The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-05-19
Work Tor th8 Month on th8 Farm.
From The Southern Planter.

to be thus worked. Whilst this may seem
harsh method, and likely to result in
pulling up or lnjuring the plants, it VIA
be found in practice to have no such ef-
feet but will result in keeping fine
mulch on the surface and will destroy all
weeds as fast as they germinate thus ac-
complishing at one time both the objects
Of cultivation. The number of times
which a crop should be cultivated in order
to secure the best results depends largely
upon the character Of the weather after
every heavy rain as soon as the land is
dry enough to work freely, and at other
times whenever the soil is showing signs
of crusting or whenever weeds are ap-
pearlng. The advantages of frequent cul-
tivation are forcibly shown in an expert
ment made at the New Hampshire Station.
where certain plants were given no cult
walton, other plats We're cultivated five
times and other plats We're cultivated four
teen times. Some of the plats were cul-
tlvated the weeds grew luXuriantly ,andthc
yield II bushels of shelled corn to the
acre. The plats cultivated shallow four
teen times yielded at the rate of 80 bush
els of shelled corn to the acre. On the
plats cultivated shallow five times the
yield was 79 bushels OF shelled corn to the
acre Where the plats were cultivated
deep five times the yield was 50 bushels
per acre. A plow should never oe used
to cultivate corn crop. 1t has no place
in corn field after the crop is planted
except it may be in the rich river ground,
where climbind vines are so troublesome
growing between the plants in the rows
AS these cannot be reached by cultiva-
tor of the kind, and hoeing is too costly,
a light furrow may Is plowed on to them
to smother them out, but the space be-
tween the rows should be cultivated level
with either an Iron Age or disc cultivator
after the crop is too well grown to be
worked with the weeder Keep the soil
as nearly level as possible, and throw no
| hills to the corn. The idea that throwing
a hill to the corn will prevent it being
blown down is a fallacy. If the corn roots
have not been cut during growth by deep
pcultivation they will have such hold on
so large a surface of the soil that no or
binary wind storm will hurt the crop.
Hills thrown to the corn only expose q
much larger surface of soil to the drying
winds and such and lead to droughing OF
/ the crop and reduced yield. Cultiate fire.
quently and cultivate level and shallow. Al
! the last working SOW either COW peas, sap
! ling clover, crimson clover or rape, or a
mixture of all these, and then in the fall
I after the crop Is harvested there will be
! good pasturage the land will be protected
| from washing, and humus making crop
be ready to turn under in the spring.
The chopping out and cultivation of the
cotton crop should have attention the
plants are large enough for it to be clearly
seen which are the strongest and most
likely to be left The longer the chop
ping out is deferred the less plant food
there will be left in the soil for the plant
which is to make the crop, and the more
| the plant is likely to be drawn and
spindling. Bring to stand as soon as can
be done with safety, and then cultivate
frequently. and cultivate level. Do not
use the plow, but an Iron Age or disc cui-
tiator. The same principles apply to the
cultivation of the cotton crop to the
cultivation of the corn crop. Sow Grim
son clover at last working to cover the
land in winter and make humus.
Tobacco plants should be set out on well
prepared land as soon as they are large
enough Better to plant small, stocky
plants than drawn ones. In our last IS
sue we discussed fully the preparation Of
the land for this crop and the fertilizer
best fitted to make a crop which will sell
we'll To this article we refer our readers
! The indications are that for good to-
bacco there will be a good market next
season as stock in dealers hands are light
and consumption is active.
Peanuts should be planted this month
The demand for these nuts has been good
and prices better than for some years past
and the stocks held by dealers are, we are
told. small This woould indicate a good
demand for the next crop, as the consump
ton is a growing one both for domestic
use and for oil and feeding purposes. We
are strongly of opinion that If better
methods of preparation OF the land bet
ter system of rotation was followed and
more consideration given to the require
ments of the crop in the way of fertlll
ger that much heavier crops would be
grown than the average now raised. The
crop is an important one in Eastern Vlr-
ginia and North Carolina, and the land
we'll suited for its production, but IN many
sections they have been too long groWu
on the same land without a rotation OF
other crops. According to the census e
ports the area devoted to growing pea
nuts in 1899 in Virginia as 1884 acres
and the product was 3,713 SAT bushels. the
average yield per acre being 81 bushels
In North Carolina, in the same year, 3d.
$50 acres were devoted to the crop. AND
the yield was 3,460,439 bushels, the aver
age yield per acre being SO bushels. These
Yields are too small to be profitable. and
fall far short of what can easily <be
made Fifty bushels to the acre can rea
dly be made by planting in a proper ro-
tation and by fertilizing scientifically
One hundred bushels per acre have beer
frequently grown. Too often the prac
tice is to follow peanuts with peanuts
wear after year until the land will no
produce a crop worth gathering. At best
, the only rotation is peanuts followed pS
corn and then by peanuts again. This il
foo short a rotation. A more proftabl'
way would be to grow cow peas or sos
beans. and then follow with peanuts, ane
after this crop plant sweet potatoes-th
| three crops to be followed each fall witt