The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1907-08-02

utilization and management Sevel
: or eight counties have already BEEF
surveyed in the State of Tennessee
and one of them, Lawrence County, i
in Representative Padgett's district
Another, Giles County, also in hi
district, is being surveyed at the pres
ent time
In reference to soil management
there were ten points to which Mr.
Gardner called particular attention:
+, l. Pillow deep. Why do we pillow
Because we wish to prepare the soil
for the growth of the plant. Then
let us prepare enough. If you have
been blowing only Ave inches deep
! do not increase the depth to eight or
nine inches at the next blowing, for
you will be sorry if you do. Increase
the depth by an inch at each blowing
until the depth has reached eight to
ten inches, and then maintain that
depth. Instead of increasing the
acreage under the pillow, put another
acre of prepared soil under the one
you formerly prepared. BY blowing
deep the rain is absorbed and held in
ample supply for the growth of crops.
By blowing deep the erosion of the
soil is prevented, because the rain is
absorbed instead of running over the
surface of the soil and thereby carry
ing the cream of soil to the creeks
and ultimately, by way Of the rivers,
to the ocean. Pillow deep because 1t
increases the area in which the plant
roots may pasture, thereby enabling
them to gather more moisture and
more minerals and consequently make
larger crops.
2. Cultivate shallow. We cultivate
to destroy weeds and to conserve the
soil moisture. good soil mulch two
or three inches deep maintained by
frequent and shallow cultivation Is
ample and will reduce direct loss OF
moisture from the soil to very small !
amount. To cultivate deep destroys
many roots that are near the surface
and often Injuries the crop.
3. Drain your soils If they need it.
Standing water in the upper depths OF
he soil will not permit the develop
nent Of plant roots in that portion
If the soil Standing water is obnox-
GUS to plants 1t prevents the proper
.reation of the soil and interferes with
bacterial activity Removing the wa
er is equivalent to the deeper plow-
ng of dry soils. 1t increases the root
,asturage area and results in larger
rops.
4. Rotate your crops. This is Inn
ortant in relation to the productiv-
ty of the soil. Crops in rotation
make better yields than when those {
anne crops are each grown year after I
ear on the same land Each crop {
as certain soil requirements which 4
iffer more or Jess from those OF |
Tiers, and furthermore the diseases !
nd insect pests common to a crop @
re largely overcome by changing the I
rop from field to field as is the case n
, rotation. One crop may be de- "
.royed by reason of some unfavora- g
lie climatic condition, such as frost g
r fiod or drouth, while the other c
.ops may be effected. The growing a
several crops such as enter into u
,tation distributes the labor through |,
greater period of time. One of the a
lief causes of the paucity OF farm {,
Dor Ii the inability of the farmer IL
keep such soil constantly employed. X
very good rotation should contain at s,
asst one legume. A common rota- al
on is corn, wheat, clover and timo-
v. in which the clover is the legume, is
hich tends to increase the nitrogen Al
pply in the soil. til
s. Grow catch crops, Sow cow 10
as or crimson clover or vetches in CO
ur corn after the last cultivation. ar
lev will produce forage that may be a
stured during the winter. They
yer the soil and prevent its erosion tn
d furthermore, when plowed under ac
plenish the soil with organic mat be
!. wi
s. Or poor soils grow a green ma to
re crop.to pillow under and build up Iai
. soil fertility. Sow cow-peas after ON