Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1897-09-03
FARMER ANDPLANTER.
THE COTTON FIELD.


Set Forth.
Your favor asking me to give reasons
why | advised continued stirring Of the
land which you had in cotton, although
the land be dry and free from all
noxious growths, Is received. To fully
give the reasons which prompted that
direction in the cultivation of your
crop opens to consideration the ques-
ton OF cotton tillage. might answer,
''To admit free circulation of air
through the ground" but such an an
swer would be, perhaps, as confound-
ing and rs little understood rs the adj
vice was. There are, in all soils, nat
ural forces which, when brought into
active operation. furnish those ele-
ments of the soil which are denomi-
mated plant food. The purpose and OBJ
ject of tillago is to stimulate those
forces to activity. The soil is great
chemical laboratory in which altera-
tions are going on, changing elements
and constituents from state of dor
nancy to activity, and tillage is an ar
tificial means of promoting and has
tening these changes, so us to furnish
to the growing vegetation an ample
supply of sustaing food to give vigor
and strength to the plants. To stop
blowing because of dry weather or be-
cause your crop is free of weeds and
grass, is to suspend those active chem
lcal alterations which are produced by
blowing and subject the plants at the
time they require the greatest nourish-
ment TO the slow process Of natural
change.
Every farmer knows that air and
water are necessaryand absolutely req
uisite to the life and vigor of vegeta-
tion but there are too few that under
stand how or why they are essential
or how they supply the important and
Indispensable ingredients in plant life.
The chief or principal elements of fer
tility in lands are potash, nitrogen and
phosphoric acid. 1t is often discov-
cred that they are in an insoluble
condition and are therefore unavaila-
bic for plant food; in fact there must
be some chemical action constantly go
ing on to reduce these important forces
to n condition of availability in plant
growth. 1t is well known that the
food must be in soluble condition be-
fore it can be converted into plant sub
stance. Water is the natural process
by which these elements are reduced
from an insolublo to a soluble condi-
ton. 1t is not only useful in dissolv-
ing soil food, but it serves an impor-
tant part in diffusing the food and car.
rying it 10 the many mouths of the
plant, as well rs to keep the cells Of
the soil open and expanding. Although
soil water takes into solution the con-
stituents useful for plant growth, it Is
too slow and must be supplemented by
mechanical means to hasten chemical
action. If you stir the land you open il
to freer circulation of the air, and thu:
you supply fresh and larger amounts
of oxygen and nitrogen, which will b,
used by the plants and are importan
elements of fertility in the soil. Water
being useful in dissolving the insolubl,
soil food it is important that you con
serve it as much as possible. The land
you are cultivating are black, stick,
clay, Of fine compact texture, with 1t
pores so small that it is practically i'm
penetrable to water or, If penetrable
it is sluggish and tardy, and if you will
study its nature you will learn that it
texture must be improved so that it
pores may be put in condition to re
ceive and retain water. How is this +
be done? 1t must be found in you
methods of tillage. You must plo,
your lands so as to keep great bed @
loose, well-pulverized soil to receive, t
store and TO preserve the soil water
that it may be ready at all times t
perform its important functions i
plant life. This large, loose bed re
ceives the vapors from the air and cor
denses them in it's cells and acts as
sponge, by capillary force lifting tn
water from below, which in its cours
bears the soil food to the roots of tn
plants. 1t will prevent that rapid e,
halation which causes cracks or fl
sures in the earth and through whic
the water rapidly escapes by cvapori
ton. Now, having this heavy mule
of earth around your plants, you shoul
. make it available for fcrtilizing you
soil and strengthening the growth {
your cotton and corn. Every time yo
, stir it you add new drafts of oxygeI
nitrogen and carbonic acid, which NJ
condensed in the pores of the groun
and taken up by the plants. The plan
, feed greedily upon these gases an
acids which form their fiber, leaves an
, fruits. Being extracted from the cart
by the growth of the plants these gas'
and acids can be re-supplied by kee
ing free and fresh circulation of a
, through this cultivated bed by ofte
stirring it with your plows.
The elements Of fertility in the cart
are often found in an insoluble cond
ton, and when in this condition a
not plant food and add nothing to Il
life and growth of vegetation. 1t
therefore the farmers duty to app
the proper means for reducing these i
s soluble ingredients SO as to make the
available in supporting his crop. III
adding Of ready soluble fertilizers
I one means Of supplying deficiency
G the soil, but it is well understood II
:, atmosphere bears upon its wings 80
9 90 per cent. of all plant food, and wh'
!. these acids aud gases that float in Il
s air are brought in contact with Il
e minerals of the soil rapid chemic
J, change is effected which supplies Il
a food for plant life. II there was, at {
: times, sufficiency of soil water to d
c solve these insoluble elements Of fert
a ity, then it might not be SO importa
t and necessary to continue your plo
ing. But as the water is taken fro
!. the surface by absorption and evapoi
8 ton the farmer must employ sol
o means to bring it back for the use
l. his crop. Flowing and keeping hea
4 I. IL b. 1,