St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1897-09-25
FARMER AND PLANTER.
The COTTON FIELD.


land which you had in cotton, although
tne land be dry and free from III
nouous growthA i received. To fully
give the reasons which prompted that
direeuon in the cultivation Of your
crop opens to consideration the ques-
uon OF cotton tilIage. Knight answer,
TO admit = free circulation Of air
through the ground" but such m an
swer would be, perhaps, Is confound-
ing and Is little understood rs the i'd
vice was There are. in all coils, nat
ural forces which, when brought into
sctive operation, furnish those ele-
ments at the soil which are dcnomi-
mated plant food The purpose and OBJ
!ect Of tiilage is to stimulate those
forces to activity. The soil is . great
chemical laboratory in which altera-
lions are going ON. changing elements
and constituents from state of dor
NANCY to activity. and tillage is an ~
nhcial means of promoting and has
eenlng these changes, SO as to furnish
70 the growing vegetation an ample
supply OF sustaing food to give vigor
ana strength to the plants. To stop
blowing because Of dry weather or be-
caase your crop is free of weeds and
grass, Is to suspend those active chem
acal alterations which are produced by
blowing and subject the plants ut the
time they require the greatest nourish-
ment to the slow process Of natural
change.
Every farmer knows that air and
N 10 n ~ ~A>1
uisite to the life and vigor OF vegeta-
ton. but there arc too few that under
stand how or why they are essential
- hsw 10y supply tie important and
indispensable ingredients in plant life.
The chief or principal elements Of fer
tllity in lands are potash, nitrogen and
phosphoric acid. It is often discov-
cred that they are in IN insoluble
condition and are therefore unsvaila-
] ole for plant food; in fact there must
be some chemical action constantly go
ing on to reduce these important forces
to condition of availability in plant
growth. 1t Is well known that the
food must be in soluble condition be-
lore 1t can be converted into plant sub
stance. Water - the natural process
by which these elements are reduced
from an ins0luble to . soluble condi-
tion. 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 to the many mouths Of the
plant. as well as 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. IT you stir the land you open it
to freer circulation of the air, and thus
You supply fresh and larger amounts
of oxygen and nitrogen. which will be
used by the plants and are important
elements Of fertility in the soil Water
being useful in dissolving the insoluble
soil food it is important that ron con-
serve it as much rs possible. The lands
you are cultivating are black. sticky
clay. of fine compact texture. with its
pores SO small that it is practically inn
penetrable to water or, il penetrable,
it is sluggish and tardy. and IL yea will
study its nature you will learn that its
texture must be improved so that its
pores may be put in . condition to re-
ceive and retain water. How is this to
be donef 1t must be found in your
methods of tillage. You must pillow
Your lands SO rs to keep great bed of
loose. well-pulverizcd soil to receive, to
store and to preserve the soil water.
that it may be ready at all times to
perform its important functions in
plant life. This large, loose bed re-
ceivcs the vapors from the air and con-
denses them in its cells and acts rs q
sponge. by capillary force lifting the
water from below, which in its course
bears the soil food to the roots of the
plants 1t will pryyrnt that rapid ex-
halatlon which c&uses cracks or fis-
sures IN the earth and through which
the water rapidly escapes by evapora-
ton. Now, having this heavy mulch
of earth around your plants. you should
make it available for fertilizing your
soil and Strengthening the growth of
your cotton and corn. Every time you
stir it you add new drafts Of oxygen,
nitrogen and cnrbonic acid, which are
condensed ia the pores Of the ground
and taken up by the plants. The plants
feed grecdily upon these gases and
acids which form their fiber, leaves and
fruits Being extracted from the earth
by the growth of the plants these gascs
and acids can be re-supplied by keep
ing free and fresh circulation of air
through this cultivated bed by often
it with your plows.
The elements of fertility in the earth
are often found in m iusoluble condi-
ton, and when in this condition arc
not plant food and odd nothing TO the
life and growth Of vegetation. It II
therefore the farmers duty to apply
the proper means for reducing these i'm
soluble Ingredients 50 rs to make them
In supporting his crop. The
adding Of ready soluble fertilizers il
ono means Of supplying . deficiency in
the soil, but It is we'll understood the |
atmosphere bears upon its wings 50 or |
% per cent of all plant food. and when |
these acids aud gases that doat in the |
air ere brought in contact with the |
Of the sol! rapid chemical |
change IS effected which supplies the |
food for plant life. II there was. ct al |
times, . suficiency Of soil water TO dis |
solve these insoluble elements Of fertil-
Ity, then II might mot be 20 important |
md necessary to eo0tin1e your plow- |
inn. But . the water is taken from
Tho surface BY absorption and evapora-
lion the farmer must employ some
means to bring IL back for the use Of |
-. ..cv> pln,win0 and lrAenin1 = heavy /