The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1906-09-29
FARM SUGGESTIONS.
Value ofsFazl Flowing Drainage an
Absolute Necessity-Winte Crops
Factor In Improving
Soil Conditions.
BY DR.. S. A. Knapp.

A thorough preparation is half the
cultivation. Deep fall blowing is one
of the best means of preparing for.
next years crop. Loamy or sandy
soils that are we'll drained and SO
situated that they will not wash are
best broken fat. This breaking should
be deep and is best done with a disc.
La the absence Of disc q two or three
horse turning pillow will answer.
II the land is inclined to wash, this
can often be prevented by terracing.
Fl impraeticable to terrace then break
such lands in good high rows that
circle the hill. Close, sticky land
like post oak and all lands that need
drain age-should never lie fat, but
always be thrown into ridges. The
higher the ridges the better. Fall
blowing allows the air to penetrate the
soil, breaking down the inert plant
food and converting it into form
available for plants. 1t also enables
the cold of winter to penetrate the
soil, thereby aiding 10 the dissolving
OF plant food and at the same time
killing many insect enemies and re
ducing their ravages another year.
The subsection OF the land to the
alternate freezing and thawing ac-
ton OF winter makes close tight
lands loose, thus insuring better
seed bed for the next crop. Fall plow-
ing enables the soil to absorb and
STORE up the winter rains, placing
larger quantity Of moisture at the dis
posal OF plants the next year, thus
mitigating the effect OF drouth.
Lands subject to the raw ages Of the
boil worm and boil Weevil are es-
pecially benefited by deep fall ploW-
ing. The boil worm hibernates il the
soil and this blowing exposes him TO
the cold and Wet-conditions he can
not withstand. By deep blowing We
mean nothing less than eight inches.
The exceptions to this rule are lands
that have been merely scratched over
for a period OF years. In this instance
there is some danger Of bringing up
too much inert matter. These in
stances are rare, however, and entirely
obviated when the disc pillow is used.
Not only should the land be plowed in
the fall, but If it is to lie falloW DUR
ing winter the benefit would be even
greater were this breaking repeated at
least once or twice before the spring
crops are put in. This insures a
thorough airing of the soil and better
tilth. To get the full benefit OF fall
blowing, lands that are stiff or in
clined TO run together should be we'll
drained. Otherwise water will clog
them and prevent free access Of air.
WINTER CROPS.
While fall blowing is o great factor
il improving soil conditions yet it is
we'll to go a step further The soils
OF the south lose more fertilizing from
the teaching action Of winter rains
than. is taken up by growing summer
crops. This can largely be avoided
BY the use OF winter cover crops. Of
these there is probably none more
generally known than the red rust
proof oat.
For the best results with oats the
land should be deeply broken and well
pulverized. The richer the land the
greater will be the success of the cror.
Il there are any doubts of the capacity
OF the land it is well to use from two
to three hundred pounds per acre Of
commercial fertilizer composed Of
equal parts OF cotton seed meal and i
twelve to fourteen per cent acid phos-
phate. This can be sown with the ats
and covered with them. For oats it is
well TO break the land early in Sep
TENDER. This breaking, together with
the subsequent preparation, will save
moisture, thus insuring a stand.
By all means get the best seed pos
sible and see that it is free from grass
and weed seed. It has been the ex-
perience Of all that the oat is the sur !
est grain crop that can be grown in
the south. Especially is this so on
the light sandy soils. Not only is
this SO. but if planted ID time, it will |
furnish an abund ance OF unsurpassed
winter grazing for stock. It is we'll j
when breaking the land ia early Sep
TENDER to keep close behind the pillow |
with q harrow. Otherwise the clods /
are apt to dry out quickly and give
much trouble in their subsequent pull /
Verization, and the land must be well |
TO insure stand. After |
seeding, roller should be run over
the land to firm it, and this should be
followed by a very light harrow. In
the absence Of the roller heavy log
or plank dragged over the ground will /
do much good.
These remarks are applicable to the
planting Of any fall crop. The use OF
the seed drill is preferable with oats,
but If one is not available the seed
may be soWn broadcast by hand.
Where the drill is used one and half
bushels OF seed will be sufficient. Fl
soWn by hand it is safer TO sow not
less than two bushels.
Wheat, If anything, furnishes q