The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1894-04-23

& In orr last weeks article on ''tlrst Flo"-
snE of Corn" the object was 10 impress
abe Importance of getting the sou lhto sucn
condition that the subsequent cultlNatioii
voiqbt he ACCOMPLISHED with the greater
ease and rapidity. This condition shouia
be secured by the preparation OF the sun
previous TO planting. by twice pio"lhS anu
rsnea+ed harrowings as often as may pe
necessary. But the southern IafIiel IDS
not yet learned to appreciate the import
snce Of this thoroughneSs of previous prep
aration and has relied on continuing the
work at the first plowinS, which Shoulu
have been done before planting Inc very
prevalent idea in regard to the OBJECT OF
cultivation is, first. TO kill the grass anu
second to open the soil so that the roofs
ran easily penetrate and fill the soil IN their
search for food. But these are not the ohly
objects OF breaking and stirring the SOIL
ff indeed they are the principal ones we
believe that the main result OF the opening
und thorough disintegration of the soil IS
chat the atmospheric air is thereby enabled
70 penetrate freely through every portion
Of the plant bed. The air not only CON
tans plant food which it carries direct 10
che roots if permitted free access, put II
facilitates very important chemical changes
I'm the plant food contents OF the sou al
ready or previously present whereby such
good is brought into d soluble or aVallapie
form.
1t is not necessary to discuss the exact
nature OF these changes ven II tiACS ''~AN
exactly known, and the practical farmer
needs not to know what they are. 1t is
only necessary that he understand that
these chemical changes cannot proceef
promptly unless the soil IS kept IN an open
and pulveruleut condition-somethinS like
2 fne-grained sponge. In other words, the
soil should be kept broken up and its par
ticIes disturbed SO that its pores will be
open to the free circulation OF air. The ef-
Iect of every heavy rainfall, and of lighter
rains, IN a less degree, is To settle the par
ticles of soil together IN such manner as TO
close up these pores, or pack the son, or
run it together. as farnEs express 1t. by
stirring the soil with a cultivator or sweep,
or whatever implement, these particles
that have been run together are again
separated. Another important result OF
stirring the soil is that the moisture Will
not eVapOTate 50 rapidly. Any farmer can
prove to his own satisfaction that the soil
Will lose its moisture much more rapidly
If left undjsturbed after a good rainfall
than it Will if the surface be stirred with
6. very few days after the rain.
So then. it is understood that frequent
STRINGS of the surface soil are necessary.
Indeed, these frequent STRINGS amount to
cultivation Grass killing and killing up,
or ''dirtng' the plants, d ~ not essentials,
but simply incidentals. The kind of tool
- be used must be determined by the ease
and rapidIty WlLh which it Will do the work.
IJeDfH OF WDEkllE Is not teS ilcADle lOJ ne
cause il would be particularly harmful. il
not too close but because it is too expen-
sive. WHAT is needed is Il cultiVatOr
har rOW, or any implement, regardless of
name that viii disintegrate the soil. or
break the crust, TO depth of not exceed
ing one inch, and that will do the largest
area in Il day. one mule and hand. with
the proper implement, ought TO go over six
10 eight acres per day with ease. II the
ground is in proGer condition, twice to a
middle, or one round trip, IS as much as
will be required by corn or cotton rows
from four To SIX feet wide indeed with
rows not over four feet in width We would
very rarely put more than one 'furroW.
at time, especially when the sole object
IS stir the surface sell. \ big strong
man, a big, strong mule and a sixteen-inch
sweep or scrape going twice TO a three-fOot
row IS d great waste of labor-nO, not la
Dor, but time and travel. There are sew
eral cultivators and cuItivating harrows.
We have not tried many o. them, but have
&Ouu4 the Planet Jr., an excellent and
very durable Implement. lt Will stir the
surface of "a fOur-fopt row at one going,
& sjN-fOot row at a round trip. IL gives the
mule something TO do besides mere walking
along. There are others probably just as
good. So far from being too poor 10 buy
such tools the most OF farmers are too poor
TO DO without them. only the wei-to-dO or
yieh farmer can afford To throw away SIC
worth OF tlme-Wages and feed-to save So
difference between the cost of d poor, cheap
TOOL and q good efficient implement.