The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1896-09-12
FARMER AND PLANTER.
INTENSIVE FARMING.


s.Whateyer is worth doing is worth
doing well," is the truth upon which
the intensive system of farming rests
for adoption. 1t consists in causing
land to produce the largest crops that
1t can proftably produce; and Its
methods are thorough preparation,
heavy manuring and frequent cultiva-
ton.
1t is important to tho southern farm
er, If he is to receive fair price for his
product, that the acreage in cotton
shall be reduced. 1t Is of equal i'm
portarce to him, and of more TO the
consumer of cotton, that the cost OF
production shall be decreased. A
crop Of 8, o0o, 600 bales sold at cents, |
with cost of production at cents, |
would give the farmer greater net
profit by $50, 100000 than crop OF g.
DOC, 900 bales sold at ten cents, and pro-
1uced at a cost of seven cents, provided
the amount and cost of grain and hay
crops produced were the same in both
cases.
The first step in intensive farming Is
the thorough preparation OF the
| ground to receive the seed. The seed
should terminate and start on Its mis-
| sion of production at the earliest mo-
ment after planting. To secure this.
the soil must be finely puiverized and
brought into direct contact with the
seed on all sides, 50 that 1t may DC
subjected to all possible influence to
terminate quickly. After the process
of termination begins, 1t is important
that it shall proceed rapidly, and
that when the little roots or
feeders make their appearance the
soil shall be in such mechanical con-
dition as to supply ready at hand all
necessary plant food, without much
effort on the part of the feeders to
find it. Put grain of corn beside q
clod of dirt, and it will not sprout, but
first pulverize the clod, and then place
the grain in this pulverized earth, and
the soil will yield up the plant food 1t
contains to the necessities OF the corn.
For any plant to make its best growth,
the soil must be in the best mechanical
|; condition to supply it promptly and
regularly with food. Farming is feed
ing, whether it be live stock or plants
that are fed. narrowing, after break
Ing land, is as effective to plant
growth as breaking. 1t is but carry
Ing out the process begun by the pillow
: more finely pulverizing the soil.
After planting small seeds like oats
wheat, clover, ETC., to insure quicI
termination and growth, the soil mus
be pressed about the seeds. This is &C
complished by rolling.
Plants take their food in liquid an
not in solid form. They drink instea'
of eat. Hence the soil from which tn
plant draws its food must be KEEP
moist. No matter how much plan
food the soil contains, II it is not i
condition to be available to the plan
the plant starves. We can not regr
late the rains, but we can make tn
best possible fuse OF them by STORM
mp for future use as much of the
moisture as possible. This is done b
subsoiling and deep blowing. Immed
ately following the two-horse plo
which breaks the land, run a subsoi
ing plow in the bottom of the ops
furrow, loosening the subsoil to
depth of six inches, but taking care
mix as little of it as possible with Il
top soil. This will cause the land
absorb and hold much of the rain tn
otherwise would run off and be lost
. the plants. BY subsoiling you a
placed in the best condition to resi-
the siege of summer drought VIII
the water supply is cut of from aboy
David Dickson, probably the be
. farmer the south has produced, said
a letter to the Cultivator in 1863, tn
les a cotton plant could stand four wee
'se of drought if it had eight inches of 81
and six inches of broken subsoil-wi
OF an additional inch of soil, and sal
'as subsoil, for every week of dry weatf
en beyond four.
or If subsoiling is continued year af
tx year the topsoil becomes deeper as
an elements convert the subsoil into Sc
in and thus the danger of damage fir
at drought is lessened. Deep blowing
cir an essential to good farming. Exc
me to do subsoiling, one-horse pillow
ess no place in the preparation OF soil
cen planting. The effect Of everythi
MY done afterward depends upon t
AXE preparation. 1t is as important a
lis the study of addition before CONNIE
ing long division. To neglect this
as foolish and fatal as it would be
-, a farmer to fail to sharpen
oAo reaper before cutting grain.
Subsoiling is not only benefi,
IN making q reservoir for moisture.
"a it furnishes a larger space from WI
.'e the roots can draw food for the pli
op The deeper the loosening OF the ca
aol- the more food there is available
PIN the plants, and hence the more pls
-. per acre.
o an After the soil is put In the best
~" chanical condition, the next concel
w, as to its chemical composition. 1t ]
8 ~ be in condition to yield mp every p;
Gle of plant food, but il it holds n
oe- to yield, then. unless this necessit
quo supplied, all previous breaking,
kino soiling and narrowing is labor was
Own Sc{apco has accarfa iped that there