St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1905-03-18
INVESTIGATION
Something to Sell Every Day.
By OSWALD WILSON Secretary Na.iona,


airy National Cotton Association.
possible to get pure bred corn excep,
from some salesman who has taken
unusual pains to keep it pure. The
ears should be of medium length with
kernels deep and firm, well filled at
the ends and with small cob. Above
all, it should be corn specially selected
and carefully housed, and not taken at
random from a crib. In planting re.
ject the irregular kernels at each end,
and use plenty of seed.
Fertilizers.
The use of a small amount of fer
tilizer on corn land until the soil can
be improved and filed with cow peas
is of great importance to the planter.
The continued use Of fertilizers year
after year is not specially recon-
mended, but at the commencement, in
order to stimulate the corn and the
COW peas, it is necessary if the best
results are expected. On light soils
and uplands that have been consider
ably worn, use 400 pounds Of fertilizer
per acre, compounded as follows: 100
pounds of IA per cent acid phosphate,
containing 2 per cent of potash and
24O pounds of cotton seed meal,
thoroughly mixed. Distribute in the
rows where the corn is to be planted
two or three weeks before planting,
and follow with the cultivator to mix
the fertilizer with the soil. On rich
prairie or bottom lands use only one
pound of cotton seed meal to three
pounds of phosphoric acid and potash,
applying only 200 pounds of the MKT
ure per acre. In general reduce the
proportion of cotton seed meal used
in the mixture and the total amount
of fertilizer applied 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
cultivation may be deep-all later cul-
tivations should be shallow. Many
use only the pillow in cultivation. 1t is
not the best implement, but will an
swer a good purpose if thoroughly
used. More depends upon the tho.-
ough use of an implement than upon
the special form of the implement;
however, the two-horse cultivator does
better and more rapid work, but it is
a little difficult to use this implement
where there are many stumps. Thin the
corn in the rows to stand Of one
stalk each ten to twelve inches on poor
lands, and to fifteen inches on very
rich lands. The greater width Of the
rows allows closer stand in the row.
As the time of the last working of
the corn, plant four rows of COW peas
in each space between the corn rows,
using about two bushels and half Of
the peas per, acre. In case the land
is poor it will be well to use 100
pounds of cotton seed meal per acre
at the time of planting the COW peas
this will help the corn and insure a
crop of peas. In selecting peas for
planting in corn, it Is well to use a
variety that produces the most vine,
so as to thoroughly cover the land
with the crop. Some use the clay
COW pea and some the black Carolina.
Both are good and will answer the
purpose If planted with care.
It may be urged, that too much ex-
pense is put upon the corn by this
method. The cost Of fertilizer is
placed at $3.50 per acre, the additional
work upon the land at 81, and the cow
peas at $3.50, making total of $11
per acre extra. The return should be,
and will be under average conditions,
an increase of 40 bushels of corn per
acre, worth $40, and at least one ton
Of COW peas, worth $12-total 1872.
Nor is this all, the effect Of good Gull
tivation and the cow peas on the cot
ton crop to follow the next year should
be equal to quarter Of a bale Of cot
which, added to the $32.
gives total of $42 for an expenditure
of $11 in labor and fertilizer.