The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1890-06-26
FARMER AND PLANTER.
OBSERVATION COUNTS.
Modern Theory Not Always as Good AZ
Observation and Experience.

SERHA IObN WIN ! -
Modern Theory Not Always as Good as
Observation and Experience.
Fall blowing should be done more
with an object of manurial purposes
than simply for breaking land, although
both is accomplished. In the fall the
fields are generally covered with grass,
weeds, pea-vines, stalks and other vege-
table matter. To get the full benefit
of such materials the sooner they are
turned under to rot the better and more
humus they will make. This is all the
value place on large turning plows-to
turn under vegetable matter for the
benefit of the land. Turning over
clean lands with large two-horse plows
/ consider no benefit to land, but
rather an injury, especially where the
soil is so shallow the clay is brought to
the surface. If there is vegetable mat
ter to turn under use the two-horse turn
ing pillow; if none, use long, broad scoot-
ers and subsoil instead of turning over.
Those are my ideas of blowing for pre-
pairing lands to plant. In Northern eli
mates where SHOWS are frequent and lie
on the ground for weeks, and perhaps
months, after blowing and sowing small
grain, narrowing may be beneficial; but
in our Southern climate, where there is
seldom snow, and very light when we
have any snow, think narrowing is
more injurious than beneficial. True,
narrowing insures a better stand
and the grain grows off most
in fa11 hut
winter beating rains lin the place
of SNOWY so compact narrowed
lands that by spring the surface be-
comes so compact and hard that no air
or gentle rains reach the roots of the
plants, the least drought effects the
plant, and the crop necessarily suffers
and is cut off in production. True, har-
rowing in the spring would loosen the
surface and help crops in that conditi n,
but at that time our teams so busy
preparing for corn or cotton they can
not be- spared for narrowing either
wheat or oats, and the plants are left in
that condition, campact and hard.
Under such circumstances l think it
best to break up and pulverize the
ground as best we can with the pillow,
and pillow in the grain. and in spring you
will find the ground not so compact and
hard as when narrowed, and the plant
won't suffer as much from drought.
This may seem very old and fogyish,
compared with modern progressive
ideas, but nevertheless, l speak from
observation and experience. Farming
must be go verned, to great extent by
climatic influences. The Northern
farmers are protected by SHOWS during
winter, while the Southern farmers
have long rainy seasons that compact
their grounds, and glazen them in
spring by March cold winds, and they
(the Northern farmers) can handle their
small grain crops in the spring, whilst
other crops are pressing the Southern
farmers, which gives them no chance to
harrow. What is practicable North,
may not be practicable South; so our
Southern farmers should find out what
best suits our climate and soil,
and farm accordingly. Our greatest
trouble South, on cur old clay soils,
is to keep them from packing, occa-
stoned by heavy rains. We want humus
in our lands, and to obtain that, fall
| blowing, where you have the vegetable
matter to turn under, is the only way
we can restore humus to the land. Com
mercial fertilizers may increase produe-
ton and furnish material to make hui
mus, by increasing vegetable growth to
| turn under, and so with our summer
| cultivation. Shallow blowing washes
badly on broken or hilly lands. The
| first blowing of corn should be at least
three inches deep. That loosens and
warns up the ground and gives growth
to the plants. The second blowing a
little shallower, but deep enough to alb
sorb rain. Cutting corn roots don't hurt
the corn until punching and making
ready for shooting. There are thousands
of roots left to sustain the plant that the
! pillow never touches, and when the corn
begins to bunch, ready for shooting and
tasseling, then pillow light and further
off from the corn. The most failures in
corn is not from blowing, but the lack
of rich soil, and if not erich, it must
be made so by fertilizing, or cultivation
amounts to but little. Much impor-
lance is attached to modern, progressive
implements. Those that are labor-sav-
ing and do good work are to be appre-
ciated, provided they are bought at
reasonable prices; but there are toe
many too expensive, and some very use
less. Haiman has furnished the farm
ers with the most useful and cheapest
set or plows have ever seen. He has
been benefactor to the Southern farm.
ers.-John H. Dent, in Southern Farm.
DIVERSIFIED FARMING.