The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1901-01-19
or INTEREST 10 FARMERS

OF INTEREST TO EARMERSl
The application OF intelligent
methods to the cultivation Of the
soil in this section has never vet
failed to reward the farmer with the
most profitable results Wherever
progressive methods have been
used. the yield has been much
larger. The natural fertility Of the
soil is a great deal, but it is not
everything. 1t is the experience of
scientific and practical agriculture
that the richest land must be fertil-
lied, otherwise its productive quail
tiles will be greatly reduced. Too
many farmers have ignored these
facts and cultivated the same lands
for years without using any tertili
GERS. That the result of this unwise
policy has been ruinous is shown
by the small yield of lands which
were formerly very productive.
Last year Mr.. Il. N. Corona cuI-
tivated small tract Of land near
the compress. The yield was so
small that he came to the conclu-
sion that the soil was lacking GER
tain essential elements. He wrote
to Prof. Stubb, about the matter,
at the same time sending a box con-
! tanning some earth to be analysed.
Prof. Stubs replied as follows:
LOUISIANA SUGAR EXPERT STATION, }
| AUDUBON PARK, :
new ORLEANS, La, Jan: 10. 1901:
Mr.. B. N. Corona. Manager Lehman, Stern
& Co., Lafayette, La:
My Dear Sir:-Your letter, stating that
you had expressed to US a box of earth taken
from a little cotton farm in your immediate
| vicinity, and requesting me to examine the
same and state what kind of fertilizer the
land requires, has been received.
The trouble with the soil that you sent me
is its physical texture. 1t is not thoroughly
disintegrated and aerated. If you could
have it thrown up into beds early in the fall.
middles cleaned out, with quarter drains
across it. and drain well SO that the soil may
become thoroughly disintegrated. you will
have no further trouble with it. To this
end, a mixture of cotton seed meal and acid
phosphate IN equal parts, at the rates OF
900 to 500 lbs per acre, would make a large
quantity of cotton-a bale to the acre in
| favorable season. The soil is extremely fer
tile and in good condition to be put in ex
cellent filth by the process just described.
|
Very truly yours.
VIM. c. STUBS,
/ Director.
AS is we'll known Prof. Stubs
is director of the State Expert
ment Stations. He is the bes
authority on farming in this State
and his opinion Is recognized as tn.
most reliable that can be had.
The trouble with Mr.. Coronna'
land no doubt exists wherever tn
been obtained and it is safe to sa,
that the remedy advised by Prof
S,ubbs will be found the proper on
to be adopted.
The Prof. Stubbs' remedy is sim
pie enough and not too expensive
First the soil should be thorough,
broken and aired, then thrown u
into beds early in the fall and eth
middles cleaned out" OF course
it must be we'll drained.
Attention is called to the fertilize
recommended In the foregoing letter
= We are informed that this fertilize
would cost from 81 to IS pc! acre
Considering the large yield which
there is every reason to believe
will follow its application, the ex
penditure is small in compariso
with the increase.
The Gazette believes that to
little attention has been paid by tn
farmers of this parish to the opin
ions and counsels Of scientific ayr
culturists, such as Prof. Stubs
Years of profound study and thor
oughly practical experiments enabI
these men to speak intelligently o
agriculture and kindred subjects.
The successful farmer is the on
who uses his brains as we'll as hi
hands. Too many farmers fail bs
cause they stubpornly insist upo
travelling in the old ruts, refusing
, give hearing to the voice of &C
vanced thought and scientific d.
: velopment.