The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-10-14

siderable area or their farming Lands u
wheat during tho next sixty Gays par
ticularly IN all OF these tlous Aacr>
cur lands are favorable 10 its Eron ii
ard prohtatlr development
The price OF provisions and all kinds
OF commodities uSCu Oh the farm are cons
tinually advancing in prize. Provision
bills within the .aSt twelve months have
almost been prohbitory 10 The farmer
Nho has been heretofore depending upon
his Gotten crop to pay for supplies ana all
other costs for tEe operating expenses
Of MS farm. The prices fog which VIC are
forced to sell our cotton is not on a po.
iry with tho nigh PRICES which sc have
to pay for the things tha, have rorn
bought The margin of difference has
bgen too heavy il favor OF the seller o..
such commodities as NC have been in the
! Eabit OF buying, reducing the margin q
profit on oar money crop to about the
| cost of production. Ne could better AZ
| ford to run the all cotton system on i
| basis of cents for that staple two years
! ago at the prices then prevailing for sup
| plies, than to buy provisions al the pres
| cnt prices an sell our cotton for eight
! cents. The crop OF cotton this year has
J been short in most sections OF the cot
ton belt, taking into consideration espe-
| c!ally thc shortness OF the staple Ordi-
narily farmers are quite busy wiHa then
cotton during the time which should b
| taken up in preparing their lands for
| wheat. This trouble, however, viii not
be on US this fall. and nothing short OF
indifference Will stand in the way or
/ being able to plant a goodly area OF land
on every farm in this valuable grain crop.
| The first question of prime import ance 10
decide, is whether OF not the crop can
| be made profitable one by giving il that
| attention which is necessary to secure
| the best results. The question CT an CX-
| tonsive area is not important. few
Scres properly prepared and highly fer
tilted Will turn out a heavier yield than
double the number Of acres on poorly
prepared land with little or no fertilizers.
! The general ulfamiliarity of our people
| with this crop renders il necessary TO
| discuss in detail many of the important
| features essential in making an effort t.
| secure the best results. This | shall en-
deavor to cover rs fully rs possible in
| this article. There ere many sUccesstUt
wheat growers in the South. annualis
turning out as heavy yields per acre as
Is made on The best lands in the great
wheat regions of the West. he possibill-
| ties Of our Southern soils TO meet compc-
| titiCn from any section has been fully Cs-
| tahliShed not only by experiments, but by
| hundreds of practical farmers in yearly
! yields of the different crops planted. No
man should ever become discouraged IN
| making an earnest, active effort 10 pre-
| vide the food crops necessary for sustain
| ing all The requirements Of his family and
farm animals. It is the key note u
| successful farming III the South Where
conditions rot only render diversified
farming possible, but make that system
OF farming imperative. 4 full apprecia-
tion OF our magnificent resources. ana :
Determination to take advantage Of them,
viii within a few years make every sueh
farmer independent ard secure for him a
! business which IS not only pleasant, but
| highly lucrative
The character OF the soils best suitoc
for the ,roWth and development of wheat
is good clay loan. furnished with a good
" supply of humus and niJrogenous mat
ter phosphoric acid and potash. Tn,
elements Of Ihosphoric acid and potash
should prcdominate, particularly the for
mer. Light sandy soils viii not yield sat
isfactory results, and such lands would
ray better planted in something else.
There are but few sections OF farming
lands in the South however which with
proper tilage and fertility viii rot yiela
fairly good crop Of wheat Whenever
strong vigorous stalk is secured With
but little or nc development Of grains, toe
trouble is not so much with the land as
it is with the absence Of proper fertiiiz-
ing ingredients. Such q condition OF af-
fairs under otherwise favorable climatic
conditions indicates a deficiency o. both
clements Of phosphoric acid and pota5l
in sufficient quantities TO develop the
food constituents CT the grain. 1t wouIi
then be incumbent upon the grcwsT 20
| provide these absent constituents either
Nv heavy applications Of barnyard me
nure. ashes and lime, or by he purchase
and use OF such commercial fertilizers a.
Will furnish the required needs Of tac
soils il proper proportions There is no
ore thing more essential IN preparing
fer wheat crop than the thorough prep
aration Of the land by deep plowing and
narrowing down to a fine tilth.
The more fully the land is DulYcrizet
| the better will be the yield nc matter
/ how fertile the soil or how heavy tle ap-
plicatioTs of fertilizers may be. This il
q matter which should be borne III mind,
because it is highly important Experi-
lnents have proven conclus!vely that land
prepared like an ashbank furnished Lea..
Ter Yields of what than similar plats oe
ground adjoining gave without s..cn prep
| aration. though a much higher percent age
| CT fertilizers We're applied TO the latter.
! A corn and pea field with the stubtle
whipped under with q good turner or
disc and then narrowed over two o
three times presents an ideal neld 10:
sowing down in wheat. Barnyard manure
! or cotton seed can then be broadcasted
ard a disc harrow run over the field, O.
if the seed is put in with drilling :na-
!! chine and commercial fertilizers usGd the
| whole can be done at one time. Wheat or
Ginarily should be covered TO depth Of
three inches net deeper on heavy clay
!. soils With good, clean seed wheat. SOW