Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1901-10-21

machine which cuts on the heads OF the
wheat and leaves all OF the straw stand
ing in the field. But Il has not given gen.
eral satisfaction on account OF danger
from rain rotting the heads when stacked.
Farmers were busily engaged threshing
their grain during my recent visit. The
threshers are pulled with traction engines,
and are self-feeders. In other words, the
wheat Is forked up on a carrier just In
front OF the machine, which is taken along
and pushed into the mouth OF the drum.
The straw comes out through long zinc
tube about IS inches in diameter which is
movable and is known as a 'self-stacker.'
No hands are required to move the straw
as the "self-stacker'' does the stacking,
one man being required 10 direct it. The
machines have a capacity Of 5000 bushels
Of wheat per day, and the straw from that
amount OF wheat can be nicely stacked IN
circular form without any extra labor, or
necessity for moving the machinery.
The wheat fields are everywhere, ana
the large stacks OF straw can be seen
every few hundred yards apart. When
the fields are turned and the stubble all
plowed under. a match is applied TO the
straw pile and the straw burnt up.
Wheat straw is not used for any purpose.
Dat and rye straw is preserved and COM
mands a value for feeding and other pur-
poses. The corn is all cut, principally
with binders and stacked In the field. No
fodder Is ever pulled. The corn Is hauled
up during October and husked at the
barn. or II is husked in the field. All
the wheat. barley and corn intended for
market. is hauled TO the corn and wheat
elevators as soon as it is ready for mar
ket.
Marketing Grain.
Wheat and barley are hauled in bulk.
Large two and four-horse wagons with
tight-ftting bodies are filled with grain
to the top. This is carried to the elevators,
weighed. graded and sold or stored for
the owner. Corn is shucked and carried
to the elevator in the same way. At the
elevator the corn is shelled, cleaned ana
put in shape for shipment. principally in
bulk. There are a few farmers who neg
lect 10 break their lands in the fall and
depend upon the disc harrow in the spring.
was told that such farmers were maxi
Ing a failure in their business. The point
I wish to impress here is that the men
who thoroughly prepare their lands are
making fine crops and money. This rule
will apply to southern agriculture as well
as TO the northwest.
The natural hay fields or native prairie
grass is cut once year, the yield being
from one TO two tons per acre. When cured
and ralxed II is stacked into large piles
containing from eight to.ten tons to the
stack. saw thousands and thousands of
these stacks on my journey through the
different states OF the northwest. Usually
this hay sells for 81 per ton in the stack,
or s. per ton delivered at the railroad.
This season, however, owing to the short
ness OF the corn crop in some of the
states, hay has advanced to IS and 81 per
ton, delivered, A considerable amount OF
the prairie lands I'm the Dakotas nave been
bought by eastern capitalists. The own
ers have the hay cut each year and de-
wfv han 8
no cultivation is required.
First Years Cultivation.
The first year prairie land is broken the
sod Is turned only to a depth of two
inches. II turned five or six inches the
land will not produce anything for three
or four years. Nothing will grow on the
land lightly turned the first year except
a crop OF flax After turning the sod, the
fax seed arc sown and scratched in with
an irOn-tooth harrow. A fairly gOot. crop
Of fax viii be harvested, which will sell
for enough to pay expenses. A good crop
Of fax viii yield about IS bushels Of seed I
per acre, and present prices are SLIGO per
bushel- The fax seed are largely used in
the manufacture OF linseed oil and meal
The latter is fine feed for cattle.
There is no waste land in the northwest.
II IS all nicely fenced in square fields. and
the methods OF up-to-date culture make
the inspection of farm most interesting.
What we need in the south is the intro
iuction OF more improved farming ma
so as not only to reduce the cost
Of labor. but TO put our lands in better
shape for making larger yields per acre.
We need more fan breaking and less
spring scratching We should diversity
more. raise wheat. corn, oats. barley and
grasses. and reduce the production Of
cotton 20 q strictly money crop. the sale
of which wall 90 to the owner in the ma
ture OF a profit on his business.
HARVIE JORDAN.