The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-10-15
THE FARM AND THE GARDEN.
MATTERS or INTEREST To AGRI-
CULTURIST AND HOUSEWIFE.

CULTURIST AND HOUSEWIFE.
weather Notes.-The Great Value OF
the RoIIcr-Preraring the soil.
FatteninE HoEs-FaII PruninE-tse
of sunnowcr--What IL Humus.
Care Of Grnpevines-Syrup Making.
some Fertilizer Facts-SoiI Rob
hing.
1T raincth not" he said and 20 NJ still
delayed the sowing OF his ,urnlps. his
cats and clover. etc. Al the week the
clouds have formed. and the winds vesred
from one point to another. but other than
a slight sprinkle. insufficient 10 wet
straw hat there has been no rain to glad
den the heart Of the waiting ana impa-
tient farmer. There may have been local
rains IN some sections Of the South. but
doubtless the large area OF the drought
stricken region Is stn needing the rain
that has been wanted for the past six or
eight weeks
on the morning Of the nth the wind was
blowing from the east with temperature
fallen below 90 In Middle Georgia. The
nrst fires OF the season were in order-for
thin-blooded people at any rate II this
change does not bring rain before another
week has rolled around. We may regard
the rain az sim further indefinitely post
poned
While " q no use 20 SOW anything
while the soil is rs dry "a Il IT, there Is
no reason why blowing and preparing the
soil should not stiu so on. II may be that
there are some clay soils that are 100 hard
10 allow Of being psowed until a saturating
rain falls. but most OF the land no doubt
viii allow OF ii. An extra blowing or two
Of the land that viii be seeded to grain.
whether rye. oats. barley or wheat. WAL
probably add several bushels 10 the yie.d
next spring. Just one blowing Is very
poor preparation for wheat especially
Very deep nlowing Is not desirable for
fan sown grain, but Il Is important that
the surface soil TO the depth Of four or six
inches should be- well pulverized.
one Of the most valuable implements
on the farm. and 'he Southern farm es-
pecially. IS one that few OF our farmers
ever think Of providing and that Is the
roller. on light sandy soil ihis impossible
to arm to the best advantage without
H. II Is characteristic OF our
| autumns and springs 10 have periods OF
/ dry weather Just about the time OF SOW
/ ing or planting the crops. Any intelligent
/ farmer who has ever used the roller viii
indorse tho statement that ~ Is the only
implement OF culture that can in any
way mitigate the evil effects OF drought
at planting time. With thoroughly pull
verified surface soil IL Is possible with
the use Of the roller to bring M plants
| IN dry time when otherwise germina-
I ton would be delayed or the seeds perish
entirely before rain occurred
The roller while pressing the soil firin-
I ~ 20 the seeds. and thus allowing them
20 absorb moisture readily from The roll
also breaks up any clods that may be left
by the pillow and harrow
/ soil thus prepared with the helm OF
the roller connects the capillary tubes"
l Of the soil 80 that tho lower moisture il
/ brought upward while tine outward or
I dew moisture is the more readily absorb
l 81 and made use OF II does paw to nLt
I the soil in such a condition. ana Il will
always verify the very old adsge "A crcp
well put T. hair made"
The intensive system demands that cn'v
/ 50 much land as can be pat In thfs hign
state OF preparation shall be annually Gull
/ tivated. Fortunately the great hulk Of our
/ Southern pine soil Is easily put ~ coed
shape for planting by two good plowings.
provided they are never plowed when too
| wet
Tho harrow Is far less essential IN put
| ting these lands In best shape Tor growth
/ than tho roller. As shown. the roller nc
! complishcs two very necessary purposes
1 Il fractures the capillary flow OF mois-
| ture and pulvcrizes the surface by break
ing oil the clods on Il Adjoining farmers
should own a good roller In common. II
not able TO own one individually. We have
in mind small or oue-norse farmers
] -
| ton is made. No man who owns his farm
| or runs two plows Is too poop TO oWr such
/ a valuable implement as a good roller.
I While there o. economy - using q two
horse roller still a single horse roller viii
/ do well enough. a roller Of coarse. y sim
I ply a recessity 20 the trucker or gardner
In the small garden a heavy barrel can
! take the place 81 roller and % a certain
| limited extent tamper or even the feet
can accomplish the purpose Of roller in
| pressing the soil 10 the seeds when the
/ soil Is dry.