The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1893-07-13
COMMISSIONER NESBITT,
HIS MONTHLY TALK WITH THE
GEORGIA FARMERS
On Subjects of General Interest Per-
tanning to the Farm and
Garden Good Advice.

The month of July, on the we'll con.
Quoted Georgia farm, means some it'll
let up in the hard struggle necessary in
the months of May and June. Excent
in the more northern counties. the crops
should have received their last work
ing; the grain crops should have been
Wen harvested, and barring field here
ana tnere, Which, from unexpected
causes, has gotten little behind, we
can anord to give our plows ''leave of
absence" from the cultivated crops. If
the
COTTON
is In good growing condition. taking on
fruit rapidly, a pillow passed lightly over
the surface might not do any apparent
harm, but, all things considered, it
would, perhaps, be best not to incur the
FISK. Any disturbance of the roots
just now, particularly If the blowing
should be followed by even temporary
orought causes loss of fruit, and while
such blowing may cause the plant to
take on new growth and develop new
frult, 1t is better to persue system of
cultivation which will retain and de-
velop, In the shortest time possible, the
fruit already on the plant, than to risk
getting later if, perhaps, fuller crop.
Where the fruiting has been delayed by
unfavorable weather or inability on the
part OF the farmer to give the necessary
cultivation at the proper time. thus
allowing weeds and grass to spring I'D
and struggle for supremacy, a pillow
should be passed over the land as
lightly as possible, but in such a man.
ner Us to kill out this foreign growth.
Pulverize the soil and avoid root prun-
ing and disturbance as far as may be.
In the
LAYING BY
of both corn and cotton, Ahe plowman
should endeavor, by a careful adjust
ment of his plowstock, to avoid any in
jury ormutilation to the growing plants.
Take Off the long singletree and substi-
tute shorter one, or stretcher placed
between the traces. will answer a good
purpose. The ordinary singletree, in
the last working, will often break and
destroy great many limbs, besides
seriously lnjuring the other parts of the
plants. The greatest judgment and
care is necessary at this critical period
One careless blowing nDw will much
reduce the yield and bring to naught
previous intelligent and we'll considered.
plans. All the cultivation should have
been carried on with view to leaving
the land as
and as friable as the soil will admit.
Even the lands that are idle should be
left as level as possible. In order to
best understand how to pillow and when
to pillow, we must first understand
WHY WE PLow,
and this brings us to the consideration
OF most interesting subject, but for
lex of time and space can only touch
upon one or two of its main features
We pillow to bury the top or surface
growth; to prepare a properly pulver-
lied seed bed to receive the seed and
best Dourish the young and growing
plants; to kill the weeds and grass; to
break the crust after each rain and
thus conserve the moisture, which
would otherwise be evaporated from
the surface.
In planning for the preparation and
cultivation of every crop we must re-
member one most important truth:
plants do not eat; they drink, and our
aim should be to put the soil in such
condition that the moisture. which
comes up from below, may be held in
reach of the plants, and of any fertili-
yer we may use, and also to prevent the
evaporation of this moisture as far as
possible. No matter how much natural
or prepared plant food there may be in
the soil, without the all important moist
ure to render this food available, it is
utterly worthless to the growing plants.
Each man should study his crops, his
soils, the needs of each, and so manage
his blowing as to develop the best ele-
ments of both, and get the greatest
good from the smallest outlay.
The main work in the crops having
been nearly completed, we now have an
opportunity of beginning the
REPAIRS
on outbuildings and fences. so necessary
to the appearance of the farm, as we'll
as the absolute comfort of farm life
Neat, trim, well kept buildings, gar
dens and fences are an advertisement
for any neighborhood. They give an
air of thrift and prosperity that moth
ing else will. Let us. resolve that,
come what may, we will return to
legitimate farm methods, raise our
home supplies beautify our homes and
enjoy the prosperity which will once
again be ours. To begin, let us arrange
to raise our own
HOGS.
This we cannot do by purchasing few
wellbred sows and turning them into
some old fields, which, on account of
its convenience to stable and barn, has
been kept fenced and called pasture.
Prepare for pasturing by enclosing
some land, and this fall seed it to clover.
Nothing so improves your land, and no
finer food for farm animals can be pro-
d1ced. Then SOW on the same land
with the clover your small grain, to
come on in the spring, which being cut
off, leaves the clover as a foundation
for your venture in meat raising. Be-
cause hog is hog, don't decide that
his treatment should be hoggish. Give
him uniform good attention, shelter
from the weather, regular food and
water and keep him free from vermin.
Nothing so contributes to the destruc-
tive diseases to which the hog is sub
Jeot, as filth, insufficient and irregular
food and undestroyed swarms of YER
min. These points cannot be guarded
TOO carefully. Cleanliness and plenty
of wholesome food and pure water are
Rs essential to their healthy develop