The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1895-10-26
FARMER AND PLANTER.
COTTON CULTURE.
Something More About Aids to Its In
provement.

More About Aids to It's I'm
provement.
In former article ! referred to the /
Importance of leguninous crops in the
restoration of our land so as to make |
the maximum crops possible, and spoke |
of the southern COW pea in starting
this Improvement
Within the past five years another
crop has been introduced to the notice
of our farmers that promises to be the
greatest aid and ally OF the COW pea
for the southern farmer that has yet
been tested. This is the annual VIM
ter growing clover, now known as
crimson clover. There Is no plant that
fits in SO well with the COW pea as
forage crop for the south, or as
renovating CROP have been urging
the merits of this clover upon the cot
ton farmers of the south for several
years, and not only on the cotton farm
ers, but on all of our farmers alike
Mr.. r. p. McAnally, of Saxon, N. C.,
writes that he tried crimson clover
three years ago, but it grew only nine
inches high and he discarded it. But
recently he was induced to give 1t an
other trial with the help of 500 pounds
of kainlt per acre narrowed in with
the seed, and now he reports Won
derful growth-''as thick as the hair
on dogs back" This shows that his
soil needed the help of the potash in
the KANT to enable it to gather
nitrogen for him. The great adj
vantage to the cotton. farmer in the
crimson clover crop is that he can SOW
it all through his cotton field after
the cultivation is over in August and
will have a green pasture all winter
in place of bare soil washing away
all through the winter rains. and viii
have growth to pillow under
for corn in the spring that will
insure him good crop. Then
as have said, it fits in we'll with the
cor pea crop, for as soon as the peas
| are cut for hay he can sow the clover
seed on the land after stirring 1T with
q cutaway harrow, and can pasture 1t
till time to put the land in order for
cotton.
Mr.. WIN. Choice, of Spartanburg. S.
c., writes that he had an outlying
! farm that he tried to sell as he had
more land than he needed, but failing
to do SO, he asked my advice how to
treat it, as the land had been badly
/ run down under the old one-crop
/ planting system. advised him to use
tliberally potash salts and dissolved
phosphate rock, and SOW it down in
crimson clover. lie prepared in Au
gust large field and did as directed
The results have been, he says, more
than satisfactory. I'm April, follow
ing. the clover was in full bloom, ant
made q large crop of hay which wa
off in time to plant cotton. Plante'
on the clover sod, without any othe
manure. and the young cotton nov
shows that rich, rank growth which
fair harbinger of a good crop. Thi
goes to show that a proper rotation
with crimson clover as the basis of re
cuperation, will make the farm rio
and at the same time give payin
crops.
Here, then, we see the effect OF on
we'll fortified crop of crimson clover
. the hay from which fully paid all e,
, pense of fertilizers, in giving the prom
Use of q good crop without further fei
, tilization. No bills for complete fel
I tilizers at high price to be paid OF
, OF that cotton. This shows what
, have for years been insisting upoi
!, that the true way to fertilizc for OF
sale crops is to use the cheaper form
of mineral plant food to grow heav
crop of the plants that are going
capture for us the nitrogen that cos
SO much in complete fertilize
and thus not only get a hea'
! forage crop to feed for the making
: profit out of stock, and to make oil
: manure pile larger. but thus fix
trocen in the land for the succeedir
, crop of cotton or corn. This is in
feet not only getting the fertiliz
: free for the cotton crop, but the ma
= ing of profit in doing SO and at Il
= same time have the satisfaction
= know that our soil is actually beil
improved by the process. 1t has be-
well said that ''thc coming farmer
!. the south will be n legume farmer"
:, Cow peas and crimson clover, with
= liberal use of the cheap potash a
: phosphates, lie at the very foundati
= OF all rational farm improvement
:. the south BY their aid the land ne
= never, either in winter or summer,
y left to the wasting of rains and sun
y lying bare, but between every hoed or
y may be covered with a growth to vie
profit while it gathers fertility for
:, land and food for the sale crops. Il
- it must not be assumed that the
- crops will bring all the elements
!, futility TO soil that has been
hausted by long tillage and expos'
= !, to the teaching effects OF rain and 81
= If YOU want the legnminous crops
= must feed them. They will gait
nitrogen for you free, but they can
{, get the potash and phosphoric a
81 that the crops of former years h;
-: ~ taken away from the soil. and WI
~ out these are given them they can
| ret the nitrogen they would wit