The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-05-17
Agricultural Department
CONDUCTED BY Fu LION S. WHITE.

NV last il | remember right, was
mailed from the town of stephenville.
Tex, on Sunday April &c At the invita-
ton of one Mr.. George who owns several
large FARMS we made a trip out In the
country to see some of the largest apple
orchards in the state of Texas. Mr..
George is an enthusiast on the apple ques-
ton and was anxious to have me see not
only his, but a number of other large or
chards in order to convince me that apple
growing could be made profitable in this
section of the state In Erath and Com
anche counties thousands of apple trees
have been planted and some oil the or
chards are old enough to begin to bear IN
fact, have borne several fine crops. The
experiments so far seem to have been
quite satisfactory. The scrub OAK or
black jack lands, with deep rleh' req
clay subsoil are the lands best suiteu lot
the apple tree in Texas
OF course. l heard various opinions as to
the experiment. but ] am watching the
matter closely and will be better able
next fall or winter, after seeing inns
years crop. to say what think OF IeNas
as an apple growing section. Inc trees
generally are well cared for and the soil
kept well cultivated. one mistake, how
ever which / think not only the Texas
planters, but many others in other sec
tons make, Is in heading the trees too
high. The trees should in my opinion,
not be headed higher than is inches This
will protect the trees from sun scald.
But shall have more to say of this APP
pie industry later.
want to mention some other matters
which came under my observation while
travelling over the farms in Texas Now
l have had much to say of Texas and OF
her great broad acres, and of her many
advantages, etc, but now what | shall
say of the careless system of farming as
found all over the state will apply TO
other sections and states just as well as
TO Texas.
1t Is a strange thing that farmers gem
orally are so slow in learning the import
ance and great advantages to be derived
in thoroughly preparing the soil before
planting the seed. Too much cannot be
said on this all important subject, and
while we find some farmers all through
the country who fully understands and
practice the preparing of their lands be-
fore planting. yet there are so many who
will or do not yet allow themselves to be
benefited by the example of others.
There seems to be a general want of
information as to the great advantage OF
using fine steel smoothing harrow. This
is an implement that should be freely used
on every farm. We find out in Texas
where the land is level and smooth and
where the harrow could be used to great
advantage, farmers planting crops in the
rough cloddy soil. The more common
practice seems TO be to bed up the land
in the rough and drag log over the beds
and plant on top of these beds The log
only knocks off few of the largest clods.
Much of this land is never broken. but
beds are thrown up on a hard, unbroken
surface, and in this rough manner many
acres of crops are planted.
Now after a season of such n heavy
rainfall as we had last year and this. the
soil becomes badly beaten and packed and
will break up rough. and especially SC
when plowed the least bit wet. Now in
order to pulverise this soil and make II
fine so as TO have It hold moisture. a good
harrow should be put on and the soil har-
rowed fine and smooth, right behind the
blow and this work should be done be-
FORE the soil has time to dry out for if the
soil is once allowed to become dry and
,ods form and get hard. which they will
quickly do when exposed to wind and
sun, no harrow will then do any good
and the farmer is either compelled to wait
.or rain or plant his crops in the dry,
rough soil
Where a farmer is not so situated as
20 have teams for both breaking and
narrowing, 1t will be far better to plow