The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-10-11
THOROUGH PREPARATION OF
THB SOIL.

Correspondence of the Progressive Farmer.
A few years ago the Rev. w. R
Brown, of Empire, N. O., informed me
that upon a certain occasion tenant
commenced laying off for corn, being as
I understood it the first or leading row
through the field. The row was crooked
and Mr.. B informed him that he would
straighten it If he had to run a half
deem times, He accordingly ran q
number of times, cutting first from
one side of the furrow and then from
the other until he finally got it suff
GENTLY Straight to answer. No person
appeared to have the most remote idea
that this extra ploWing would result in
any advantage, other than straighten
ing the row, but Mr.. B says that the
corn Of this row was twice as good as
that of any of the other rows.
The above shows the effect Of thor
ough preparation. A loose bed from
IL to 16 inches deep and of proper
width should be made before planting
the corn. In cultivating, said bed can
be gradually widened until all the
ground between the rows be broken
deep. This deep tillage will exert an
immense influence in time of drouth.
More than this, the corn in the drill
can be twice as thick as shallow plow-
ing will admit of, and will then ear
better and be better every way than
the shallow plowed. When the people
come to understand this matter prop
erly they will see that they cannot
afford to cultivate their land shallow.
It would, however, be better for the
land to be subsoiled in the fall or early
winter, but when inconvenient to do
this, it may be plowed deep, as afore-
said, in early spring, provided that 1t
is done with narrow ploW of proper
construction that will not throw the
subsoil out of the furrow and expose it
to the air. It is advisable to expose
the subsoil to the air if done at the
proper time, but not after the winter
| passes.
If the people would cultivate less and
fertilize more they would, as general
thing, succeed far better. They could
then retain command Of their crops
and as a result would not lcs9 all in
time of extreme drouth, as is now fire.
quently the case. Nine times out OF
ten when farmer fails in his crop it
is his fault rather than that of the
season.
The soil must not only be kept up,
but the fertility thereof generally in
creased over what it now is. 1t will
be an easy matter to do this when we
work in accordance with G DDS natural
laws.
Glover and COW peas, in connection
with proper fertilizers, are the great
levers that are destined to revolutioniEe
the agriculture of this country. The
corn rows are preferably wide, say 2
to 8 feet. The corn should be planted
in the drill sufficiently close to make
from 80 bushels per acre up, according
to the richness. The COW peas are
preferably drilled midway between the
corn rows. An excellent fertilizer for
corn is good dose of stable manure to
which about 300 pounds each OF acid
phosphate and kainit per acre have
been added. Stable manure contains
an excess of nitrogen and it is neces-
sary to add these elements in order to
correct said feature. About 300 pounds
each of acid phosphate and ksinit may
be applied to the peas, in both cases in
the drill and well mixed with the soil,