The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1893-05-25
COMMISSIONER N,ESBITT.
HIS MONTHLY TALK WITH THE
GEORGIA FARMERS
Un Subjects Of General Interest Per.
tanning to the Farm and
GarC9n Good Advice.
INC Weather and the Crops.
AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT.
STATE OF GEORGIA.

Up TO the middle of April the weather
throughout the state was unusually
warm, and was exceptionally favor.
able tor the preparation. planting and
termination of our staple crops, but
since then the long continued dry
weather has seriously threatened the
oat crop, and although an opportune
rain averted this danger, it was sue
ceeded by such high and parching winds
That the benefit to other planted crops
was IN great measure lost. The rain
fall for the month has been very light
over the entire state, except in few
counties, and in some localities the rlins
followed by the heavy winds have pro.
ouced such conditions that the
COTTON
seed, more especially, have failed to
terminate, and the Stands" will con
tlnue imperfect until the weather and
SOL conditions are more favorable
mere the lands have fair percentage
OF vegetable matter, thereby preventing
compacting of the soil, and allowing IA
Tree passage of the moisture from below
ana air from the atmosphere above. the
stands" are good, but in many locali-
tles seasonable rain will be necessary
before we see the continuous lines, like
green ribbons, stretching across the
neldS. Every farmer realizes how i'm.
portant it is to
GET A GOOD STAND
at the start, the cultivation is so 1nucb
easier, and the prospect in every way 50
much more encouraging. In localities
where the sol las become compacted or
a heavy crust has formed by the con-
tnued and high winds following the
ram, would advise narrowing as the
most effective and satisfactory wav to
secure the speedy appearance of the lit
Tie plants, and at the same time EXTERN
mate any foreign growth which NAV
have presented itself. This plan insures
the destruction of the first crop of weeds
and grass and leaves the seed bed in ex.
ce!lent condition to appropriate favor
able atmospheric conditions. It ismost
important that
DURING A DROUGHT
our lands should be Kept free of all
crusts or clods Some farmers when the
ground becomes hard, will put off plow-
ing it until s. rain falls. The time to
get rid of this crust is atonce; go at it
with any implement you may have at
hand, which you can use % the best ad-
vantage, but the harrow is preferred,
because it enables the farmer to cover
thoroughly large area il a compare
lively short time. The man who defers
this work under the impression that ~
few days delay can do nc very great
harm. deceives himself, and if there
should be protracted drought irrepar-
lie injury to the crops must result,
nva.h cc%nsequent disappointment and
, ~ dship No the farmer. Often during
lon.ought Fhe seeds terminate, but from
ara nee of }noisture haven't the ability
9eorce themselves through the soil. 1t
n just at THIS critical period that the
@Srmer' S judgment and energy must
must join hands and give the help so
much needed. In those sections of the
state where the cotton is will started
the
CULTIVATION
is progressing most favorabiy. In
localities where there is only partial
stand owing to the dry weather, would
advise the use of a small scooter with
the left wing of scrape attached: the
right wing can be turned up and act as
a mould board to protect the young
plants from dirt or clods falling on
them. Run the scooter near the plants,
which may have been left uncovered ::
the wings breaks the middles, destroy
ing any weed growth that NAV have
appeared and renders the subsequent
cultivation lighter and more easily &C
complished. A rake or light-running
cultivator will answer the same pur-
pose. 1t should be the aim of every
farmer to keep his land not only free
nf HIran6C hI1f in fha
possible, thus giving its absorptive pow
ers full play, and enabling the roots to
perform their full duty. 1t is in pro-
portion as the little rootlets have a nice,
mellow, thoroughly broken soil. in
which to seek for the elements of plant
life, that the plant develops. When these
rootlets, the mouths of our plants. are
checked in sheir search for food, in Just
such proportion the growing plants
must suffer and their full ability be re
tarded or permanently destroyed. APP
preciating these facts, how important
are soil conditions, and we can only pro-
duce them by deep and thorough prepa-
ration, and subsequent rapid and intelli-
gent cultivation.
CORN.
The stand of corn throughout the
state is an exceptionally fine one, and
although, in the northern part of the
state, little injured by the cold, and
also by the bud worm. it is rallying, and
the prospect is an encouraging one. In
quickly maturing crop, like corn, it is
important that not one moment be lost
in intelligent cultivation. We have
just so much time to do this work in
and any delay is risk. Air and moist
ure are absolutely essential to the life
and development of the plant, and every
means should be used to render these
natural conditions as effective as posi-
BILE. While the preparation and plant
ing of any crop is generally considered
about one half the actual work neces-
sary to be done. there are so many con-
tingencies, so many instances where the
incest judgment is required in order to
determine just the right policy to pur-
sue, that the latter half is perhaps the
most critical, although where the prep
aration has been deep and thorough
there is less cause for apprehending dis
aster. Where this has. been done the
CULTIVATION
should be on some plan that
will enable us to pass over the
crop rapidly, simply breaking the
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