Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1902-09-13
CULTIVATING COTTON FLAT.
II is the Better Plan Tor Conserving
Moisture and, on Rolling Land,
Prevents Washing.

In 1901 the shortage Of the cotton
crop, as well as of the corn crop, was
due to drought This occurred early
in the season, at a time when the
corn needed the moisture most to fill
out the ears, and when the cotton
was making its first bolls. 1t contin-
ued long enough to ruin the corn and
shorten the cotton crop at least 30
per cent This year again in many
parts OF the country both these crops
Aaye suffered severely. 1t is evident
that drought is one of the main fac
tors in shortening our corn and cot
ton crops if not the principal one.
1t is therefore an important question
to solve whether there is any way to
avert the great losses likely to be
caused every year by drought.
The experience of farmers in rails
ing other crops in all parts of the
country shows very concmsiyely that
to large extent the evil effect of
drought may be ayerted. 1t is prin-
cipaIly a matter of cultivation and
frequency of it, All through the
corn belt where the bulk of our ma
tlonal corn crop is raised, the ridge
row system Of raising corn has been
abandoned years ago. They never put
Il turn pillow into the ground after
the land has first been broken nm.
The cultivation is always level; it is
noneWith a two-horse cultipot - , ~,
+r;,- .ues OF row. on every
',p through the field, and the soil is
not only made fine, but is kept level.
In case of drought, it is the custom
Of the up-to-date farmers to run
.-. SUiee corn again, after the
through ID Apply - cultiyator, that
final working wiffga as
pulverizes the surfaces, but runs very
shallow. If the drought continues,
they go through again, and as often
as it seems to be necessary Doing
this keeps mulch of dust on the sur
face which keeps the moisture from
escaping and insures a fair crop,
even in case Of long-continued
drought.
If the land were ridged up in mar
row ridges, it would dry out much
sooner than if kept level, and it would
be impossible to keep such a COM
plete dust mulch That this plan
accompishes its purpose has been
shown in thousands of cases. In
many instances, where fields adioin-
ing were in corn, that cultivated by
the new system was a fairly good
crop, when one next to it, cultivated
on the old plan, made only few nub-
bins. We have not the slightest
doubt that the same rule will apply
to cotton, Then why not adopt the
fiat system and frequent shallow cul-
tiyation for cotton too?
The claims made for the ridge sys-
TEN are that it stands wet seasons
better; that it kills the grass and
weeds in the row by wrapping them
up with dirt, and that holds up the
stalks and prevents them from be-
ing blown down to some extent. We
do not deny the truth of these claims
but we do not believe that they be-
gin to compare in importance with
conserving the moisture during sea-
sons of drought. And when to this is
added that the fiat system prevents,
ON rolling land, much of the washing
that is so ruinous, the testimony in
its favor is immensely stronger than
that for ridge rows. This matter the
preventing of damage by drought, is
enc of infinite Importance, Every pos
sible means Of abating it ought to be
thoroughly tested. The old system
has been tried till 1t has ruined thou
sands OF plantations and thousands
of planters. 1t is surely time to get
on to new systematic State Farm
err