The Tupelo journal., 1907-07-05
Hay.

ISdCiiCu q pOilll lldl lily DclOIG
known to the present generation.
Advices from the Northern hay
centers comment on the present
high prices and no probability of
a drop in the near future. Ma
tive southern hay has sold in To-
cal markets as high as $25 per
ton, and inferior shipped hay
sells regularly considerably high
er. Hay is always a profitable
crop to the farmer. We believe
it is at present the most profta-
BILE crop he can grow on a large
scale, even with IL cent cotton in
sight. Think of two tons of hay
at $25 from land that has already
made a full crop of something
else this season, made with prac-
tically no expense except the
cost of harvesting!
Here is a fact worth keeping
in mind as bearing on the prob
able profits of hay-growing. The
farmers of Iowa are now receiv-
ing SIP per ton for their hay.
They call this a high price, and
are making money on land worth
500 per acre. The Georgia far.
mers who have hay to sell are
getting $25 for the crop grown
on $40 land. With these facts
in mind three conclusions seem
plain. We should make as much
hay as possible. We should save
all WE can. We should make,
save and market the crop as
cheaply as possible. Here are a
few suggestions which it is hoped
may help toward these three de-
sired results:
Most hay made IN the South is
grown as a second or follow crop.
This is equally true whether the
hay is a volunteer crop, as with
beggar weed and crab-grass, or
whether it is a cultivated crop
like COW peas or sorghum. In
either case the farmer is liable
to forget that double cropping
means double feeding Even ii
the second crop is a volunteer, it
grows by taking something from
the soil. If the practice is con-
tinued, therefore, the soil will
finally grow poorer unless some
thing is returned to the soil.
This is true even Of cow peas
and other legumes, which are
commonly called soil improvers.
Thep only improve the soil, in,
crease its fertility in one constit.
uent- nitrogen. The plain in,
depreciation of these facts is this
If-hay growing, second cropping
is to be continued without injury
to the soil, this crop must be fer.
tilted; fed as other crops are
fed. If the hay crop is a lie.
gume, cow peas, beggar weed,
Japan clover, economy and best
results demand that only mineral
matter, phosphoric acid and pot
ash, be used as a fertilizer. If
the hay crop is not a legume-
crab grass, sorghum, millet-the
fertilizer should return to the
soil a part of each of the three
plant foods removed by the crop
phosphoric acid, nitrogen and
potash-in about proportions
found in the crop itself.
The fertilizer for a hay crop
should always be applied broad,
cast, or be equally, evenly dis
Uributed through the soil by drill.
Time and labor will be saved by
applying when the previous crop
is laid by. The ground should be
narrowed level COR the mower
after the first crop is removed,
whenever the nature of the hay
crop will allow. Narrowing in
the fertilizer at this time is a
good method of applying. Con-
dition'of soil and kind Of crop
must greatly influence. the kind
and amount of fertilizer to be
used. A good average applica-
ton would be as follows: For a
l%eguminous crop, 400 pounds OF
acid phosphate, 100 pounds mu
riate of potash. If the hay crop
is not a legume. 800 pounds OF
cotton seed meal, or $50 pounds
of nitrate of soda should be added
to the other materials. Two
facts are often overlooked which
make liberal use of fertilizer on
hay crops even more important
than for cultivated crops. The
entire plant, except the roots, is
removed in the harvested crop,
no part is returned to the soil as
with most other crops. The sol
is not cultivated while this CROP
is growing, and therefore loses
all the fertilizing action of cult.
walton, The Importance Of this
fact is well illustrated by the IA
nous hay crops of Mr.. Clark, the
inventor of the cutaway harrow,
at Higganum, Conn.,, who has
relied so largely on cultivation to
produce his wonderful average
yield Of over seven tons of hay
Nor acre for - c1~lccnSciuo uoarc