The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1892-06-21
Summer Cultivation.

Inquiries are constantly reaching the
editor of this department asking for adj
vice or suggestions relating to the proper
manner of cultivating the various hoe
crops The inquiries frequently come in
the form OF statement that this or that
method Is being pursued-this question
following: sam 1 rghtY'
Similar subjects have been heretofore
discussed in these columns; and it is
rather late to offer advice that will cover
the case entirely or fully. 1t is q car
dinal principle In agriculture that the crop
is half made if the ground has been prop
erly prepared for the reception OF the
seed, This preparation consists not only
In having soil sufficiently fertile for the
coming crop to feed upon; but that soil
must also be put In such q condition by
blowing or disintegration otherwise that
the roots Of the plant to be grown can
have ready and free access to the soil ele-
mentS upon which the plant must be prop
erly sustained at that point Of growth
for it must be remembered that the prin-
oipie elements Of vitality in plant life are
stored in the Soil-not in the air above
and its powerful gaSses, is always essen
tial in the growth of our field crops.
These facts should not be forgotten by
those who wish TO attain to success In
aSriculture; the soil must be properly
prepared in the beginning. The subSe
quent culture is simply secondary, though
always vital to success. And yet I'll the
u y fD1 DiX
crop In the summer time will not bring
him success unless he has put his ground
III proper condition at tho start.
1t Is true that there are
methods by which original neg
lect can be somewhat RENE
died or its defects overcome 1t is pos
sible to take q poor soil without any
breaking whatever, and then plant UPON
IL seed from which a crop can be pro-
ducM by subsequent deep powings and
manuring In the burrows after the plant
ing time. Such Il course, however, is
not the proper method, nor does it always
result i'll success, for 1t IS attended with
too many risks and uncertainties to make
II 4 method that Il wise man would either
recommend or adopt except i'll extreme
cases.
some of our beginners are asking, and
there are always beginners in every art,
and especially in the agricultural art, if
it be best TO use this or that kind of Il
ploW, or scraper III going through cotton.
corn or potatoes. One writer SAYS he
succeeds best with the SCrapcr another
says he uses shallow plOW, or a cult
Vat0r set shallow, and attanS success.
What is wanted in summer culture is sim
MY ig,Ct
and grass can be cXtcrmiuatcd, and the
crust of the earth kept from baking, pro
viding, always that the ground has been
properly prepared in the beginning. If
the soil has not been sufficiently puIver-
lied or broken In the early spring plOW-
ing SO that The roots Of the plant can have
Tree course To run i'll search of food, then
there must be deeper and closer pi0Win9
with the scooter" or "bull tongues" or
narrow Shovel" during the early summer
culture.
The ScIaperS, or sweeps, answer every
purpose in tho destruction of weed and
grass that live close to the surface: They
also serve to keep the ground from baking.
There Is, also, economy III using them, us
one hand can accomplish more with their
use than two men can with the narrow
plOW.
III soils that are not inclined To pack
or run together and harden after the
spring breaking the shallow scInper Cr
the light cultiyator is all that is Necessary
for use after the planting if the ground
has been broken well III the spring. For
the soils that are hard and difficult to
keep mellow, the farmer must have CON
slant recourse To the pl0W that is long,
sharp, and narrow, by whatsoever name
ii may be called. And it Is al ways best,
however, for the beginner to make
series of experiments, on his land, with
different kinds Of culture, so that after Il
few years Of experiment, he can deter
mine for himself what is best for his own
soil; and then let him adopt that which
has given him success uniformly in the
various tests.
MAJ add this much, by way Of sup
plementing an individual opinion with the
conclusion reached by an authority on
the subject This extract from a recent
bulletin issued by the Georgia expert
mental station giving the results OF vurt-
Gus experiments in this very line:
THE results admit of but one Simula
conclusion, viz: That on wei prepared
land, shallow culture gives bette. results
than deep culture"
And this brings us back again to the
starting point-the preparation OF the
soil i'll the spring Of the year AMI be-
fore the planting season begins,