The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1902-12-18
Talk of the Commissioner.


Talk of the Commissioner.
| have written many letters urging
the farmers OF Georgia to take the one
step that will make our great State
absolutely self-supporting, and some
times l have feared that my persis-
tence would weary them. But when
enc knows that he Is right. he must
persevere.
In recent talks from this department
| 1t has been shown that Georgia Is not
| yet the self-supporting State that she
was previous to the civil war Though
there Ia in this respect great improve
ment,. much yet remains to be done.
Until every needed step has been tax.
en-. 1t bshooves the Georgia Depart
ment of Agriculture to give line upon
line and precept upon precept.
In many sections Of our State there
| Is still time for the sowing of wheat,
rye and barley. By as much as we
| have, through unfavorable seasons,
| fallen short in our crops of cotton and
corn, by so much is the necessity up
| on us to make up the deficiency in the
/ abundance of other crops. Unflagging
energy Is the price OF success, and
this is as true of farming as of any
| other business. 1t is the diligent man,
who shrtnks not at any necessary toll,
who makes his mark upon his day
and generation.
One Of the best signs of the times
is the restlessness Of the people in
every industrial pursuit, the constant
| striving after better things.
scientific farmer is learned man,
in that particular branch of education.
Time was when no man was called
| educated who had not received a d.
| pIoma from college. Now the man
skilled in his procession, whatever that
may be, is classed among the scientific.
1t is the duty of every man to aim
| high. He, who makes his living by
| agriculture, should consider himself
under obligation to do his work in such
a way as will best promote the pros
| perity and happiness of his family.
| Whether he believes it or not, he has
no right to go on in the old slipshod
way, making bare living out of the
soil which holds within it's bosom I'M
told wealth for him who seeks it in
the right way. He is unworthy the
name OF farmer, who sits idly down
whining about his bad luck, instead of
bestirring himself like a man to force
! fortunes smile.
! OF course, 1t is hard to be disappoint.
ed and to have ones expectations cut
short by unfavorable seasons; but the
remedy Is his going right at it again.
| What If the sky is overcast?
| The dark appearance will not last:
Expect better day."
But it Is folly to expect ANYTHING
to turn up, unless you make it turn up.
The following suggestions from "The
| Southern Planter" a farm journal
published in Richmond, Va, are so
practical that take the liberty of CIV
them to our Georgia farmers:
| 1T should always be borne in mind
| that all the cultivation that can be
| given either of these crops wheat and
winter oats), except it may be har-
rowing of the crop in the spring, which
though often omitted. is of great use
in helping the crop, must be given
before the crop is seeded; hence, the
Importance of leaving nothing undone
that can conduce to a finely broken
surface soil and a compact subsoil.
Plow deep, harrow and roll frequently.
Much good has been found to result
in the west from subsurface packing.
This Is practically a reversion to a
practice that has been in use in Eng.
land ever since We can recollect. The
roller used for the purpose in England
is one made with two large wheels,
having the rolling surface made "
shaped, the point of the V being left
about one inch broad. These two
wheels are set on an axle, so as to run
one on each side Of the furrow thrown
by the plow, so as to pack the seam
between each furrow A third wheel
is set on the other end Of the axle to
run on the unplowed land. This
roller follows the pillow, waiting to
start until three burrows have been
turned, It's use has been found of
great benefit. especially when blowing
sod land for wheat. The close pack.
ing of the seams of the furrow pre-
vents seed from getting down under
the furrow, where it rarely terminates
or grows, and thus leads - a thin
growth of the crop. These subsurface
packing rollers can be had from West.
ern implement dealers, but we have
not seen them advertised in the east.
We have used the English form of
roller and can speak ravorably of it..
In It's absence, the corrugated iron
roller advertised IN our columns by
Charlottesville firm, which is prac.
tically the same as the roller known
in England as Cambridge roller, can
be usefully substituted"
Tho 9 yyitn