The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1900-05-10
WORK OF CULTIVATION
MAY Is THE MONTH NOTORIOUS
FOR THE GROWING OF
GRASS AND WEEDS.
FART WORK MUST BE RAPID
Commissioners of Agriculture Gives
Some Valuable Pointers to Farm
ers ON Handling Crops.
ATLANTA, Ga, May I, 1900.

May Is VIGOROUSLY themonth in which
she work Of cultivating the general crops
begins, grass and weeds, as well as the
crops. will now spring up and grow, and
farm work must be rapid and frequent
to destroy the former and stimulate the
latter. To this end we would advise
energy and skill in the cultivation for
the next 80 days If you would manage
your crop with ease and satisfaction.
In Middle and North Georgia large
part of the cotton area is yet to be
planted, This was caused by the late
spring and too much rain in the latter
part of March and April. This can be
largely remedied by putting forth our
best efforts i'll the field and judicious
use of wide sweeps and cultivators in
the cultivation of cotton and corn. If
your land has been properly prepared
before planting, you can use these wide
stretching implements to great advan-
tage, the object being to break the crust
and stir the surface to the depth Of 1 or
inches. In this way you can run over
your crops every 10 or IL days so that
by July the fields of the energetic and
faithful farmer will show little signs of
the late planting.
Watch the May grass and smother
and stife it at birth or even before it
peeps through the surface of the earth.
Continue this process until June 1 and
you will be master of the situation. If
you let the May grass get the start on
you, lay down the harrows and cult
vators at once and take up your sweeps
or shovels; for the May grass must be
conquered. Do as much of your work
as possible with the horse and pillow; for
'the man with the hoe'' is a very costly
luxury, frequently doing as much harm
as good in the cotton field with hoe.
Follow the plow at intervals of six or
seven days, that he may not uncover the
grass 50 well covered by the pillow.
BLOCKING" out of cotton is labor lost.
Use your harrow until cotton is ready,
then cut to stand at once and lay aside
the hoe as far as possible, as it is too ex-
pensive Cultivate your cotton fire.
quently while young that it may be
pushed rapidly beyond the stage of
"Sore Shins" and daming insects. After
this period so work your cotton crop as
to keep it growing steadily, but not too
fast.
During the next three months we may
expect dry weather and the wise farmer
therefore will do his best to keep the re-
served moisture i'll the soil. To accom-
plish this end, we advise fiat culture.
High beds increase surface exposure and
thereby increase evaporation. We often
damage plants by throwing or piling too
much dirt around them. Let the sweeps
then be set fat and keep them SO. An
other means of preserving moisture is
frequent and shallow cultivation of the
surface to prevent the formation of
crust. This acts as mulch and keeps the
soil beneath moist.
But after all that may be said, each
individual farmer must determine, with
all the lights before him, that which is
wisest and best to do for himself. He
must consult his own surroundings and
profit as best he may by his past expert
ences and resolve to act well his part
whatever others may do.
On account of the drouth that was
prevalent during last year, which pre-
vented in some sections of Georgia the