The Port Gibson reveille., 1894-06-15
HOME AND FARM.

MISSISSIPPI.

Nnlle the Cnlel OOJeCV Vi CullifdtiOh
Is to prevent weeds and spontaneous
growth from sharing the soil with our
specially sown crops, it Is not the ex-
elusive object by any means.
On soils naturally very rich it IS on
ly necessary. it is true, to keep down
the weeds TO prevent their choking out
the valuable crop TO secure luxuriant
crop. But on soils Of only medium fer
tlllty and that dry out their moisture,
rapid cultivation is resorted to as a
means of preserving a steady supply of
moisture, of admitting the necessary OK
ygen to the soil and Keeping it from be-
coming too hard for the young roots to
penetrate it rapidly.
Cultivation should begin with most
plants as soon as they are we'll up. A
shallow breaking Of the crust close to
the plants just then keeps IN. check the
weeds, hastens the formation Of roots
and holds IN reserve the moisture about
the plants that would soon be dispelled
If the soil were left undisturbed.
On light, porous soils-these abound
ing in humus, and especially III unde-
composed vegetable matter-shallow
cultivation is called for, for it is quite
possible to have soil too loose for the
good Of the crops. A certain compact
ness of this soil is as essential to the
proper growth Of the lateral roots of
plants in dry weather on some soils as
certain looseness Of the same is i'm
portant, on stiff soils that have tend
ency TO run together.
Clayey soils of the latter character,
that contain but little vegetable matter,
admit Of and require deeper culture usu-
ally than these light soils that contain
vegetable matter.
After the the crop has made a good
start off it is not wise to disturb the
lateral roots by close, deep culture.
Corn sometimes proves an exception
to this rule, and root pruning quite late
In It's growth has been known to i'm
prove the yield Of gram. But.as a rule,
root pruning is not to be tolerated to
any considerable extent with any Of the
plants that we grow on our average soils
and in our burning suns.
Deep and thorough preparation for
planting and frequent shallow cultlva-
tion is the true method in our latitude
and on our average soils.-Southern
Farm.
Potato Growing.
To average a good profit from pota-
toes requires the best methods, as indif-
ferent, or even ir,culture will not give
satisfactory returns. A limited area
with thorough attention throughout
the growing season will pay much bet
ter than a larger field which is neglect
ed or only half cultivated.
Potatoes need plenty Of moisture,
hence good cultivation and tillage are
essentiallir dry weather. Deep plough
ing enables the roots TO 90 down deeper
in search Of the needed moisture. How
necessary the latter is NC can easily un-
derstand when we consider the nature
Of the crop We are trying to raise.
While we cannot yet equal the French
farmer in his yields, there is no reason
why we should not in time if persevere.
There in no need 10 aim at once at six
teen tons per acre, the amount yielded
by the Tsarin, but we can aim at 800
bushels to the acre, and so raise our av-
erage considerably above the seventy or
eighty bushels at which it now stands.
Fertilizers for Gardens.
For garden purpose the complete
manure, compounded so as to contain
all the valuable parts of the best stable
manure in the precise proportions exist
ing in it, will be found the most useful.
This is to be used literally, as much
as 600 TO loo pounds per acre. The
larger quantity will pay better than the
former, and it will be found that the
smaller quantity will yield more and
better product on half an acre on a whole
acre. There will only be half the cost
Of seeds and work in the culture Of the
land. This is what is known as inten-
siye culture, and this wcrd means the
opposite Of extensive, or spreading about
too much.
The farmer who begins the methods
Of intensive culture in his garden
will introduce it into his fields very
soon, as he will find the effectiveness
and economy Of it. Indeed, SO much !
has been said in these columns Of this
better and more liberal culture simply !
because the writer has practiced it now
since 1876, when by this method he
grew l25 bushels of shelled corn in
the field, where fifty bushels was preyi-
ously thought to be very satisfactory
Rural World.
Here and There.
There are at present $4,000, 100000 |
acres Of land under irrigation in the
United States.
One pound Of matter added 30 the !
soil may give gain Of four pounds /
at the harvest.
A man can cultivate one hundred a.
cres by rotation Of crops easier than for
~ acres in cotton.
A good farmer is he who improves
not only his land and the appearance Of
his place, but bis stock and force.
Grass culture will give us the raw
material, which, well rotted, forms rich
manure, in the cheapest manner, for
making all our crops.