The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-05-19

winter, and to provide a humus making
crop TO be plowed down in the spring.
dressing of 300 pounds to the acre of acid
phosphate should be applied to the cow
pea crop, and a mixture of 100 pounds OF
acid phosphate, 800 pounds of cotton seed
meal and 65 pounds of murlate of potash.
or 80 pounds of kainit to the acre should
be applied before planting the peanuts. a
dressing OF % bushels of lime to the acre
should be given every three or four years.
We are satisfied that if such q system
we suggest be followed it will result in q
much heavier yield of nuts and the fer
tility of the land will be maintained and
enhanced.
After the planting of the staple crcps
is completed attention should be given to
the planting Of forage crops 1t is one OF
the cheering evidences of an improved
system of farming being adopted in the
South that we almost daily receive en-
qulrles as to the proper forage crops to
be planted and the method of growing and
harvesting them. This is an indication
that live stock is receiving attention and
becoming a factor in farm economy In
the past the absence of this factor has
been the great weak point in Southern
farming. Live stock, instead of beng
regarded as the sheet anchor of successful
farming, was looked upon as merely an in
cldent of the occupation Of land and as a
means of getting rid Of some of the waste
products of the farm without regard to
their profitable utilization If the corn
stalks and straw suffered to keep the
animals, apart from the team, alive during
the winter all was regarded as we'll If
not, well, they merely pined to death or
SO near to death to be practically worth
much less in the spring that in the fall.
Now on thousands of farms the profit de-
rived from cattle and sheep is a large ele-
ment in the farm returns, and the re-
sulting manure a great factor in reducing
the fertilizer bills. This is as it. should
be. No country ever became prosperous,
fertile, agricultural country without live
stock, and even on the highest priced
lands in the world they are the main
factor IN securing profitable result from
farming. To succeed with live stock pro
vision must be made for their mainten-
| ance all the year year round by crops spe-
cially grown for that purpose The need
for these in hot climate is often almost
| as great during part of the summer as in
the winter. We have known few sum-
mers IN which in the South there were
not one or two months, when in the ab-
sence of forage crops, cattle did not suf-
progress towards maturity or maintain
their flow of milk All this can be OBJ
waited by growing a variety of forage
crops coming to maturity at different see :
sons of the year. The climate of the
South is especially favorable to the pro
duction of the greatSt variety of the
most nutritious forage crops and due at
| tentIon given them will place the stock
man in a position to compete successfully
with stock ralsers IN any section of the
country. In another article in this issue
we deal with this subject more fully, and
to that refer our readers
When planting the corn crop don't for
get to some pumpkin seed, with the
| corn On the low grounds especially
pumpkins can be grown with advantage
in the corn, and will make an excellent
and hogs during the winter, and at the
same time do no injury to the corn crop;
indeed, some growers maintain that they
help the corn crop by shading the land
and conserving the moisture Mix the
seed IN the proportion of about / of pump
kin to or 6 of corn. The Virginia Nam
moth is a good variety TO grow. If not
mixed with the corn, see that a field Is
planted with pumpkins alone Lay off the
rows feet apart, and drop the seeds
(two or three at place. feet apart in
the rows. The more fertile the land the
better will be the yield 1t will pay tC
give the crop some fertilizer, say some
cotton seed meal and acid phosphate