The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1892-07-28
FARM NOTES.

Edited by John c. Edgar, Duval, to whom a
Communications for this column should be nc
dressed
SOUTHERN HOPE COTTON.
Agricultural Editor of The Statesman.
You asked me some time since abOu
Southern Hope cotton. 1t had no
then progressed far enough Tor me t.
form an opinion in regard to it. Min
like yours was planted during tn
A prii drouth and came struggling VI
80 as to make my little patch lool
rather ragged.
1t appears to be very rapit
grower and makes lots of weed. 1t i
as high as my head in places and still
growing. Have counted as many a.
go bolls on stalk and plenty NOR
coming, but from the size of the plan
they look scattering. L think tina
the bolls will be large. A friend o
mine down the valley has acres of i
alongside of Welborn's Pet ana the
Myer and says he will discard the
Myer, but has not yet concluded
which of the others to adopt. Cotton
| is needing rain. | notice it is shed
ding on the prairie and uplands.
d. CIPHER.
The Southern Hope is long
staple cotton which has given
satisfactory results on the rich
bottom lands of Mississippi, but
has not been much tested on
upland.
Mr.. CIPHER is trying it on Colorado
bottom land, and his report is so far
in it's favor. On the 10th of May l
planted it on four acres of black prai-
rie land. 1t started off quickly and
has made more rapid growth than
any cotton L have handled. Unfor-
tunately the cutworm struck the
cent, so that have only three acres
of cotton in four acres of land. find
1t not only of vigorous growth, but of
that low branching and truiting habit
which is indicative of early maturity
and proliticness.
My plants are heavily laden with
bolls and forms, and in fact make
better showing than any cotton l ever
had at the same age. AS it has not
suffered from lack of rain or cultiva-
ton it is still growing and not she'd
ding, SO that cannot say how it may
be effected by dry weather. So far it
promises as we'll as any of the old va
rieties on the same soil. ED.
BAGGING GRAPES.
About grape blooming time l urged
the bagging of grapes as protection
against disease and birds. Those
who acted on my suggestion
will be surprised with tho result.
[ practiced what L preached as far as
practicable, and am more than ever
confirmed in the belief that bagging
is the best and most easily applied pro-
lection that can be given co the grape.
For many years my black Spanish
vines would set a large crop, (which
would grow till nearly full size, and
hen dry up and drop off, never ma
before practiced bagging. This year
have raised splendid crop in bags.
The lunches and berries much larger
han when unbagged, and the color
md flavor greatly improved, while
hose left unprotected on the same
vines, shriveled up as before. Grapes
nay not make a profitable crop ON
every farm, but they should be grown |
On thousands of farms tor home use,
where they are now unknewn, and |
,he health and happiness of the fami-
y would be promoted. Our climate,
and most of our soils, are especially
we'll adapted for grape culture, and it
'equires very little more skill ard
attention than the peach. AS they
ian be raised fl ON cuttings as easily
vs. if rooted, the question of expense
cannot prevent any one from sitting
lnder his own vine, ii not fig tree.
HAY MAKING.
Hay mgking is an occupation un-
Known to the vast majority of Texas
armers, but is beginning to excite
interest among thinking men. The
TWO crop farmer who solely relies
Upon cotton and corn for his support,
must change his plan or prepare to
endure even harder times than in the
past. Full crops of either of these
products does not mean profit to their
.aisers in every instance. The bigger |
he cotton crop the more III is IN eX-
cess of the demand, and the lower the |
price and the larger the yield of corn
5he better for those engaged in stock
feeding but the less profit to tie
grower not so engaged. The zone
horse farmers" who by the help of
make forty bushels of corn
where twenty is an average crop, do
not find their income doubled from
that source, as their only means of dis
posing of it is by hauling it by wagon
to market, where it has to be sold at
perhaps SO per cent less than the
average crop, while the cost of hauling
has been increased Is per cent. A
big corn crop is guaran tee agains
but is no criterian of pr s-
perity with the average farmer.
Wise farmers realize this
and are now diversifying
their product. This has been an ex-
perimental year and it will takesev-
eral more before profitable substitutes
can be found for cotton.
have proposed trial of hay near
good markets, especially where the
native Colorado grass grows so luxu-
riantly without human Intervention.
put thouph n urnxuc wit hot1t tho oara