The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-05-11
(The Southern Planter.)

I'll lie southern fId0l6T,)
The cold, dry, unreasonable weather,
of which we had to write in our April
issue, still persists up to the date of this
writing Goth ApriD, and as a result we
have one of the latest springs for many
years Practically nothing has yet COM
menced to grow, and we have daily TO
listen to tales of woe from farmers VINO
have fed up all last seasons abundant
hay and forage crops, and have nothing
in the fields to which to turn their STOCK
Pastures are as bare over most OF the
State as in midwinter; and worse, they
are now so lacking in moisture, that even
with warm weather nothing can gro"
freely until we have good soaking rains
For the past six weeks the government
returns show that we had altogether IN
Middle Virginia not more than ABOUT
three inches of rain, and that, during the
proverbial showery month of April we
have only had about two inches OF ram
in the same section, and OF TINS lWo-
thirds fell on one day in the hrst week
of the month. These conditions largely
apply also to the other Atlnatlc Coast
States. and over all the country, except
New York State and part OF New Eng
land, there mas been marked dehclency
in temperature since the commencement
of the year, and a consequent backward
ness in the season. The condition of the
wheat crop of the country strongly evil
taences this. On the first of April the
average condition was only 1871 per cent,
as compared with 81 for 1901, and a ten
year average OF S2.4 Six Southern
States. with combined wheat acreage
exceeding the wheat acreage of Indiana
and Illinois, or twice that of Ohio. show
an average condition of only 653 per
cent. California and Nebraska are the
only two States in the country having a
condition of the wheat crop in excess of
that of the average Of the whole country
year ago. The winter oat crop through
out the South is in a like bad condition;
in fact it is practically almost failure,
having been winter killed almost every
where, and much of it is already plowed
up, as is the case with much wheat all
over the country. The spring seeding of
oats has been completed, but growth has
becn very slow and unsatisfactory, and
We much fear that the prospect for
good stand and yield is small This con-
dition of the fall and spring sown crops,
taken in connection with the corn crop
are to make an adequate compensatory
crop of corn, a very much larger area
will have to be planted in that crop, and
that much better preparation and cult
walton will have to be given than is usu-
ally the case. Much land is already
plowed and waiting to be planted, but
there is no inducement to plant in such
dry, cold soil as exists. Better far to
bn with
harrow and roller than to plant until
we have rain and warm, seasonable
weather. Where in the more Southern
States corn has been planted, we hear
much complaint as to stands. This must
necessarily be so until the land is
warmed up and corn that does not start
off well rarely makes a satisfactory
yield. In our last issue, we wrote fully
on the question of the preparation of the
land for the corn crop, and pointed out
the relative Importance of good prepara-
ton of the land as compared with the
application of fertilizers. this issue
we would direct the attention of our
readers, and would again emphasize what
we then said that more depends upon
the perfect prepare ton of the land be-
fore the planting of the crop than upon
any fertilizer which can be applied. 1t
is rarely indeed that the application of
fertilizer to the corn crop results in
actual profit 1t may, and often does in
crease the yield but seldom in sufficient
proportion to pay for the fertilizer.
Practically the only profitable fertilizer
that can be used on the corn crop is
farmyard manure applied during the win
ter and early spring months, and this al
most invariably gives good results.
The corn planted, the next work in or
der is the cultivation of the crop. Gull
tivation serves two purposes-the de-
struction of weeds and the conservation
of moisture in the soil. Of these two the
latter is the most important. A crop
planted in we'll prepared soil-not
amongst rough clods, but in a finely pre-
pared seed bed-will soon outgrow weeds,
if only well supplied with moisture so
that no check is given to the growth
To conserve the moisture in the soil and
thus to give the crop a fair chance of
growth, the surface must be kept mulched
with a covering of fine loose soil and to
secure this cultivation must be frequent !
and shallow Incidentally this constant
stirring of the soil will prevent weed /
SFOWJH, anu IHuS effect the complete puF- |
pose of the cultivation. Too often the /
reverse process is followed; and so long
as weeds do not become so abundant as
to compel attention, the need of the crop
in the way of cultivation is dsregarded,
and soil moisture is suffered to escape
until the crop becomes stunted in growth
and the yield of corn cut Off In a sea-
son like the present one, in which soil |
Mo ftyney 81