The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-04-02
FARM WORK FOR H MONTH OF APRIL.

we failed to do in February and
March. For instance, there is a wet
bottom that gave us considerable
trouble last season that we promised
ourselves to fix before this season
began. If this has been neglected,
open a ditch and let it dry out. Use
a single horse and pillow and throw
out the dirt with long-handle SHOW
els. If practicable, make a blind
ditch with tiles, planks, stones, poles
or brush.
If the land is all drained, then
maybe the manure for the corn and
cotton has not all been hauled. Some
put off hauling out the manure and
then say the weather is too pretty to
stop the pillow. The manure will not
only add available plant food to the
soil for the crop, but it will save so
much work. Rich land does not
need as much hoeing and blowing as
Door land. The will waste
if left over for next year or for a
fall crop.
Next break that land which should
have been broken long ago. Don't
go ahead and plant corn on poorly
prepared land. It is poor farming to
plant corn and then break the land.
That is putting the cart before the
horse. Do the work properly if you
are a week, or even two weeks late.
Corn in North Carolina should as a
general thing, be planted in April,
but if we had our choice between
planting in April and preparing the
land in May, or the reverse, we
should certainly prepare the land
first. By proper preparation, Guilt
walton, and fertilization average
in corn production could easily be
doubled.
Cotton will always claim u a
nest attenti N, and the same remarks
as previously given for corn will APP
ply. The cotton is usually planted
on beds and these should be thrown
up long enough before planting to
become firm, thus allowing them to
be moist and in good condition for
terminating the seeds. From 18th Of
April to 1st of May is best time to
plant cotton. Use the best seed and
put in with d planter the same could
be said of any crop. The cotton
grower to compete with others
must use more machinery and grow
his crop cheaper. 1t makes nc diff
ference &c the cotton buyer OF manu-
facturer whether a bale cost SO Or
$40 to produce it, if the price is s
cents d pound that is just what will
be given for it. So let US learn to
produce it as cheaply as possible.
Reduce the acreage but make more
cotton is Ii very good motto. Indi-
vidually we need not concern our
selves about OverprOductiOn. or think
that we will cause d glut in the mar
ket but we must e to it thatevery
bale we make is bringing in a nice
profit. Then we are not so much
concerned as to the size Of the
worlds crop.
Sweet potatoes should be bedded,
if not already fixed. Be sure to bed
enough to set the whole crop out at
one time the earlier the better after
LANCER of frost is over If grown
for stock, use the red potato. The
"pOplar root is also d very prolific
kind. If for table use, then the Vel
low Yam and the White Spanish are
good. Of course there are many
other varieties that could be used,
but these four varieties are the most
common. If the potatoes are planted
in a convenient place the farmer a
dig what he needs for his own use
through the winter and let his hogs
dig the balance. This plan is not
advisable on stiff clay soil, as the
hogs injure the land in wet weather.
In this connection it might be men
toned that artichOkes should be
planted for hogs and April is Il good
time to plant. Plant in rows three
feet apart and eighteen inches in the
row. Manure well and cultivate as
You would cor or cotton until they
are pretty we'll advanced.
thufas can be planted as d third
feed crop for hogs and if the potu-
toes, a"tichokes and chufas are
planted close together, the grazing
or feeding will be simDliied.