The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-05-25
"SPEED THE PL0W."

Every farmer knows that the weather
conditions Of the spring that has just
past were very bad--not the worst |
ever saw" as has been previously shown,
but enough to he discouraSing TO those
who are easily discouraged. The untime-
" cold. the long-continued cloudy wealth
err broken, or rather intensified by heavy
and persistent rainfalls. have also been
accompanied rby bHghts, mildews and
bugs. Our agriculturist says he never
knew bilbugS to be so bad. tell MIN
that never saw a good billbug in my
life Like an indian, The must be dead
before he IS good"
But II is of no use to quarrel or to
repine about the weather. Let US look
TO the front and provide against the
weather and other conditions that are In
the future From now on we should
speed the plow." meaning the various
forms of cultivators. the object, being 10
get the surface soil In good condition
a s possible and keep It so until tho crops
are Tnatured. OF course there has been
more or less hurried and imperfect prep
aration. many acres have been plowed
when too wet The result is many clods
and roughness. There IS no help for It
now. but frequent and as thorough cult
walton as possible. l urge upon every
farmer. as / have done many times be
fore, to use wide, expanding culdvatoTs
and give one furrow, or through trip,
and only one, 10 each middle OF not over
feet wide at any one time going over.
With a good mule and a modern, up-to-
date cultivator. shod with three 10 or -
inch sweeps in the rear and two 4-inch,
small stels in front, such an implement
vii stir nearly all the surface Of q 4-foot
row at one going. 1t Is manifestly
waste Of time to put in a second furrow
a s soon as the mule can turn around. No,
go ahead with the one furrow-t the
middle plan until the crop shall be gone
over. Then IN g day or two. OF after
good rainfall, be ready to go over the
crop again. giving special attention to
the side Of the middle not fully stirred
before. To make it palmer: Suppose the
rows run east and west. Then side
the north side OF every row of cotton or
corn letting the fun width Of the cul-
tivator extend as far across the middle
and as near to the row on the other side
as possible. After getting over the crop
vou may then, Immediately. or In few
days. begin at the beginning and side
the south side of every row and so on.
BY this simple plan a farmer can go
over his crop-say every ten days-giving
one furrow to the row; while It would
require twenty days to get over II ne
shall give two burrows 10 the row. OF
course, there are conditions and occasions
when the plan IS not altogether prac-
tlcable. but these should be few and far
between. ! have pracuced and preached
the MAN fo1. nearly forty years 1t is the
onIv substitute for 4 riding cultivator,
which goes astride the rows and has the
advantage Of being available at once,
ana +o \ one-horse farmer BY following
4, ON INV farm j have often kept Tout
of mo qra4s" when some Of my neigh
hore rot stuck. With rows feet wide,
nrttjne two burrows to tile row means
getting over 3 acres day With the
sqne width of rows putting ono furrow
to The row means getting over acres
Il Fa1 70 illustrate still farther under
..,,,.iirt,-,. ,,f,ioh nften occrr. A farmer
, ,. . f ,,,tto,, ana acres Of
h., ,.l,,,,- IN i'm foot rovs-94
.u p,,ttie., ooe furrow to the
- ,. -,,.,, his cotton croD I'm
n4 MS corn cyoa In tyyo
r. ~. NOV. nav js saturday he
- ...- tishing, ~ he he so minded.
1J,. -r.., fs ..frashl,- i,loUad over,
i''7 '"''' ,, en- ~, f,,i
9"I'i'e "a .., c,,a7av If
"'F a,4 49, eqof,
ne chooses ne my 9'"''