St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1894-11-24
FARMER NDPLANTER.
SOUTHERN FARM NOTES.
4 Chapter On Various Topics of TiAely
Interest to Farmers.
APpHRS.

rietieS, suitable for winter use ana
keeping. am not ''well up" in varie-
ties and their several individual mer-
its, but have observed enough to be
convinced that the Ben Davis and the
Shockley are grown satisfactorily in
the region named, and can be preserved
through the winter. We should, by
all means, encourage the planting of
the best varieties of fall apples through
out the .otton states-such apples
rs are most easily preserved through
the winter months, both for home use
and for market. These apples will
not only prove a luxury to the MEM
bers of the farmers family, but if any
considerable quantity be grown. .
great deal of money might be made
from their sale.
Not one apple in thousand eaten
by our gulf states people during the
winter and early spring months is OF
home production, but of northern and
western growth. This ought not to be
SO. Can we, as a section, afford to buy
even apples from the north and west,
when we might raise them at home N
cheaply Is they are grown elsewhere?
This is subject we'll worthy OF con-
sideration and discussion among south
ern farmers and fruit growers.
DON'T DRAIN THE BARN-YARD.
Rather, obstruct drainage by using
rails and logs in the yard and throw
Ing up embankments. Maks every ef-
fort to retain the water where it falls
in the cow-lot or horse-lot Don't let
the rains wash out and carry away the
valuable substance in the manure.
This is an important matter. 1t is .
good plan to keep the yard well sup
piled, Uttered with absorbents in the
form of leaves, straw and refuse hay and
chips, corn shucks, etc. Save the ma
nure and apply it judiciously to your
lands, and you will find in it satisfac-
tion and profit.
DIVERSIFIED AGRICULTURE.
To rest and strengthen and maintain
q healthful condition Of the mental
man, the mind needs diversity Of
thought and must have it. To develop
and maintain q uniform healthy condi-
ton Of the corporeal body, there must
needs be q constant diversity of exer-
else. And to attain any high degree
of prosperity and wealth, as q farming
section, we must practice diversified
agriculture. The one-crop system will.
if long pursued, in time bankrupt any
country or any people. In diversifying
our crops we are enabled to practice
intelligent and profitable systems Of
rotation of crops. It is this intelligent
rotation that will maintain the fertili-
ty and productivcness of our farms.
It is better to trust the market with
several different crops than the one.
The one may bringa price not above the
cost of production, while it is not like
ly that this would prove so in the case
of two or more crops in the same sea-
son. If one product is unusually low
in price, another may be higher in the
same ratio, and thus values and profits
may, when all the products are COM
bined, average well for the grower and
seller. Several chances are better than
one chance. 1t is . reckless farmer
who will risk his fortune on one crop
alone. The true plan is to make, rs
nearly as possible, all ones supplies on
the farm, and besides, a surplus Of
each or many crops to sell for cash.
SPARE THE BIRDS.
If it were not for the birds, the
worms and bugs would destroy nearly
all our fruits. The birds consume some
fruits, Of course, and spoil . good deal
that is not eaten entire, yet they do
not average the great destructiveness
that they usually get credit for. They
have q right to . certain share of the
crop by reason eof compensating serv-
ices, for they save for the owner far
more than he would otherwise get rs
his share If it were not for them; in
many instances entire crops would be
destroyed by insects, but for the serv-
ices of the birds.
Spare the birds! Do not kill them
maliciously or wantonly or just for
fun and recreation. They are created
by our Heavenly Father for =
nseful purpose and serve . useful
purpose in the economy of nature.
The birds are the farmers friends, and
are human benefactors the world over.
They were created for a purpose, and
they perform their natural mission
well and with profit to the agricul-
turist. As the birds aresdecreased, in
the same ratio will the destructive
forces of insect life, that depredate up
ON vegetation, be increased.
s.pr-yrHes cORyo
In the south buying corn" by the
farmer to make q crop is becoming to
be almost synonymous with inviting
bankruptcy. Buying corn! Buying
western corn! Buying corn to feed
mules and '.niggers" to make
six-cent cotton! What a commentary
upon southern agriculture! Where
is pride and Judgment, common
sense and experience7 Tho amount Of
corn-western corn-sold in the cotton
states annually, and bought by the
farming class, is reflection upon the
intelligence Of our people. Wipe out
this stain by raising every grain Of
corn used in this fruitful southland.
HAY AND GRASS
Some time ago the New York expert
mental station published that rs q re
suit Of investigation made at that sta
ton, there was 1929 per cent. less di-
gestible albuminoid in hay that was
turned year or more than in new hay.
The report further stated that bran
and corn lose in digestibility with age.
It is well enough to make expert
ments along this lime. But what farm
ers and purchasers of hay will be more
interested in than the above. is the
average nutrfsivs@9aslitv Of hay and
its digestible quality, regardlees a the
length Of time it has been cut A plant
may possess more nutritive value 1t q
insured age.r j1dSla BY chemical
analysis. but IN actual peactical feed
ing value ua1 1o11o 49, worth than
. more imnsture eron shee the young
er and meras16ndae sd less woody
plant is mneH s56 losstible and
more p.l...a!!f ;! a IN: the ,ssy
buminoid propsrtiasl than the fully
matured grass, and hence better feed
for most kinds Of stock, notably mich
cows and young stock ct all classes.
But. of course. when rrasS il moved