Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1906-12-17

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 There Has been seat Hie4pl4-..- aens.a45# 5#.#4ou4 farmers ta regard to the Farmers Co-opera.i5" p=-n- onstratfon work. Many ha4e z=t.4= posed that the instructions all come from Washington, and were nns
 adapted To Southern conditions This iS not correct. The mstfucti i21 given olf for this work are made upon the following plan: F'nst compilation of all the experiments. relating to q given crop, by the fsS- pertinent Stations in the cot on states, is carefully made fo@ "A- ample. all the experiments in tela= tion to the preparation of the soil. the planting and cultivation of cot ton are compiled Then the exper- fence in planting, of q large number of the best cotton farmers 'n thc South are along the same lines of work in cotton is carefully noted. In addition to this the observation and experience of all the travelia& agents of this department afa brought to bear upon the instruc- tions. to correct any defect that mai be in them. Thus our instructions have the following clements Of per. lection: First what the departmch. at Washington knows from it's vast stores of information about cotton: secondly, what the State EXpcri- ment Stations ill the South have demonstrated to be the most advan taseons; thirdly, what the best farmers in the South have tested and proven the most successful up-
 
 obtained by the travelling agents of our demonstration work, who es- secially visit and have personal Knowledge of every portion of the States in which they are stationed. Even then our instructions are along lines of correct principles, leaving many details to the good Judgment of the farmer.
 In this cooperative work great stress is laid upon q more thorough preparation of the soil in the fall, because in our Southern climate, the frost don f penetrate the soils sufficient to Open them and admit air; We must, therefore, do by plow- ing ill the fall and by some winter thc colder North. In the richest soils there is but little food ready prepared for the plant and natures AIan is. that this food shall be pre- pared more OF less daily by the ae- Non of the air. the moisture in the coils and by tue sun. These three active forces thai make ready the food SO the plant can be properly l noul'ished This cannot be done without plowin. and culivatinG to admit the air and the earlier his work k commenced in the fall the greater the effect 1t will have upon tne crop of 1he following season.
 he effect ot using good seed is Eot sufficiently appreciated, nor per aaps il is understood just what wakes good seed Ii must be he best variety, carefully selected ear- ly in the fall, and stored in q dry place. This year in passing through the states eff Alabama and Missis-= slppi. We found very little of the corn tit for seed, because the two or fhlee weeks rain after the great storm had water-soaked the cob. snd injured the germs. In many cases il had even caused decay ill portion of the kernel. This could have been prevented had the seed corn been gathered in August Our fcasons for very frequent cultivation have been explained above. to-wit, the admission ol air the eonserva- tion of moisture in the soil. and the prevention eff surface crust The farmer may saN that this frequent cultivation is so much work fer Aothin&. but he will find in case of cotton in the fall tha, his plants .AaAe= fruited closer =to= the around and haNe put on a good many more eatlN ho1s, than. they woHld have Etone had he pursued =the ordinary methods