The new enterprise., 1905-03-16


eral use by Southern farmers, Their
hardy character, vigorous growth and
wide adaptation to climates and soils
nlace them in the first rank OF plants
for general farm use. In the improved
system Of agriculture which the South
must adopt TO meet boil weevll condl-
tlons corn and c0wpeas must occupy
a more important position than in any
preyious period, because soil conditions
must be improved to successfully make
rood cotton crops and this can best be
accomplished by the alternate plant
ing to corn and cOwpeas and to cotton,
The soil should be prepared for the
corn crop the same as for cotton by
deeper fall plowing Tor breakng) Of
tbe land and winter cultiva lion.
Breaking for corn ought to be eight
inches deep, but where the previous
breaking has only been three or four
inches, 1t will not do TO go down TO
eight inches at once, hence 1t will be
advisable in such cases TO break only
about six or seven inches so as not TO
stir up too much crude soil, but reach
q depth of eight inches or more as
soon as practicable. The winter Guilt
walton referred to is simply narrowing
or discing the land ut intervals of twen-
ty or thirty days SO as TO put it in the
best Of condition for planting. Plant
early as the season will permit in rows,
six feet apart on rich land and five
feet apart on hill lands and worn
bench, bottom or prairie lands. Where
corn is planted five and six feet apart
in rows, it will bear a little crowdmg
in the row. 1t may be single stalks
once in ten or twelve inches, accord.
ing TO the fertility Of the land, or it
may stand two stalks in place once
in twenty to twcnty-four inches; the
single stalk is preferable The wide
rows allow the sunshine 10 penetrate
to the soil and give better ear than
where the planting is done in narrow
rows.
In the selection Of seed corn better
results in bushels win be reached by
selecting promising varieties, grown
not more than POO miles north Of the
field to be planted. 1t should not he
understood that 1t is necessary to Sc.
cure corn grown one to two hundred
miles north. Promising varieties
grown in the immediate neighbOrhood,
II they have been carefully selected,
will undoubtedly give the most salts
factory results, The objection to corn
grown In the immediate vicinity is that
it has not as a rule been selected with
care, and hence it is almost impossl'
bic TO get pure bred corn except from
some scotsman who has taken unus-
ua pains to keep it pure.
The ears should be of unusual length
with kernels deep and firm well filled
at the ends and with small cob, Above
all it should be corn specially select
ed ana carefully housed, and not taken
at random from a crib.
In planting reject the irregular ker.
nels at each end and use plenty of
seed.
The use of small amount Of fertll'
izer on corn land until the soil can be
improved and filed with cowpcas is Of
great Importance TO the planter The
continued use of fertilizers gear after
year is not specially recommended, but
at the commencement in order to slim
ulate the corn and the cowpeas it is
necessary if the best results are expect.
ed. On light soils and uplands that
have been considerably worn. use 400
pounds Of fertilizer per acre, COM
pounded rs follows: 100 pounds Of four
teen per cent. acid phosphate, contain.
ing two per cent. Of potash and 2lO
pounds Of cotton seed meal, thoroughly
mixed. Distribute in the rows where
the corn is to be planted two to three
weeks before planting and follow with
the cultiyator to mix the fetilizer with
the soil. On rich prairie or bottom
lands use only one pound Of cotton
seed meal to three pounds of phos'
phorlc acid and potash, applying only
200 pounds Of the mixture per acre
In general reduce the proportion Of
cotton seed meal used In the mixture
and the total amount of fertilizer ap-
piled per acre as the fertility OF the
soil increases.
AS soon as the corn is up use the
harrow, then cultivate once In ten days |
till the corn is too large. The first cul-
uyation may be deep--all later cultl-
vations should be shallow. Many use
only the plow in cultivation. 1t is not
the best implement, but will answer n
good purpose If thoroughly used. More
depends upon the thorough use Of an
implement than upon the special form