The Port Gibson reveille., 1909-11-11

SHALL WE BURN COTTON
STALKS?
H. E. BLAKEsLEE.

by a number of we'll posted men In
agricultural work. While there is
undoubtedly much good to. be ac-
complished by following the instruc-
tion of those advocating the burning
of stalks, it might be well to consi-
der the subject from another stand
point, that of destroying much
needed organic necessary in the pro-
duction of crops. Prof. Lloyd, dir
ector of farmers Institutes for Mis-
sissippi, sounds this word of warning
in discussing the proposition. The
following strong article from the
Southern Farm Gazette is well wor-
thy of reproduction, coming as it
does from such a reliable source and
bearing upon an important matter:
We have repeatedly pointed out
that the great need of Southern
soils is more humus. We have also
given it as our opinion that the
small amount of organic matter gen.
orally found in Southern soils is due
to the rapid decay of all vegetable
matter in and on the land. This
rapid decay and loss of organic mat
ter results from the hot and moist
weather of summer, and the wash
ing and teaching caused by the tor
rental rains of our open winters.
Natural conditions while favoring
the dissipation of our supplies of
humus-forming materials. also fav-
or their rapid reproduction. The
growth of vegetation Is so varied and
abundant that the rapidly disappear
ing supplies of humus and nitrogen
might be replenished did the farmer
but do his full duty. Instead OF
carefully conserving and adding to
our all too scant supplies of organic
matter, we have robbed our soils of
millions of dollars worth by the des-
tructive use of fire. In putting the
lands in condition preparatory to
the planting of another crop it has
seemed necessary to burn trash,
or large growth of grass and weeds
off the land. With one-horse plows
it Just could not be turned under and
put out of the way of the implements
used in cultivating the succeeding
crops. Instead of procuring larger
] plows and more work stock, which
would have turned this much need
ed organic matter under, we have
taken what we deemed the easier
course of buring it off, and have ex-
cused the soil robbery on the sham
pretext of necessity. The burning
of humus forming materials is
of itself deplorable, but the state OF
mind which it indicates; the utter
lack of a proper appreciation of the
chief of our soils which it shows, Is
even more to be regretted.
We are now told to burn the cot.
ton stalks in order to destroy the
boil weevil and its favorite place fol
passing the winter. This may be
and probably is justified; but moi
! satisfied with this, the entomologists
! tell us that we must burn all trash
4 or other vegetation on the land
This may also be necessary, but We
have wondered If these entomologist:
were agriculturists as we'll as ento
mologists, would they be willing tC
go SO far with this burning process
1t is true that the burning of the
cotton stalks alone would not rob the
soil of large quantities of humus
forming materials or nitrogen, bu
the principle and the tendency are
wrong. The tendency is to encour
age the application of the torch tt
kinds of organic material, which
gives any sort of trouble on accoun
of its presence on the land. as al
| ready shown by the Injunction t
burn all trash" Until furthe
light Is obtained, we advise our rea
ders to follow the advice of the ento
mologists and burn the cotton stalk
by November 1st, or as soon there
after as possible; but let us hold ou
fire from the other humus-formini
material. We can easily suppl
more nitrogen and humus than tn
cotton stalks will give by growini
legumes and winter crops; but W
cannot afford to rob our soils of on
single pound more of the life giyin
organic matter than is absolutel
necessary.
: No more pernicious habit was eve
formed by the Southern farme
than that of burning everything oi
the land, if it be necessary to do $
in order to fight the boil weevil,
is indeed unfortunate. The remed
and the consequences which it beget
are almost as bad as the disease. /
fact, If such a practice were continue
and no greater effort made in tn
future than has been made in th
past to supply our lands with humu'
the time would soon come when W
would not be able to grow cotto
Tor any other crop) even If ther
we're no boil weevils.
1--WE repeat that out advice, fc
the present, is to burn the cotto