The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1902-1905, 1904-09-16
Che Farm and Grove.
FLOWING STUMBLE.

me existence of Stubblp, which
must be plowrd, is comnOn 10 all
parts OF the country, The difference
Is chiefly in the kind of crop which
Produced the stuhhlr. IN the north
grain stubble predominates. In tie
SOujn, corn. pe;l-ViurS, and different
annual grasses make most of the
stumble. Most of these are the re-
suits Of volunteer, or weed, crops
which come into cultivated fields az
ter cultivation for the season is at an
END. In any case, and whatever the
crop making the stubblr, it is mate
rial which must be gotten out of the
way of the next crop.
The length Of the southern season
Is 50 great that these crops grow
much later and longer than is posi-
be elsewhere. The result is. that
th" quantity of material thus accu.
initiating ON the ground is excessive.
oItrh reaching two tons or more. This
Is mass of vegetation, which must
be pIowed under, greater than exists
on nOrthernlArmS The quantity OF
+ me material to be plowed under, and
the" character of the implements
with which the work is often at
tempted in the south, render the
problem Of stubblr pIiwing II very
important one on suul hrrn lands. So
serious is the task. and So unSatis-
factory the result often attained
jhAt many southern farmers give M
all attempts at turning heavy Stubblr
under. and resort to tn" cXtlavagau,
p@ctic" Of burning.
TN" point which 5houId h" partic-
uIarly impressed on those tempted ia
follow this plan, is this: The crop
maxi z his mass Of stubblo grew on
the land. 1t was largely made out
of the material of The soil This
vegetation grew by taking plant food
from the soil This food was chiefly
supplied by fertilizer or manure APP
piled for the purpose This material
cost or was worth, cash. The far
mer who burns it. burns money. He
sends valuHhl" material up in smoke.
aud does not even have any sHti.faC-
tiun in tn" smoke. Burning of stub
bic, therefore, is ROBBERY Of the iand,
atd the owner Of the land.
Not only does the stubblr contain
mnt"riaI taken from thu soil, which
, should be- returned to the soil for
/ keeping ZIP its fertility, but it also
CONFIRMS much material coming from
the air. particularly ammonia or nj
roy D.. This is the most costly of
81. plant foods. 1t is burnable, it
goes back into the air when the vegp-
table matter containing it is burned,
and is utterly wasted. If this vegp-
tation, however, is made to become
Il part of the soil, the soil has gained
Just this much valuable material
from the air
The way to accomplish this is to
compel this vegetation to decay III
the soil. This is only properly ac-
complished by Incorporating Il Q
vegetation with the soil. That is,
the stubble must be covered up in
the soil. Thorough turning under,
by good blowing, is the only practi-
cal means for accomplishing this.
The excuse commonly offered for
the burning of very heavy stubble, is
the difficulty of completely turning
it under with the usual One-horse
pillow. This implement is not fitted
for the task. \ heavy two-hOrse inn
.
of the mass of vegetation under, is
Indispensable to satisfactory results.
1t is also frequently urged that in
Jury results from the blowing under
of heavy stUbble, which does not de-
cav, but renders the soil dry and sus-
ceptihletO drought. This is doubt
less true. for the same reason that a
! heavy addition of straw to wet
stable will render it dry. The half
| mixing of mass of dry vegetation
with the upper four inches of soil
necessarily renders that soil dry, eN-
actly as the stable became dry. IT..
TON the other hand, the mixing of the
same vegetation with two or three
/ times as much soil would have rem
dered the soil more moist, and less
susceptible to drought. The reason
( for this is not far to seek. Muck
holds more water than sand. The
reason is the greater amount Of or
ganic matter, decayed vegetation,
/ which is present. The decay of this
/ large mass of stubble in the soil will
increase its holding power for water
| in the same way, and such soil be
/ comes less, instead of more; SuSceD-
! tible IT, drought.
the thorough mixing Oh 'ile Ne ~
table matter win ille SOL Is ,t't az !,
Pensable to TINS result; AG".lisI ti,is
it is sometimes urged tlat PloWllS
sufficiently deep to cover Iiie SUD up
bic brings up dead SOIL ana results tilS
iniurioussly', rms may De true II , 1T.
uePGH VI PtUM ~ - ;,anansa ~ tha
Tanth If fine furrow is followed by
no such bad results, put SiIeS I u.s.
that much more sou rom W.,icI' t tt,.
crop may take lts niatei iol lol
growth The use OF me i ui9 ISM, ''o CRii
which thoroughly mixes we sol sol
turned, ana never PrlnES lnt H ,pl
from the bottom OF t s. luiFoW !" , one