The Savannah morning news., 1901-05-13
The FARM AND The GARDEN.
MATTERS OF INTEREST TO HOUSE
WIFE AND AGRICULTURALIsT.

Cotton After 0ats-The Cotton Boil
WeeviI-SOwing Cow Peas-Man's
Triumph over COrn-The AngOra
Goat-The Culture of COrn-Rape n
Valuable Crop.
1t happens fortunately that the planting
of our great staple crop is not restricted
to the months of March and April, but
can be planted with every hope of sue
cess even during the months of May and
June. Some of the best cotton we have
ever seen in Middle Georgia was the re-
suit of planting cluster varieties as late
as the last OF June In 1889 a very large
proportion of the cotton in this section
was the product of as date planting as
this owing to protracted drouth extend
ing through the months of March and
April and May. 1t is no unusual thing for
late planting to yield much better than
the early, and this will always be the
case when the early planted is subjected
to protracted drouth about the time it is
forming its squares rapidly Cotton plant
ed late in May or in June rarely sheds
any considerable number of squares, as
these do not begin to form freely until
after the midsummer heat has moderat-
ed. August is usually showery and very
favorable to the rapid Development of the
cotton plant.
The several times that we have plant
ed cotton in June after oats it has in ev-
cry instance made good crops and we de-
cided long ago that it was the policy of
good farming to give a part of the very
best land on the farm TO fall oats and
with the intention of following with
crop of cotton as soon as the oats were
cut and removed from the land
IT the oats are grown for the purpose
of stock food feeding them in the sheaf,
they should be cut fully two weeks before
they are dead ripe. Cut as soon as they
reach the dough state. None of the
grain will shatter out in handling and
they are Just as nutritious. The straw
is more tender and better relished by
stock. The bulk of the oats grown in the
Southern states should be grown simply
for stock feeding in the sheaf. This al
lows of their being cut in May, even in
Middle Georgia.
There is but little work
involved in planting cotton after oats as
there is no need whatever in bedding up
before planting. All that is necessary is
to lay off burrows at 2i2 or feet with
scooter drill in the seed. then pillow out
the middle thoroughly. After this the land
should be well rolled to insure speedy
termination and retention of moisture in
the soil.
We are aware that very few Southern
farmers include a roller in their list of
necessary implements. 1t is a pity that
this is true for it is almost indispensable
in all late paintings of any of our crops
iG iaIl in, N
stubble such as has been suggested. If
the stubble can be pressed firmly down
on to or in to the soil, it acts as a help
full mulch, keeping the soil moist and
preventing baking.
Land planted to oats and cotton in this
way will accumulate considerable humus
and if each crop is fairly MANFRED as it
should be there is no likelihood of its
growing poorer under this rapid rotation
1t is idle to talk about the Southern
farmer giving up cotton. However rluch
the attempt may be made to ind some
thing else to take its place as the corner
stone of Southern farming, it will be
many years yet before the average an
nual acreage devoted to cotton will de
cline to anything like half what it is at
| the present time. Ii there are no greater
| obstacles to cotton growing than have al
itduy petu met Win IL must continue 10
receive pretty much the same attention
that it has for so many years past. Until
| our system of labor has been entirely
! changed it must be a staple crop with US.
Should the Mexican boil weevil" spread
| over the entire cotton section ultimately
| 1t will, of course, necessitate the giving
| up of cotton growing. Thus far the cot
| ton grower has managed to save his crop
| more or less successfully from the sew
! eral enemies that have infested it, but
| we are told that nothing can be done to
| checkmate the terrible foe of the cotton
| boil with the above common name. En-
| tomologiStS are watching with
much interest tine developments
| regarding this insect. Its progress
northward from Mexico, fortunately,
has been slow thus far, but its
! progress into Texas has been such the
| past year as to cause increased anxiety,
in that state among cotton growers. The
! boil worm" is bad enough. espe ii ally in
! some seasons, but the boil "weeVi" is
! considered to be ten times as bad Wher-
ever it. establishes itself it will settle the
| question of cotton growing.
! In the meanwhile it will DO no harm TO
study well the question how 10 farm
without cotton" 1t may. in the order Of
| Providence, be what we will come to be-
fore great while We can only wait and
| see.
/