The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1899-08-26
FARMER ANDPLANTER.
NEXT YEARS COTTON CROP.
Hints to Planters in Regard to the
Planting of the Fields for
n Next Years Crops.


attending our summer series
Of farmers Institutes, we have been I
very much impressed with the I'M ]
mense increase in the cultivation OF
the cow-pea. Fewer fields are to pc
seen resting in the old way by grow
ing up with weeds for future brow
sweatings, but instead the farmers are
fast learning that the best rest for the
land is to keepit in crop that VIII
shade and protect the soil and gather
fertility for succeeding crops far last
err than the natural growth. Wild
areas are now in peas that bore crop
of small grain, and the Glover OF the
sos,ths is covering fields that never pc
fore grew it. Many of these fields are
intended for the cotton crop OF next
year. and as matter OF course the
owners are thinking how best to use
the pea crop. If they have taken our
advice so often given the press, the
rcas have had good dose OF phos-
phoric acid and potash in some Iorm'
and where this is the case the course is
plain, and the cotton crop can be
grown at the smallest cost y the own
err simply adds the seed from TINS
wears crop to the land. One OF the
most thoughtful farmers in South Car
DINA wrote us that he had found that
in his case, being far removed from
oil mills, where he could exchange tne
seed for meal and bulls, he found that
the whole seed after being crushed 10
destroy termination gave him excei-
lent results when applied as he uses
them. He found that when mass OF
seed or other bulky manure was APP
piled directly in the furrow under the
cotton, there was difficulty in getting
rood stand of the cotton. He found
also that while the seed were q valua-
BILE fertilizer, they were slow IN pc
coming available to the plant as food.
He, therefore, adopted the plan OF
opening a furrow midway between the
beds for the cotton, and there burying
the seed. BY the time The cotton had
developed to the point of making
bloom and fruit it had found the seed
which by that time had decayed e
such an extent Sufficient to enable
them to yield up their plant-food, and
he got better crops in this way. What
We most want to get at, however, II
the best and most economical way t.
apply the purchased fertilizers to tn
cotton. We have said that where thu
pea crop of this year has been wei
supplied with phosphoric acid and pot
ash there is a better chance for. mex
wears cotton. Experience has show
that an application, Of the potassic fer
tiIizers especially, some months befor
the planting will show from them bel
Ter results than from direct applica
ton at the planting-time. And no
only this, but their application 10 IN
rea crop Will give a heavier crop Q
forage. There is nothing that the CO.
ton farmer needs more than plenty
forage and plenty of cattle to feed
to. The use of the entire growth
neus as a manure direct will undoub
e5lv show greater effect on the SUI
ceeding crop than the cutting OH
the growth. But the cutting and Gu
ing OF the crop as hay, and the fee
inc of this hay to cattle, with the car
full saving of manure, will do more 4
rho farm and the farmer than II
burving of crop worth $50 per &C
rs food. three-fourths of which vail
can be recovered in the manure MAJ
from the feeding. !,
Another fact in connection with Z
using OF the whole growth for the &C
ION CROP is that it may give an exec
Of Nitrogen and a rank and long-lim
ed growth and a late crop. The TT
way to use the pea crop preceding
cotton crop is to cut and cure I
vines as hay, feed them to stock a
return to the land the manure tn
maze. But what shall the man do w
did not put any phosphate or pota
en- his peas? If he takes them on
will certainly have taken off more
the phosphoric acid and potash,
which his land was probably alrea
deficient, and unless he applies fer
izsrs to his cotton he can not hope
an increased crop by reason OF
nea-growth. He may to some ext
GET benefit from the peas so Tar as
iucreaka of nitrogen in the soil Is Q
cerned. but while the cotton n
make a ranker ''weed," It will fail
the fruiting. The peas will relieve
from the purchase Of the most cos
mart of complete fertilizer and
will not be compelled TO buy nitro
~ al esrecially if he uses his colt