St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1897-08-07

for weeds and grass to get . vigorous
start, it then becomes . great task to
rid the fields Of them; and should wet
weather follow, the work would hard
" justify the labor bestowed. There
are few farmers who, having thus fin-
ished hard job ut blowing apd hoe
ing, would be at all willing to turn
about and go over all again; but this
must be done in such cases to rid the
field Of the grass and weeds.
The proper and better way, then. Is to
begin cultivation as soon after planting
- practicable, doing more work with
the cultivator and less with the hoe.
However, work that needs be done with
the hoe, were better not done immedi-
ately after the cultivstor, and likewise.
1t Is better not to hastily repeat the
work of q cultivator, give time for tho
uprooted weeds either to die or to take
root-hold again. Then, after two Or
three days of sun, if the cultivator be
run again the: effect against the weeds
will be more eliczcious. Let this
method be followed, which il much
easier than hoeing. and soon every
green thing between the rows will be
destroyed. Then go through and with
hand and hoe rid the hill of all weeds
left In them. casting them between tho
rows, where, II they take root-hold,
they will be torn up by the cultivator
when it follows. Such hoeing may be
done any time when not too wet
for stirring the soil; for, of course.
hoeing when the soil il wet or fresh
stirred. weeds are apt 10 take .
new start, 30 let . few days Of sunshine
intervene If practicable. II the hand
hoe be used ut all in the field, it should
be to kill weeds rather than to cult.
vate the soil. The horseshoe and cul.
tivator can do this better and in much
less time.
But ii farmers would break and cul.
tivate their fields better before plant
ing, and then begin cultivating SO soon
Is the plants are mp. but few weeds
would get start. and these 20 small
that the cultivator would quite effectu-
ally cover mp.
A good horseshoe, one that can be nd.
justed to suit wide or narrow rows,
and to turn the soil too or from the
hill, may be safely run ~ soon = tho
plants are up. or even before; and it
may be run through continuously, if de-
sired, until every sprig ofgrass or weeds
be destroyed. On many farms, how
ever, on account Of trees and stumps,
this kind Of cultivator can not be used;
here the hand-hoe will have to be en-
ployed.-Cor. Agricultural Epitomist
The Farmer WAe Succeeds.
The business farmer il to-day the one
who succeeds where . dozen others
make . bare living. The business
farmer knows what his resources are,
and how far these are Offset by his lia-
bilities. The business farmer knows
almost to . dollar how much his corn
or his cotton crop is costing him when
ready for market He knows whether
this COW or that cow in his dairy II .
source of profit through = liberal flow
Of milk testing well In butter fat, COM
pared with the cost Of producing the
product. or il ''eating her head OF" in
of labor and feed. He keeps
posted regarding market conditions;
not only for . moment, and in his
local town, but in the broad sense Of
the worlds probable supplies and re-
In = word. the manage
ment of the farm is conducted as thor
oughly and as intelligently Is is the
business of the banker, the merchant
or the manufacturer. Compare this
position with the ridiculous advice
given by an esteemed subscriber who
writes rs that in his opinion, to sue
raise and market . crop tho
farmer should first study carefully .
merchants price list Of the
previous year. selecting those products
which then commanded the highest
price, and then act accordingly" 1t is
the up-to-date farmer who finds y profit
on his ledger 1T the end of the year;
mot the one who looks backward rather
than forward.-Rural World.