The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1906-01-04

Texas has followed the precedent set
BIZ other States IN practicing extensive
agriculture during the development pc
riod. and only within recent years has
the State begun TO appreciate and TO
make use Of those sections which have
especial fitness for intensive agricui-
ture. Evidence of the development in
this phase of its industrial life Is now
found in the large number of men
who are practicing fruit and truck
growing During the first period OF
development Of this State cattle rails
ing WAS q great means for transform
ing the natural agricultural resources
into a product which could be mar
keted. Following upon the develop
ment Of the cattle industry come the
tendency 10 develop the production
of the staple farm crops, corn. wheat
and oats. III the practic!ng Of field
agriculture. which would normally
include the raising of staple crops,
a system of rotation has been found
10 yie,d the best results. The practice
called crop rotation has been matter
of growth and development due to cir
cumstanceS and was not in the begin
ming based upon scientific principles
1t should be stated here that by a
rotation Of crops is meant the planting
OF different crops on the SAME piece of
land in successive seasons. This plant
ing must involve a change in regular
order.
The custom of growing different
crops in rotation, while largely a mat
ter Of conditions, does possess certain
advantages. First. it pr0lOngs the
period Of profitable culture. This is
due 10 the fact that plants vary largely
in their feeding capacities. Many
plants feed in the surface layers and
therefore draw their food almost
wholly from that portion of the soil
other plants are deep feeders. The
two classes alternated give to the soil
periods of comparative rest. 1t should
also be kept in mind that certain crops
require more of some one particular
element in the soil than other crops.
When these two classes are i'll a rota-
ton the sod is given an opportunity
10 rest Again, when the farm is pro
left bare at certain seasons, while the
growth of variety of crops permits OF
continuous covering and constant
use Practically speaking, there is nc
soil which is not improved by cropping
In the language Of Jethro Tull, It'll
lage is Manure"
The continuous growth Of one crop
renders it more liable to insect attack
anu u the development Of diseases
called rot and blight. It is wei
known fact that crops lose Vigof by
being grown year after year. and are
therefore less able TO withstand insect
ravages. A change is also valuable
because it deDrives any particular i'll
sect pest Of its food and is therefore
likely to cause it to disappear,
The majority Of our farm crops get
! their food entirely from the soil ani
| in many eases these crops are growI
| for their grain. In such case their nj
trogen, potassium and PHOSPHORUS
are being disposed of constantly by
| selling the seeds of the plants grown
On the other hand, leguminous plants
such as peas. beans, alfalfa, etc, get
most Of their nitrogen from the air
It will be noted then that the remova
of such crops from the soil does no
decrease its supply Of nitrogen. there
fore rotation including some one OF
the legumes such as alfalfa, cowpea:
or beans. lessons the necessity of sup
| plying nitrogen to the soil.
The problem of efficient labor on tn,
farm is also made more simple by th,
adoption of system Of crop rotation
The farmer is enabled thereby to keel
labor employed throughout the entir,
year. thus avoiding the necessity TO
short term service. Such a proyisio,
also allows the farmer to keep his ami
mails employed throughout the yea
instead of allowing them to stand idl
a considerable portion Of the time.
Finally, the business of the farme
requires a steady and regular incom
in order that he may provide for neces
sary tools. seeds and implements, ant
also thas he may pay wages whel
due. A steady and regular incom
allows him TO do business on q casl
basis aud thus to take advantage 0
opportunities In buying. He can b,
this means do business on a smaile
capital than would be required In th
credit system. The rules which lea,
to the adoption Of the system Of rota
ton under present conditions are ger
eral and not fixed. To grow such crop
as pay the greatest returns per acr
should be the aim. and rotations shout
be so modified that the less profitabl
crops should contribute as much a
possible to tie development of til
more profitable. Whether crop
profitable OF not will depend upon til
character of the soil. climate. availa
bility of farm labor, location and MAJ
kets.~F. s. Johnston Agriculturis
Texas Experiment Station.
Feeding Value of the Corn Plant.
A. D. w. Ridgeway, writes: Kindl
| ALI