The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1898-08-11
CROPS IN GEORGIA
HELPED BY RAINS
No Further Cultivation After
This Date REQUIRED.
WORK FOR COMING MONTH

| =" O@A Z IN OOM1NQ MUNVd
Commissioner Of Agriculture Nesbitt
/ Urges Continued Activity In Carry
/ ing Out All Plans Formulated at
| the Beginning Of the Year.
! DEPARTMENT OF AeRIcuLTURE,
ATLANTA, Aug. !, 1898.
The widely distributed rains, follow
ing the long continued drouth, have
caused some shedding of the cotton,
and, in some instances. came too late to
rescue the corn crop, but, as rule,
crops throughout the state are in good
condition and further cultivation after
this date Is not only unnecessary, but
might prove actually hurtful The
'laying by" Of these standard crops
should not mean a cessation of farm
activity, nor an entire abandonment of
the plans so carefully formulated in the
beginning of the year. Fortunately for
Georgia the strictly cotton farm" ex-
cept in rare instances, is a thing of the
past. E.a
In nearly all sections of the state
there is hay to be saved, orchards and
vineyards to be looked after, cattle and
hogs to receive the proper care, and
lastly, fall crops to be prepared for.
Another important branch of his work,
to which the average farmer has been
so far woefully indifferent. is the de.
struction of the various insect enemies
| which are beginning to infest our fields
and depredate on our crops. To keeI
these in check it has become necessary
that each individual farmer wage
an incessant warfare ON them. Al
this season much may be done to des
troy their breeding places. In the
stubble fields, in the fence corners and
In many byplaces they will be found
entrenched, preparing for their winter
accommodation in order to be ready in
the spring to start out ON their destruc
tive work with the first warm DAYS. II
neglected now the result will be an as
tonishing increase in numbers and ir
the amount of injury to various crops.
| In Tennessee in 1894 the chinch bus
was observed in different sections o.
the state, but not in numbers sufficient
to cause any alarm and no precaution,
were taken to prevent their reappear
ance. In 1895 a territory of nearly soc
square miles was literally covered BY
these depredators, and the farmers il
this section not only sustained great los
by the actual injury to their crops, bu
were compelled to at considerable ex
pense destroy the hordes of bugs which
infested every part of their fields. w,
need not therefore lay the fiatterins
JUNCTION to our souls that the season O
Laying by" is a season of entire srest.
| While there may be a comparative lie
up in the driving work necessary to tn,
proper management of your STANDARD
crops there are still various farm oper
ations just as important which SHOULD
not be "laid BY" Indeed, after nearl,
40 years experience on the farm, W.
have come to the conclusion that, fol
the up to-date farmer, laying by time
comes only when life itself ceases.
FALL CROPS.
Because we have failed in one or ever
two trials with crimson clover we should
! not abandon the attempt to grow it. Il
Is certainly most valuable adjunct Il
our forage supply, besides performing
for our lands during the winter the
work which the pea crop accomplishes
In the summer, namely, storing up both
humus and nitrogen for future crops.
The general mistake in planting fall
oats and rye, two of our most impor
tant crops, is that they are put in toe
| late and the land is not made rich
enough. If the seed are put in early
and the crop forced forward by high
manuring the result is usually most
| satisfactory. In very cold weather it is
| always the rich spots which escape.
sometimes when the poor thin spots
are entirely killed out The pres.
ent year the spring oats were an entire
fal IRE, while the fall crop was unusu
& Y fine. August is none too early to
begin The preparations for all crops tc
be sown IN tue fall. After the land il
thoroughly broken it should be har.
rowed and reharrowed until smooth
and fine. Time was when the prepare.
ton and cultivation of our lands, though
of the rudest and most imperfect
character, produced phenomenal crops,
because the virgin soil abounded in the
elements of plant food But TODAY,
thoughtful farmers realize the fact that,
even in our incompatible climate.
where we can produce two or three
crops on the same land each year. the
time has passed when muscle can count
against brain. All over the state we
begin to see the evidences of this.
f48As BRAIN WORK. @ff
Intelligent energy is taking the place
of mere plodding. The farmers who
have well defined, thoroughly studied
plan, which they follow with unfailing
pertinacity, are the men who are forg.
ing to the front in successful agricult-
ure. Science, by its discovery Of com
plete plant foods, and by its equally i'm.
portant findings as to the food require.
ments of different crops, poir is out the
means, but it remains for the farmer to
take hold of these means and by ju.
dicious rotation of crops, thorough
preparation of the land and proper
cultivation, to promote the chemical
changes necessary to the most profitable
development Of his business. Some of
the results of such careful methods are
seen in the yields of wheat and oats
reported to this department the present
9ear, larger than ever before in so,na