The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1898-03-04
Agriculture.

a -
AS a rule the farmer has more time
and better cause to whistle than
any other man on earth. One year,
with another profits are so reasona-
bly, sure for good farming that it is
the best vocation In the world, al
though some given year he may not
combat successfully with drouth,
hail storms, frosts, winds or freshets.
We hope we shall never have any
potato kings; let every farmer grow
a patch.a little larger than tile needs
of his own family demand. When
few are grown on every farm the ex-
pense of distribution is eliminated.
Be alive. The progressive farmer
is the man who is not afraid of get
ting an occasional new idea.
Avoid blowing the ground just
about so deep year after year, for it
tends to the formation of kind of
hard pan beneath through the down.
ward pressure of the pillow, and such
soil will be more easily washed
away. Rotation of crops, with the
required changes in depth of plow-
ing, is cure for the evil.
The best corn growers select their
seed where they are able to Judge
the vitality of the parent plant, a
much more sensible method than TO
go to the bin at seeding time and
pick out the largest ears. The same
test should be applied to the pota-
toes, and, in fact, to all seeds, where
it can be done.
There is an advantage in planting
potatoes by hand. AS soon as the
plant appears above the ground
cover them little deeper with a
Planet Jr. cultivator, and repeat the
operation the next time they show,
following the row in the opposite di-
rection. Thus we cover to the pro-
per depth, put it away from the
Colorado beetles, kill the first crop
of weeds, and seem to add to the
thrift of the plant.
The difference in the grade of a
few quarts of seed becomes a differ.
ence of bushels in the crop, hence il
pays to select it with the utmost
care. This applies to every crop o.
the farm.
There are as good reasons for sow.
ing various kinds of grains togeth
er, as peas and oats, when they are
intended for feeding purposes, al
there are for mixing our grass seeds
A variety tends to closer occupa
ton of the ground, and a conse
quently larger crop. Peas and Oat
or peas and barley grow we'll togeth
er, and doubtless the three nigh
do we'll in the same soil, the grail
holding the peas off the ground
This would also give a greater va
riety to the feed
The farmer Is in bad state whel
he let's the weeds get the upper hant
of him. No sensible man will Civ
way to them without struggle; ant
vet the fact is that if the struggl
has been made intelligently and a
the right time all weeds can be KEEP
in a reasonable state of subsection
A carefully planned rotation
makes farming much more Ger
tain business than a hap hazar
planting from year to year. Tn
man who puTsues the later metho
rarely has the right crop when price
are right.
Among our potatoes there ar
many missed hills, and many wit
vines of spindling growth. All tn
success depends more on the earl
stand procured, and this necessarily
often depends upon the seed. 1t
not easy to select the best seed frOr
the bin; but take those with vigor
GUS eyes, and which are not too ia
advanced.
However good seeds may be, the
sometimes fail to terminate becaus
of lack of moisture; the germ dies
BY the water treatment the husk
softened, and the plants start int
growth quickly and with un
formity.