The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1897-02-20
FARMER AND PLANTER.
ROTATION OF CROPS.
70 Find that Which IL Best tho Farmer
Must study His Soil.


Must study His Soil.
The word rotation is derived from
Latin word, rota, meaning wheel.
Now, in cur minds the idea of turning
is inseparably connected with the word
wheel What 10 a wheel good for if
not for turning? Therefore in select
ing system of rotation we must Sc
lect one that easily turns. But any
novice in farming knows how difficult
it is to select a system of rotation, the
crops in which will suit every kind of
soil. For instance, in the system OF
planting cotton after oats, the oats
will grow readily on damp bottoms
that will not make cotton profitably.
BY little study and some ''contriv-
ance" these difficulties may be largely
overcome.
Recurring to the figure of the wheel,
let your farm be represented by
wheel in horizontal position) the hub
resting on the ground. One-third OF
the area covered by this wheel should
be labeled oats, wheat and rye, one
third corn and ore-th:rd cotton. The
wheel should be given one horizontal
CdSh COL oO th6e ehC PuA hA"A NV
oats, wheat and rye should move over
and rest on the corn area of the year
previous; this would piece the corn af-
ter cotton, cotton after small grain.
After trying several systems we have
settled upon this as the best. OF
course other considerations may arise
to make it advisable to change, but
we would advise sticking to it as
nearly as possibly. This system OF
rotation comes pretty near to putting
into practice the following deep or
rooted crops with those which feed on
the surface, and vice versa. believe
in following science as nearly as pos
| sible; it may not be convenient to fol-
low her teachings always. One should
let common sense" direct the applica-
tion of science to farming. We think
this method of rotation can be shown
to be a common sense one as well as a
scientific one. 1t should be the object
CT the farmer, first, to live at home;
second, to improve his land. This sys-
tenn of rotation meets both of these re-
quircments. With two-thirds of your
land planted in provision crops you
will have an abundance for man and
beast.
Another advantage is that you can
not get your land in condition tot plant
without thoroughly preparing it.
know that it is little extra work to
run off, rows for your crops every
year, but the writer's experience is
that every furrow run in the prepare.
ton of land is more than paid back in
the ease with which the crop is Guilt
waited.
Suppose we study the method OF
preparation, cultivation, etc, of each
crop in order of rotation, beginning in
the cotton field which we wish to pre-
pare for corn:
The cotton stalks should be cut as
early in the winter as possible.
know they are green, tough and hard
t. cut, but by using a good one-row
cutter they can be cut into four-incf
lengths aud pinned in the ground.
Have the stalk roots ripped up with ;
turn pillow, removing the wing; use
two good horses and let the plow gt
in to the beam. There are several ad
vantages in this plan of getting rid O
the stalks. First, the pillow runs easy
one hand and two horses, will do almos
the work of two hands aud two horses
Second, the roots are thoroughly up
rooted; third, deep furrow, reachin.
In some instances to the subsoil. i
made, thus making way for the heav,
rains of winter to soak in instead o
running off and carrying with then
much of the soil which has been sub
jected to a summers clean cultivation
On upland the ground may now b
broken up broadcast, running acros
the cotton rows. Harrow well wit
some good harrow, run off rows ST
feet apart with an 11-ipch shovel an
: plant in the bottom of the furrow
! covering with double-footed shovel
, The best thing to cover corn with is
good guano distributor with the hor
:. per taken off. BY judicious use @
e the wheel in front you can set you
; plow SO as not to cover the grain to
: deep. Cover as shallow as you car
4 warmth and not moisture is what W
h need in the spring. The first plowin
\ may be done with an iron tooth hal
. row running directly across the row.
After this cultivate shallow with e.
banding cuitIvators or wide sweeps
The second week in June plant peas
the middles, upen the furrow with
J four-inch shovel, dropping the pea
|, ten to fifteen in hill, two and ont
t half feet apart, cover with an expant
= ing cultivator. opened so as to stir tn
: ground in foot or less of the corr
V Then let your corn alone, and you
= peas, too; it is usually the last pillow
q ing that ruins corn.
:. BY planting corn thus after cottol
4 where She land is in good condition,
$ good crop may be made without an
e manure. But from 100 to $50 pound
\ of ammoniated guano to the acr