The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1909-04-15
DIVERSIFIED FARMING.
BY G. H. Afford.

- Va 60 every 1dIucT ~ NdiSS LIS
home supplies this year. Do not think
for one moment that our cotton con-
ventions and warehouses will save us
IL we fail to grow our home supplies.
All cooperative schemes of holding
selling will be of but little benefit to
the farmer who Is in debt for his liy-
ing and the feed for his stock. There
is one remedy and only one remedy
for low-priced cotton and that is to
live at home and practice the most
rigid economy until we get out OF
debt The growing of all feed and
food will reduce the cotton acreage at
least rs per cent and force the price
up to at least 15 cents per pound. But
why talk along this line any longer.
We all know just how to get good
price for our cotton and at the same
time keep our cotton money at home
instead of sending it north or west to
pay for bacon, lard mules, horses, etc.
We can grow and harvest two crops
Of speckled peas on the same land in
one year for less than nothing. Let
us take two acres of average land.
Let us plant one acre in cotton and
make two crops of pea vine hay on
the other acre. Next year we will
plant the two acres in cotton. There
will be more than enough difference
in the yields of the two acres to pay
for the expenses of growing the two
crops of pea vine hay this year. This
being true, why do we fail to grow
plenty of pea vine hay?
Let us thoroughly prepare the soil
before planting. Plow and harrow I'M
til it is like an ash heap for three or
four inches deep.
Plant the best seed that money can
buy.
Do not plant the seed too deep.
When planted too deep there is hard
ly strength enough in the little plant
to reach the air and it often dies be-
fore it can draw support from the SOL
The crust on the soil shuts out the
air so essential to termination and
growth and should be broken every
week and always after rain.
While the plants are small, thor
oughly work the space between the
rows to a depth of at least four inches
This leaves a fine seed bed for the
.ender plant roots to occupy later
when they are racing around to find
God and water All late civilizations
should be shallow. Shallow cultivation
Keeps dust much, checks the rising
soil moisture and plant food just as
The depth where they are the most
rootlets to utilize them for plant food
The advantages Of growing COW
peas are briefly summarized by the
Louisiana Exposition Station as fol-
lows: tn The cow pea is nitrogen
gatherer; CD it shades the soil in the
summer keeping in it condition mos
suitable to the most rapid notification
and leaves it friable and loose and in
the best condition for a future crop;
80 it has large root development,and
hence pumps up from great depths
and large areas of water, and with it
The mineral matter needed by the
plant; ca it's adaptability to all kinds
of soils, stiffest clays to most pourOns
sands, fertile illuvial bottoms to bar
rem lands; 60 it stands the heat and
sunshine of our hot climate; CO its
rapid growth enables us to grow two
crops on the same soil; (7)when sown
thickly it shades the soil effectually
something out of all weeds and grasse
and thus serves as a cleansing crop
90 it is the best preparatory crop
known to the Southern farmer-every
kind of crop grows well after it; 60
it furnishes a most excellent food in
large quantities for man and beast.
The Mississippi Experiment Station
states that it has been its experience
that the increase in yield of both seed
and hay obtained when the pea was
drilled in was more that sufficient to
pay for the addition expense in drill
ing and cultivating the crop.
The pea is able to secure adj the
nitrogen it requires for it's growth
from the air.. However, it responds
promptly to small applications OF
acid phosphate.
Let us shun debt as we shun death
Let us stay out of debt and be free.
independent American citizens.
/ rejoice to know that thousands OF
our boys are becoming members of
the corn club in various counties.
This means that the coming genera
ton of farmers will grow more corn
per acre and take more interest IN
farming.