The progressive farmer and the cotton plant., 1905-03-28

to plow or to cultivate. A soil that has been ploWeo
during the winter is usually compacted and hard
ened by spring time. In this case a reploWlng III
the spring is advisable. We have increased the
| yield as much as 25 per cent by an extra spring
Glowing. But when this intensive ploWlng is
neither necessary nor advisable, the disc or spring
tooth harrow, or both, will not only cut up ana
level and fine, but put the soil in thorough prepa-
ration for planting. When a dry spring comes,
and the soil is dry and hard, let the roller be
used in connection with the aforementioned tools
so as to thoroughly prepare the soil. The clods
and Jumps must be gotten rid of. If they must
exist, have them at the top of the soil. but not IN
the soil. Here is where diligent tillage comes in,
and here is where cultivation of corn has Its
greatest value-before the corn is planted.
Test Your Seed Corn.
As a rule, the Southern farmer is not sufficient
ly careful with the selection of his seed for the
next crop. A test for termination should be
made; ordinarily, there is scarcely a farmer in a
hundred that tests his seed corn so as to know
what per cent will terminate. Half crops and
failures are often from this one trouble alone.
Let me suggest that the reader try a little diff
ferent method this year. Get a sample, say a
hundred grains of seed corn, and then plant in a
tomato can or box or even fold the grains in a
cloth and lay the same in a shallow pan where
it will be kept warm and moist some where in the
living room of the house, and in a few days time
the experimenter can see for himself how many
of the grains have terminated. This will give
full information in reference to the quantity of
seed to plant on each acre.
Planting the Corn.
Corn is ordinarily planted now with the horse
- TN II IL
by this method, but what is quite as important,
labor is saved. Hand labor, through necessity, is
being displaced with horse power.
The two important methods of planting is by
checking the corn into two sets of rows so as
to plant in hills and by the drills so as to distribute
the corn in single rows. The yield, in total dry
matter, is practically the same, with an advantage
perhaps in favor of the drill. In soils badly in
tested with weeds, the check system is better be-
cause it enables the cultivator to cultivate both
ways, and practically all weeds and grass can be
destroyed in this way.
Why We Cu1tivateP
First, because tillage is manure; secondly, to
kill the weeds, and thirdly, to stir the soil to
make a mulch so as to conserve the moisture. We
have already discussed the first point, and going
to the second, we must say that one of the great
objections to weeds is that they consume plant
food and water. Professor Hunt has estimated
that a ton of ~pig-weed contains as much phos-
pihoric acid, twice as much nitrogen and five
times as much Potash as a ton of ordinary barn
yard manure.
We see by this that weeds consume a great
deal of plant food, and proportionally take great
quantities of water that should be in the soil for
the use of the corn plant. This water feature
is very important, especially during dry seasons,
and the farmer should take every opportunity
to counteract the Influences that ooncnnoo +bo