The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1894-01-16
Spring PIovvin3-Dcad Grass. Etc.

The DAMP falling weather we have had
Turing the past week may be accepted as
q sample of the two or three months 10
come At the close Of the old year we
were ten or twelve inches short on RAIN,
the last three months being especially dry
According to the law of compensation we
may reasonably expect 81 period, OF greater
Or less length, OF rainy weather. 1t there
fore behooves every farmer to start 10
blowing promptly and to keep every pio"
going whenever the weather is suitable
anG the ground is not too wet. The latter
caution is, perhaps, needless, since every
intelligent farmer knows that to pillow
wet soil is to seriously impair its produc-
tiveness for at least the current year.
The advice is generally given not to burn
DIFF dead grass, cornstalks, ETC., but 10 al
ways piow them under. This advice IS
based on the Well-known principle that such
vegetable matter adds 10 the humus OF the
soil. improves its mechanical CONDITION anu
Increases its productiveness. TIE PRINCIPLE
IS a correct one but in practice it must sub
NIT to notifications according to clrculn-
stances. If we were intending TO prlng
into recultivation an old field with strong,
rank growth of broom Sedge on 1t, we WOuid
turn the sedge and briars under with a
heavy tWo-horse turn plow, in the fall. as
early as possible. say in October or even
earlier This would give time for the sedge
and weeds to decompose to the extent that
they would offer but little obstacle TO Gull
tivation the next spring and summer. The
came treatment would be in order Ii 1t
were a corntield and the surface were COW
cred with a heavy growth OF crabgrass and
cornstaIks, especially the cTabgrass. But
IF such broom Sedee land or foul corn
fields have passed through the winter until
after Christmas our experience is in favor
of burning off the excessive vegetable mat
ter. thus modifying the rule above men,
toned on the claim that thorough prepa-
ration of the ground, the putting it into
such condition that the after planting and
cultivation can be perfectly done, is of more
importance tnan the conserving of the dead
vegetable matter \ rule we have for
years followed in general way is this.
If blowing lands before Christmas we DO
rot burn the grass and debris. the remains
OF the previous crop, especially if it be not
heavy: but If the new year has come in and
particularly if such dead growth be rank
aud abundant, if it is thick enough to burn.
we burn it off and get it out of the way.
Amy farmer who doubts the propriety of
burning off a rank growth of crabgrass
late in the spring. before blowing, may east
" convince himself by burning the grass
from half Of such a field and permitting
ii to remain on the other half and have a
Iussle with it every time he works
st. on until crops are laid by" If is be
as late as March, or even not later than
Eesru5ry, would not hesitate to guar
antee q better crop on the burned off half
OF the field Now. if a large tWo-hOrse
piow and good weed hook or chain be used
tn the hands Of a faithful and shilful plow-
man. the blowing may be done without
burning off; but otherwise, better get it out
o. the way.
4 rank growth Of dead cornstalks is
more in the way than they are worth to the
land. In the tlst place, soil that viii
produce u rank growth Of cornstalks does
not. as q rule. much require the addition
OF vegetable matter. But Il good way to
get rid of cOrnstalks without burning them
Is one OF the following: ]. Let one or more
hands as many as may be found necessary,
follow the ploWs as they go around. pun
them out and lay them straight in the fur
row last run. Then, in addition require
each ploWm2n TO DO his work well and hide
every stalk. ,. The other plan is TO take an
ordinary sickle, such as is used by hand
for trimming lawns, or harvesting rice, or
q long thin-bladed, sharp knife, and by
quick right and left and downward strokes
cut the standing cornstaiks into from
four to six pieces each, letting the pieces
fan as they viii. Most Of these pieces will
be buried by a two-horse pillow, and, being
short they viii not he much in the way Of
subsequent cultivation.
y DJDJ0TNC