The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1894-08-02
TALKING SENSE.
SOME THOUGHTS ON FARMING.

SOME lHUUUHlS UN FARMING.
Timely Hints for the Consider
alton of Farmers---Methods by
Which the Soil May be I'm
proved and Made Productive.
Correspondence LenOir Topic.
1t has been said that the man who
so improves his land as to make two
blades OF grass grow where only one
grew before is more advantage to his
country than all the politicians, and
this comes montrous close to being
my opinion.
Away back yonder, about the first
thing we found in grammar was this:
" Grammar is both a science and an
art" Now we can say that agricul-
ture is an art and science, too. Well,
some of our clan might say that farm.
ing is all work and may be little art
in it, but don't see any science at all
in the business. Well, science is a big
sounding word, but we need not run
from it before We examine it. We
know that farming was practiced as
an art before science was ever thought
about.
Man has been compelled to dig
for his grub ever since our grand par
ents ate OF that forbidden fruit, and
we do not wonder at them being SO
reluctant to leave Eden, as the great
poet said of them, "They hand in
hand slowly through Eden took their
solitary way" and we may imagine
they were powerfully upset, conscious
of their loss and future toll and suffer
ing. Yet, the merciful Lord gave
them precious promise OF the coming
Saviour, who should regain for them,
by faith in Him, an Eden more bliss
full than the one from which they were
driven.
We mean that farming is an art, be-
cause it tells us I" what to do" and as
a science it tells us the reason for what
it is done. AS farmers, we should en-
deavor to find out the nature of the
different kinds of soil we cultivate and
then feed each kind with the essential
elements required for the growing
crops. 1t is said that plants need at
least ten different elements, and out
of this number there are three mighty
valuable ones, and the plants must
have big share OF them /; big names,
though, to-wit: Potash, Nitrogen and
Phosphoric acid. Nitrogen is said to
be the most costly element of plant
food, and is obtained more cheaply by
green manuring from clover, peas, etc.
Good commercial fertilizers have in
them the required elements for the
luxuriant growth of most plants, but
it Is not economy for farmers to de-
pend too much upon them. If they
do they are pretty apt to "come out
at the little end of the horn" Stable
manure in large measure contains
all the ingredients necessary for the
growth of most plants, and would urge
my brother farmers to house their
stock and keep we'll Uttered, and so
make all they possibly can. Yet, this
will not suffice their needs. Ashes,
too are wonderfully good, and should
be carefully looked after, as they are
the very thing the soil needs, but we
find they are mighty scarce. To be
brief, in plain words our soil needs
lime, etc., in some form, and it is
known that if land plaster is applied
in the proper way it will supply in a
measure this lack. Gypsum, or plaster,
contains obout 80 per cent. of lime,
and about 40 per cent. of sulphur,
which is valuable element for corn
and other plants. Some may think
because plaster has no caustic proper
ties that lime is absent, but it is there
all the same. Common or quick lime,
on account of its caustic nature, is
valuable to use on lands when there
is great deal of vegetable matter, say
when big coat of peas or clover is
turned under, as it decomposes or de-
stroys this excess of matter contained
in the soil, and is said to free the
potash, so that it may better feed the
plants. Plaster is one of the cheapest
fertilizers known, and should be used
by all the farmers in our county who
desire big increase in the yield of
their crops from a small outlay of
money. Clover is a good fertilizer,
but it will not do we'll on sandy soil.
So we say that the very best plan for
us to improve our farms and greatly
increase the yield of our crops is to
SOW peas and apply plaster as dress
ing. We claim the honor Of being the
first to use plaster on peas in this sec
ton, and perhaps, for aught we know,
the first in the State, but it don't make
any difference about honor, so We do
our duty to our God and to our fellow
creatures, and endeayor to leave the
world in better condition than when
we entered it. We just know that the
business is no untried theory with us.
Peas and plaster are within the reach
of nearly all of our poor farmers. Some
man may say that peas are just as good
without plaster. Yes, but we know
better from experience. Peas alone
are very beneficial. Plaster, as stated
above, contains elements needed for
wheat, corr, &C., besides plaster, when
spread on growing crops, obtains from
the atmosphere ammonia, a very neces-
sorry element needed in vegetation.
Farmers should raise their Own peas
to SOW. Peas should be sown from 1
to 10th June-to SOW earlier the weeds
will get the advantage of them. About
~ bushels to the acre will give a
good stand. Plaster should be applied
to the peas about one month after they
are sown, and about 200 pounds to
the acre, though IS pounds stimulates
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