The Russellville Democrat., 1890-01-16
SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL. 
 ExPERIEsIcE AND SCIENCE.


 all mold or plant food arc washed down into the sub-soil, and the gravel or sharp sand tflint rocks) remain on the surface. If any one will take the soil that has been in plowed crops for twen- ty years, and the same kind of sandy soil that has been only in cultivation for two or three years and examine them through magnifying glass, they will sec that the surface soil of tho land in cultivation for twenty years looks like pile of small, clean flint rocks down to the top of the clay. This sand shows where the mold lplant food) has gone,, for it will be found more abundant just above the clay than nearer the surface. The fresh, sandy soils will show most mold or plant food on or nearer the surface. and very little in the clay. On fresh lands--on grass, clover, eowpeas, etc. ---the roots of these plants catch this substance in it's descent and return it to the surface in leaves, stalks, seeds, etc, each year. For this reason we should keep some kind of crop growing on the land all the time. Peas sown in the corn at laying by tocome in and catch and retain all the plant food not taken up by the corn from any cause, root cut ting, drought, excessive rains, bad drain age or shallow preparation. Nine out of ten seasons are good, but nine out of ten years we guess wrong and curse the season for our own short-sigh htedness in not catching escaping ammonia, for it is settled fact that all ammonia turned loose by the opening of the soil with the blow on clean soils, will either be lost from evaporation by the long sum the sub-soil by the winter rains. If there is no clay foundation or growing plant roots to catch it, ammonia will. in few years, be carried below where any plant root can feed If the soil is filled with plant roots, the ammonia will be re- turned to the surface when the plants decay; if clay foundation, the clay will retain the ammonia, where summer crops, such as cotton and other tropical plants will get it. but is lost to the spring crops of the temperate zone, such as wheat, oats, Northern or extra early corn, grasses and clover. Why? Be- cause nothing can decay or be digested without air, and roots can not feed on undecayed substances. All tho plant food during the spring is held sub merged in cold water, which is also held by the tenacious clay until summer comes. So all that the spring plants can get is the very scant sub stances left in this bed of very small flint rocks and the food gath cred from the air through it's little feeder roots (not the leaves). All cul- tivation will do much better on these old sandy soils than those sown broad cast because the cultivation stirring the soil causes more rapid evaporation and lets air down deeper. While this sandy soil on clay foundation is un- fitted for all spring crops, it is com plete soil for summer crops. The land acts as protection against the heat of the sun by cutting off all capillary at traction and forming a dense shade. The clay keeps both plant food and water together just on top of it, where all plant roots will be sure to run, for they can not catch into the sand or en- ter the airless clay There is but little danger of crippling the plant by root cutting in cultivation. for they are deep enough to admit of thorough cultivation with shallow running implements.
 Do not understand me to say that these soils are not suited for any thing but cotton and sugar cane. By no means. They are suited to greater J,n ,,1o tc hn ola onsl lo Al the North, open, porous and-aunder- drained. We must confine ourselves to summer crops, and this is as it should be. Were it other wise, our summers would be much hotter by the direct rays of the sun on the soil protected by green and growing plants that feed themselves and their stalk. In the absense of this growing vegetation onr hot months would cost us just as much for shade and stock feed as the winters do the people of the North. We have many summer fall grazing and the very cheapest and best hay for winter, which, if fed to cattle (and sheep with cotton seed, will keep them fat the year round without any kind of grain.
 We have three hundred acres in culti- yation--all in one field. We have one side in corn, oats, millet, etc. The corn is pulled early. The oats are thrashed and the straw stacked. While we do not get as good a crop of oats as on the stiffer soils, we get a full crop of crab grass hay, which with the millet is put in long, narrow shed in the field. As soon as the corn is gathered first of September) we put boyon mule to herding our cattle every forenoon where the corn grew. This is kept up until cotton is gathered and the rye sown in the cotton shows green sward, then the cattle are turned loose in the field. The blows then turn the land where we had corn and millet under. Generally there is good crop of volunteer oats which helps winter grazing; this we leave until after Christmas. Our cattle have access to the straw stack and hay shed, and the green rye during the winter. The only feeding done is with cotton seed. Our cattle run on the outside range all summer. In March they are generally fatter than during any part of the year. In March they go back to. the range and have only cotton seed, at first only once per day; later three times per week; then only twice, and then only once per week. Up to two years ago we fed corn-meal, but since then have fed nothing but the cot ton seed, crab grass or millet hay and cat straw.
 All stiff soils need and generally have porous subsoils or well-drained soils. If cultivated in or sown in spring crops, summer crops win, if the spring is wet, catch their roots too near the ground to stand the drought of summer, and give way just at the most critical time, al- though having immense stalks or vines. This is shown to perfection in Texas.