The progressive farmer and the cotton plant., 1904-11-08

phoric acid to make fifty bushels of wheat, includ-
ing straw and chaf. Most of land used for these
prize crops have nearly nitrogen enough for a
wheat crop. If too much is applied there will be
failure. We knew a farmer who applied eighty
bushels of cottonseed to an acre of land that was
fairly good. He made nothing but straw, and that
would not stand up. We suggest that on a good
pea stubble, or land with rlenty of humus, that
no ammonia be applied when wheat is sown. Let
the farmer apply sevenyt-fve pounds of nutriate
of potash and 500 pounds of IA per cent acid
phosphate. If ammonia is needed to start a rapid
growth, mix fifty to seventy-fve pounds of nj
trate of soda, or 200 pounds of cottonseed meal.
1t will be better to apply this mixture broadcast
and run a smoothing harrow over it before SOW
ing wheat. In March if the wheat is not green
and vigorous, apply about 100 pounds of nitrate
of soda and follow with weeder or smoothing har-
row.
Rat Proof Crib.
Farmers generally are very wasteful. They
rebel against taking care of small things. They
will eat black, mean corn meal made from poor
Western corn and let the rats destroy enough
home-raised corn to bread them. The general
experience is that rats destroy 5 to 10 per cent
of a corn crop unless it is in a rat-proof crib. A
farmer came to the writer a few days ago and
said: II had about corn enough to do me. [ stored
it in an apartment of my barn. I saw that the rats
we're getting a full share, so I built an outside
crib in April and moved my corn. [ found 80
bushels completely ruined. 1t made poor hog
feed. Then there was about as much more badly
damaged. 1 lost fully SO bushels" Another
farmer made the following report-and the writer
is assured that both these statements are true:
Last year my corn CROP, owing to a long drought,
was short. l made no hay, as it was entirely too
dry. [ knew [ had barely corn enough to do me.
l had a %rat-proof crib made. The size was 10 by
20 feet. Six post-oak posts about 8 inches in
dianaoto-, WOW p1op~4od.- 1---
and set so as to show "a inches above ground. Of
course the tops were on a level. On top of these
plank caps, 20 inches square, were placed. There
was one post at each corner, and one in the middle
of side sills. I made my crib of logs, because it
was cheaper for me. The last corn taken from
that crib, a few days ago, was clean and sweet.
If a rat ever got in it there was no sign"
Subsoiling With One Horse.
A farmer came to us a few days ago saying
that you are always telling US to break the hard
pan and subsoil our land. You are no doubt
correct, but what is a poor man with only one
horse to do? This is our advice to him and all
such farmers: Take pea stubble that is intended
for cotton next year. The leaves and remnants
of vines are now on the ground. They should
be saved. Use a six-inch shovel and lay off the
rows cotton width as early as possible. When
that IS done, take a tongue or diamond point pIOW
and run in the same furrow. That will break the
hard pan. Then do the same thing for the mid
die, leaving the freezes to pulverize the soil. If
land is intended for corn, make the rows proper
width and run the frrows in the middle. That
requires a little time, but it will pay any farmer
cultivating lands. Another plan for one-horse
farmers is to swap labor. Buy two-horse Flows
and horrows in common and take it time about
using them. They will soon be able to buy an
other horse. Two farmers could thus unite.
Prize Cotton Lots.