there is a wide
diversity of opinion as to what is
Thorough preparation" Methods
adapted to one section and soil are to-
tally unsuited to another. My re-
marks are intended to apply to the
black prairie land of Central Texas.
The preparation of the soil depends
greatly on the crop last raised and the
prospective one and its condition in
relation to grass and weeds. Should
corn be intended to follow cotton and
the latter crop had thorough and
clean cultivation, then much shall
lower breaking will do than if corn
has to follow corn or small grain, as
in that case the land will be covered
with a growth OF vegetation that
should be buried deep, and the soil
will be compact, dry and impervious to
the action of the oxygen essential to
plant growth.
Deep and early breaking of corn
land is always safe rule even if, as in
case of cotton stubble, shallow break
ing might do. The deeper land is
plowed, if early enough, the greater
will be the depth of fine, free, moist
soil for the young roots to start in, as
the winter frosts and rains will dis
solve the clods and rot all vegetable
matter buried. The particles of soil
being thus loosened admit oxygen,
while the decomposing organic mat
ter, where the roots of the future crop
should be, will supply the nitrogen.
Soil thus prepared will retain moisture
long after shallow broken land has
dried outs
Ii this plan be followed nothing
short of terrible drouth will prevent
a good corn crop if wise methods of
planting and cultivation follow.
Mr.. McRae in an able article on the
use of Clark's Cutaway Harrow in
corn cultivation gives it as his opinion
that depth of breaking is not so essen,
tial as depth OF planting. l entirely
agree with his deep planting, ex-
cept in rare cases, but think
his shallow preparation of the soil will
not give such good results as deep, ex-
cept in rare cases, such as after we'll
cotton crop, aud until l
have seen practical test between the
GETAWAY" and the turning pillow, I'M
der identical conditions, l will cling to
the belief that the latter has not been
as land breaker, and for
the following reasons:
l. thiuk it essential to the fertility
Of the soil that all vegetable matter
on the surface should be turned I'M
der. The cutaway will not do this.
.. affirm that the inversion of the
soil is tial to continued fertility.
The cutaway does not invert the soil. !
From Mr. McRae's description OF the
operation of the implement, would
nfer that it must be valuable puiver-
ger and would be of great service