The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1895-02-21
FARMERS COLUMNS.
TEE GEORGIA EXPERIMENT STATION.
EXPERIMENT GEoRGIA.
somo Extracts From l,Custin Ne. S7, just
Published.
BY DIRECTOR R. j. RBpDlNe. |


until since February /. contains the cul-
ture, fertilizer and variety experiments
In corn and cotton made during the
year 1894. l will proceed to give ex-
tracts from Article |, which includes
the corn experiments, in the order of
their present Importance Perhaps it
will be well to first give the concluding
paragraphs of the bulletin, which
covers the general methods of the sta
ton farm:
The system and Methods Practiced at the
Station Farm.
Any one who will carefully examine
the details and note the crop results of
the experiments will see that the sys-
TEN practiced on the Station farm has
greatly increased the productiveness of
the soil under cultivation. Unfertili-
zed plots on sections under experiment.
a. culture in 1890 five years ago, show
that the unaIded productive capacity of
the soil has been increased from SO to
100 per cent. This result is not due
alone to the liberal use of fertilizers,
but to combination of thorough prep
aratlon and culture, judicious and lib
eral manuring, and rotation Of crops
Selected or improved seeds have been
used from the first hence their use has
not been a material factor. vet it is one
that would play very effective part
on farms who're NO care has been used
in the past in providing good seed.
In this connection a short account of
the system Of rotation practiced on the
Station farm, the fertilizer formulas
used, and the methods and implements
of cultivation will probably be of inter
est to many readers.
ROTATION.
This lis based ON what would be call
ed three years course, but has been
occasionally modified according to the
exigencies which arise in the course of
extensive field experimentation The
main features of the system are chiefly
applicable to the four leading crops on
the average Georgia farm-small-g grain,
cowIeas, cotton, and corn; but the
principle is also applicable to the small
er crops, or those occupying relatively
smaller areas. The three years course
in these main crops implies division
of the larger part of d farm into three
approximately equal parts. l will sup
pose that the system is to be applied to
an ordinary private farm, and begin
ming to be made, say, September /.
FIRST YEAR.-One third OF the land
should be sown in small grain, mainly
oats, deYoting corn land to this. The
small grain should be literally fertili-
zcd with highly ammoniated fertili-
Zer, formulas for which will be given
further on. On the Station no better
variety of oats has been found than the
Appler oat, O. strain of the Texas Rust
proof; but the latter is nearly as good
The only objection to the Appler las
well as the Texas) is the fact that it is
not distinctively winter oat it is liza
BILE to be killed by very severe freezes
The Winter Turf is more hardy in this
respect, but not SO proof against rust.
The oats should be followed imme-
diately by cowpeas, sown either in 3 or
feet drills, or broadcast. Our expert
ments indicate that, planted in the drill
and plowed once or twice, cowpeas will
yield more peas, as well as more hay.
But many prefer sowing Broadcast, be-
cause ~ it involves less labor, (but more
Seed and (2) the crab andNother native
grasses that spring up and mature with
the peas make it easier to cure the hay.
If broadcast, four to fye pecks are sui
hcienI to seed an acre. THE crop should
receive dose of about 200 pounds of
acid phosphate and 100 pounds of kainit
per acre. Our experiments indicate
that it IS decidedly best to convert the
peavines into hay, moving them when
in full bloom and when there are few
grown pods.
The stubble may remain and light
second growth will be secured before
frost. Just before or soon after kill
ing frost the pea stubble is turned I'M
der with two-horse pillow. If conven-
lent to pasture, cattle and hogs may be
turned on successive portions of the pea
fields, instead of converting the vines
into hay; or a portion of the peas may
be picked.
SECOND YEAR.-This same division
should be literally fertilized and plant
ed in cotton, using the very best seed
obtainable. (Formula and variety of
seed are given at close Of this artfcle)
In the fall of the year, say in Septem-
Der, it is suggested to sow the cotton
fields in rye, say one-half bushel, or
less, per acre. or in Crimson Clover
This is especially recommended on land
that is liable torwaSh and leach during
the wintsr; but the principal aim is to
supply growing crop that will appro-
pirate and hold the soluble plant food
left in the soil, or that will become SOL
uble during the winter.
THIRD YEAK.-The land previously in
cotton is the place for the corn crop
During the latter part of January and
by February 20, the ground should be
thoroughly broken, flush. with two
horse plow. On the Station it has not
been found expedient or profitable to
fertilize the corn crop very highly but
it should rather follow a MghJy ferttlizel
cotton crop. Cowpeas should be plant
ed in the middfes between the corn
rows-if wider than five feet; or sown
broadcast at the last blowing. This
completes the three years course, and
the corn should be followed by small
grain and cowpeas-commencing again.
The above is general outline Of the
system which rs recommended for gen.
eral adoption throughout the cotton
belt. OF course it may be modified ac-
cording to circumstances. For in
stance, in some sections tobacco may
take the place-.in part or in whole-of
cotton in the mountain region the oats
may be found to succeed better if sown
in the spring, etc.
l have followed up only one of the
three supposed divisions of the farm in
the above outline; of course the other
two will rotate in the same order, SC
that each year one-third shall be in
small grain and peas, one-third in cot
ton, and one-third in corn. These three
principal divisions cover the main por-
ton Of tho firm in oI1ltiva t3op Tba,a