The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1890-10-30

surface and if there is no overturning
and mixing process, the surface soil
will become to light and spongy and
the subsoil too compact and earthly.
The complete pulverization Of the
soil before planting and during the
growth of the plant is indispen-
sable to the best result. This
is particularly true of our
stiff black waxey lands, but even free
silicious soils are benefited by thorough
pulverization.
l have long felt the necessity for an
improved cultivator, something that
will not merely stir but pulverize.
The present two horse so-called cult
vators are a perfect fraud. To even
half stir the soil the shovels must be
buried deeply where they do more
harm to the growing crop than good,
as they must necessarily tear asunde1
many essential roots, which during a
dry season have no chance to renew.
If the cutaway can be adapted to
the cultivation of rowed cropsit seems
to me it will be most useful nipple
menu on the farm.
Deep planting and shallow covering
OF corn is another desideratum when
the surrounding soil IL porous, but
deep planting is fatal to the germina-
ton of the seed when it is buried in a
tenacious compact subsoil beyond the
reach of atmospheric influences.
Seeds of any kind are Incapable of
termination in the absence of oxygen,
therefore to bury seed beyond the
reach of the atmosphere is to put it
where there will be no resurrection.
PULvER1zE DEEP AND PLANT CORN DEEP
If breaking has not already COM
menced it should be done at the earli-
est opportunity so that full advantage
may be had of all the winter rains and
such frosts as may stray down this
way.
The farmer who follows this plan
will seldom fail to raise good aver
age crop, and will be on deck when
the full crops are being made.
Begin now TO beat the drouth OF
1891.
Since writing the foregoing I re.
ceived the following letter continuing
the discussion of the question, Gully
or October Flowing" 1t will be seen
by Mr.. McIlroy's communication that
his July broken land, which made him
good corn had good rain on October
5, which melted the clods. That there
was no more rain until May l follow
ing. That the balance of his corn
land was broken in February, and
presumably planted in March. The
wonder is not that such land made an
inferior crop, but that it made any,
under such conditions.
l venture to say that had the Feb
ruary plowed Lind been turned over
on October ! and got the rain on the
B, it would have made better crop
that that broken in July. 1 am glad
to have my dictums challenged, espe-
cially when done in such a generous
and gentlemanly way as that OF my
correspondent. don't expect every
one to agree with my conclusions, and
therefore, invite candid criticism.
Next.
To the Ag icultural editor of The States
Halloo, there, Mike! I've "caught a
tartar" Little did 1 think when my
squib was penned for THE STATESMAN
few weeks past, that 1 would be i'm
paled upon the question of July vs..
October blowing. Since "silence is
only commendabl in meats tongue
dried and maid not vendable" l will
come again, though my ideas may not
be so very good.
The editor and Mr.. McRae take me
to task and the latter offers new
system-a substitute for breaking land
which does not touch the question
in point, although his experiments
with the Disc harrow may be good
and in time supplant July, October or
any month breaking He says he
takes it for granted that 1 was not
mistaken in my observations of the
summer breaking in 'S6. | assure him
there is no mistake. The land in
question was turned the middle of
July with an S-inch Avery steel pillow
to a depth OF 8 inches, turning I'M
der good coat of stubble and grass
On both sides had c ton growing.
This piece of stubble was lo1 g strip.
The 9th of October following good
rain fell which melted the clods; no
rain after that until the LIST of Nav,
the entire month being seasonable.
The 18th of June another good rain,
the last of that season. In February
the cotton stubble was, broken. the
corn planted in rows running at right
angles across the summer and winter
breaking. The same cultivation of
course, and the July breaking
was the only place gather
ed any corn, and off that /
got about twenty five bushels Der
acre of good corn-the other produced
very little. Now if it was not the
July blowing did it, what was 1t, pray
tell me. But, says Messrs. Editor and
McRae, that was only the mechanical
benefit of the breaking" and Mr.. Nc
Rae adds that he cleans to the simpler
faith" This l will admit in part.
only so far as the plowing-work was
and was factor in tho