The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1901-10-26
FARMER
THE LESSON OF THE DROUGHT.
Facts That welI-Posted ers are
Familiar with and Which 9th
ers Must Learn.

"AtA -
profitable financially. For instance,
some farmers will persist in making
good crops grow even amid widespread
desolation and in profiting by the high
prices resulting from the general
scarcity. This is better for such
farmers, though worse for the coun-
try at large, than good crops every
where. 1t may seem somewhat sell
fish for one farmer to profit by the
misfortunes of his neighbors, but it
can not be called foolinsh. There is a
degree of independence inherent in
agriculture hat renders this particu-
lar brand of selfishness a virtue rath-
er than a vice, for everyone is placed
upon his W and charged
with the duty of cultivating his tai
ent, as well as his field, and providing
for his own, and if others charged
with the same duties see fit to barter
ultimate success for present ease,
they must pay the penalty, and pay it
to their more thoughtful neighbors.
This is a divinely appointed system of
rewards and punishments, and ID
right. In farming, as in every other
calling, every man is charged with the
duty of doing the best he can, and if
he refuses he is punished; while he
who does his full duty is rewarded,
by having the penalty turned over to
him.
Every posted farmer knows how to
make fairly good crops in the dryest
seasons as is proven by conditions in
the drought stricken sections of our
country during the past season. 1t is
also known that some crops suffer
more or less for want of rain almost
every year, and that, however good
the crops may be, they would have
been better if they had never suffered.
The process ofconserying moisture in
cultivated fields is well known to all
farmers who read farm papers, and
yet a majority of them suffer some
almost every year, and severely in
seasons of drought. They seem to be
too optimistic in their anticipations.
AS their actions may be construed,
they say: The good lord will send us
rain ilst when we need it; so what's
the use? And if the good Lord fails
to fulfill the prophesy they say, the
next wear: The good Lord surely will
not fail us two years in succession.
They forget that the only way to
secure the blessings of Heaven is to
deserve them, and that the only way
TO be sure of good crops year after
year is to do the very best farming
possible. Then Providence dispenses
Il l1---s-.-u Ela,on,- II hoe haar,
demonstrated that a fair crop of corn,
for instance, can be made if the soil
is saturated when the plants first APP
pear without a drop of rain there
after; also that the same methods of
preparation and cultivation will pro
p~ortionately benefit the crop in ia
vorable seasons. And as said before,
all well-posted farmers are familiar
with these facts and processes, wheth-
er they put this knowledge in practice
or not. A trip over the country in
July showed that some farmers made
good corr crops, while their neigh
bors on the other side of the cross
fence made half a crop or less. In
all cases an inspection showed that
the difference in the crops was the
result of different methods of cult
walton, presumably aided by different
methods of preparation. Tw~enty-foui
years ago, and before these drought
beating methods were generally
known, the writer of this determined
to test in corr the method recon
mended by A. NJ. Purdy, of New York
for carrying strawberry plant
through droughts. An acre was deepl.
plowed and cross plowed during tn
winter, narrowed level, and cor
planted on the level surface about tn
midle of March. After planting n
other implement was used than a sid
harrow with ten teeth. The neigh
bors ridiculed the whole operation
"Your corr will blow down." som
said. Others said corn should neve
be cultivated after the tassels al
peared. Still others said that cor
should never be plowed more tina
once in three weeks, nor ofteuer tina
three times during the season Thu
year the drought was such that cor
sold for 81 per bushel at gatherin
time and $1.50 by Christmas. On tn
particular piece of corn there W.
less than one inch of rain from II
25th of March till the LIST of Jul
This acre made forty-two bushel
The rest of the field averaged abol
thirteen bushels, and there was 80.
better than the latter on any uplaI
in hat section. On the 9th of Augu
after almost a four months drougf
the neighbors were invited to inspe
that trial acre. A number respond
and helped to gather and measn
the crop. There were partly gre
blades still on the stalks. All the CO
In that neighborhood was dried
two months before. That acre W
plowed once a week until the or
was fully made. None of the nein
bors were converted, however, su
GENTLY to change their methods.
are convinced that this method W
insure good crops in just such seaso
as that just past, and that it will
crease tie yield in any kind of 81