The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-07-06
FARM NOTES.
Edited by John c. Edgar Duval, to whom all
communications for this column should be ad.
dressed.l

The month just closed is the driest
June since 1879 in my section. June
is usually the wettsst month in the
year, and my rain record shows that
the average precipitation is between 7
and inches. This year only frac-
ton over 2 inch fell AS conse,
quence the country is very dry and
vegetation is suffering. Water holes
that generally furnish stock water till
the beginning of August are beginning
to run feeb,y. Grass is very dry and
preparing for the burnt up stage.
The stock outlook is not bright, as
without a heavy rain very soon there
will be great scarcity of both grass
and water. l am naturally sanguine
and take hopeful view of everything,
therefore hope that the thirsty soil
may soon be refreshed by copious
rain, but it is wise not to be over
sangulne and to be prepared for
the worst. As the June rainfall was
deficient, that of July may be exces-
sive; but the odds are decidedly
against it, and we may low be fairly
in for our annual dry term. The
average rainfall for July is less than
inch, and unless the order OF nature
is reversed and that quickly, we will
in the future speak of the drouthy
summer of '93
~
But the dry spell is not without its
compensations to the farmer. 1t has
cut his corn crop short about 30 per
cent as against that of last Year, To
the uninltiated this may appear a
doubtful sort Of compensation, but
the average farmer appreciates it. The
average farmer. growing corn, mar
kets his surplus in the wagon. When
full or extra full crop is raised, hav-
ing only a local market for his pro.
duc", il is soon glutted and the price
falls too low To pay for cost of pro
duction and hauling; but when only a
half crop is made the price is at least
doubled and the labor and expense
OF handling reduced one-half,
so that the farmer gets as much for
his short crop as for his big one, and
makes large gain in expense of hand
ling. The farmer has no reason to feel
alarmed about the short corn crop.
but it will make a great difference to
the city horseman. Turn about is fair
play, as the cook said to the waffle:
and consumers should not feel them
selves badly treated if the producer
once in a while gets small return for
his labor.
~
Up till now the dry weather has been
altogether in favor of cotton, as it has
permitted its thorough cultivation,
and the crop is cleaner, and plant big
ger and more fruitlike than at the same
period for many years. The usual
June rains are lot favorable for a big
cotton yield. They promote heavy
growth of grass which is seldom
thoroughly overcome, but remains
to compete for moisture with
cotton during the heat and drouth of
July and August. 1t also produces a
rank growth of leaf and stalk. This
would be no objection if the rainfall
were sustained throughout the fruit
ing season, but as that seldom occurs
the plants. cannot absorb sufficient
moisture to support so much stalk.
leaf, bloom and fruit, there is shedding
of squares and bolls and the yield is
not so per cent of what was promised
while the effect of the rain held out.
The dry seasons we have so far ex-
perienced has allowed thorough Guilt
walton, which has produced a good
growth OF weed, but not of the usual
sappy character and which will not
demand so much moisture to support
its fruit. A good rain would be of
great advantage to the crop, but We
are in much better position to stand
a drouth than if we had had a normal
rainfall in June.
x#x
Our black lands absorb and retain
moisture in wonderful manner, and
if properly prepared before planting
and thoroughly cultivated Afterwards
cotton can command moisture
to maintain growth much longer than
if grown in other soils. One popularity
of the black waxy land is its liability
of cracks. In conversation with a
very practical farmer a few days ago.
he expressed the opinion that the
cracks between the cotton rows were
an advantage rather than an injury to
the crop | demurred. | think the
deeper and wider the cracks the more
beneficial to next years crop, but the
more injurious to the one growing. |
believe that much of the productive
ness of our black lands is due to the
cracking process, which allows pas.
sage to the sub-soil of atmosphere and
vegetable matter from the surface.
This must have an enrlching effect on
the future crop, but if the cracks are
allowed to remain open during long
dry term there must be a great evap,
Grafton to the injury of the growing
crop.
The cracking of some soils cannot be
prevented by the most thorough and
constant cultivation, as the cracking
is not confined to the surface but ex-
tends away down to the water
line, but the filling of the cracks as
they form can be done to p great ex
tent, and the more effectually and
frequently this can be done the better
for the growing crop.
w
1t is too soon to figure on the Lum.
Der OF bales of cotton we are going to
make this season, but it Is safe to
| reckon that some will be made. When