The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1897-09-09
TINE
NEAR Az HAND
e Is Now Rapidly Advancing
4 owards Maturity.
FALL PLANS FOR TIE FARMERS
Lands In Good Condition to Receive Grass.
Clever. Rye, Wheat. Oats, Etc. Saving
she aCorastalk-com,n OF Agri-
euiture Nesbitt's MosthIy Letter to TIL
iers Of the Soil In Georgia.


euitare Nesbitt's Mosthiy Letter to Till
iers Of the Soil In Georgia.
DEPARTMENT or. AGRICULTURE,
ATLANTA. Sept. /, 1897.
THE IMPoRTAEGE OF GETTING IN FALL
CT rs EARLY.
During A. kly part of August the
weathex 4 rule, was most favorable.
ap puntifnl crops reported from
q efy section of the south are
sasancing towards ma.
These Forable seasons also put the
lands in 6je condition for the prepare.
tory worn a. blowing. narrowing. ETC..
81 order Z % ready for the sowing OF
fall cro, gxass, clover. rye, wheat,
oats. Burrows will turn easily
and be {uE5 BIZ the most favorable angle
fox proper h{arTowing. and the seed bed,
when harroAyed and made fine, will be
ln 5ust fl1b prdper condition to promote
the rapid germinption and fayorable
gropth lQf the little plants. In ex.
centional Afases farmers have already
laid the Foundation for successful fan
crops BY deep and thorough blowing
IL 4he lands and with them, at least, it
l1etT only xemains to get the surface in
nS9 smooth condition and then put in
1ke eaed The sooner this is done in
the present month the better-the ten
Ger plants will thus have q chance to
eeta arm roothold before the early
Aoats come TO check their growth. or
course IL this work has not already been
done it may still be undertaken, but
days delay diminishes the chances
success. In previous numbers we
<e dealt very fully with the questions
h nreparation, fertilization, seeding,
SAYING THE CORN CROP.
Wes6Annot believe that farmers will
ptzsiat ia wasting such a large part of
1Il4't corn crop, as has been the univer.
l4 practice in the past. when once
lHbY are convinced that the alleged
value Of cornstalks is no "fake" or fan.
ifulpicture of impractical "book farm.
ers," but q simple. clear fact. which has
been aabundantly proven. Seeing is
however, and eaeh man can
prove for himself whether it be true or
false Even at the far south, where the
climate would seem serious drawback,
the plan OF cutting down aud curing
she whole stalk rs been tried most sue.
pessfully, Let each man at the south
but experiment. in this matter with a
few rows of his corn crop and the
dreaded and laborious job of fodder
pulling" will be forever banished from
our fields Chemical analysis has DEM
that even in the bare corn.
stalks, usually left standing in our
fields. is contained a very large part of
the nutritive and fertilizing values of
the crop. Does il not seem strange
agricultural paradox, that we deliber-
ately throw away that which it has cost
Us go much to produce. and which Is
known to be highly valuable for stock
food? A few additional hints on the
process of cutting and curing the whole
Stalk may not be amiss, for although
much has been said and written on this
subject. the directions. rs a rule. apply
to our northern and western neighbors,
rather than to our own locality, where
of climate and sea-
son render certain variations and
in the usual process
imperative When the corn in the ear
is well glazed it is an infallible sign
that the stalk has finished its work and
has taken up from the soil all the uutri.
ment which it is capable of doing.
When this stage is reached, the corn
tops will wither and the crop is said to
be fully ripe. It is at this stage that
the stalks should be cut off quite close
to the ground. A man with sharp hoe
can soon learn to cut four or five acres
In the morning. The stalks should not
be allowed to lie on the ground over
night. as the heavy dews usual at this
season will prove injurious. What is
cut in the morning should be gathered
mp and shocked in the afternoon. II
the stalks are very large and heavy,
fewer should be put in q shock than
where the growth is smaller. About
40 to 200. or even 800 stalks, according
to size. may be safely put in each shock.
The shocks should be allowed to stand
In the field until perfectly cursd-any
where from three to six weeks. AS soon
rs thoroughly cured they should be
hauled to the barn and stored for future
1se. leaving the ear on if desired. Or,
II preferred. the shredder may be called
INTO service at once. and as the crop Is
hauled from the field it may by this
be converted into q finely
shredded and valuable forage. The ma.
shine will shuck and throw the ears to
one side and the remainder of the plant,
stalk, leaves. shucks and top is utilized,
without the loss of single part II the
crop is to be stored without shredding
caye should be taken to place each
stalk in an upright position; If laid
dat one on the other. there is danger of
Injury. II the shredder is not available
a good feed cutter, which will pay for
Itself in a short while, as they are not
costly, will cut up the cured stalks as
they are needed into half inch lengths,
and il this is sprinkled with little salt
or salt water it makes a splendid stock
food Analysis has shown it to be far
superior to cotton seed hulls in feeding
value. A southern farmer, who has
had much experience i'll shocking and
saving his corn crop, says it will facili.
tate the work IL the following plan is
adopted: Take q piece of scantling lx5
inches and feet long. Sharpen at one
end SO that it can be driven into the
ground. About 4 feet from the ground
nail on two pieces about 3 feet long.
Theae should be nailed on at right All.
giles 20 the upright and to each other.
Ia making the shocks lay a dozen or so
cornstalks at q time in the alternate