The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-04-12

SEED OIL the highest INnr. lie MS
the land for the production Of the
crop BY growing eovpcas and crimson
clover, helping these To make their
heaviest growth hy the use II lime
and acid phosphate both compara-
lively cheap plant foods. and restorerS
o. soil fertility. This is good farm
lnG. raising tn crop AL . cost of Ten
cents per hus2el and selling it at
seNentE-1fve cents per hushel. In his
way Of doing this he Is not alone.
There are many who are doing like
wise. and We ho"e that more viii soon
follow. Talking u few weeks ago
with Mr.. Oscar Collier. at Maryland.
who acted a. judge III the corn at lhe
recent show in this city. he told NJ
Of las experience in this matter. IL
IS farming the same land tOdav which
his father armed twenty years ago
Ioday nc = producing 4 crop OF corn
on this land which Quadruples the
Yield OF his fathers average crop OF
about twenty-five bushels to the acre.
What conditions or combination of
conditions have brought about this re
suit He said il cannot he charged
to the crimson clover alone. for the
~luNuriant red clover which his father
grew matched in every way the Grim
son variety of today. Nor can it be
attributed To commercial fertilizer,
for nom is ever used by him for corn
except III experimental way. Up IL
ten years ago his best crop of corn
had never exceeded forty bushels per
acre as an average Of an entire field
At that time he had been studying
methods Of the best corn breeders Of
the country. and began to apply this
knowledge in his own work With the
result that after taking into account
every advantage modern machinery
! has contributed he finds left To the
credit of high-bred tested corn forty
| per cent OF the total crop. Is there
l need OF further proof Of the absolute
: Importance Of carefully bred-tested
seed? Mr.. Collier says most en-
phatically that after the question OF
: seed, the next factor in success is good
l. land. aging a foundation for Il
good corn crop should begin seven or
eight months prior to planting. The
q most carefully bred seed corn cannot
make up for poor land. The ques-
q ton IS how to suppl the necessary
u plant food at q minimum cost. Mr..
Golfers way OF doing this is one that
4 commends itself TO our judgment, II
J viii, we think. do so to every think
q ing man. His system is to break the
L wheat StuDble in July and apply seven
7 or eight quarts OF crimson clover seed
II per acre. the clay knobs and this por-
:. tons receiving q top dressing OF ma
II nure in the fall and early spring, the
o manure being applied With a manure
20 spreader. which ensures an even dis
le tributicn and uniform growth of
clover, In the spring he turns his
n brood mares and colts and mich COWS
q III the clover and grazes i March and
is April. The result is teams in good
50 order and COWS giving q good flow OF
~ milk. and a crop left to pillow down
y worth $4,000 per acre IL manurial
SIS value. AS soon as the clover begins
as to bloom the piOws are started and
TO blowing rushed. He does not want
1t the clover to reach a tough or fibrous
II state before being turned under. Mr..
Sc Collier uses the gang low for turning
at under the clover, as he finds that
81 With it he can do the best work, leaN-
st ing the clover Well turned and the
to land level. He believes in thorough
&c ~ tirming the sob after the clover Is
re turned down, so as to establish the
&c capillarity Of the soil before the corr
Of is planted. This is absolutely neces-
II, sary 10 success in a dry season. He
ld is also very emphatic in the import
n ance Of thoroughly preparing the LAND
st by the use of the roller cutaway har-
at row and Acme harrow. so as to break
st down all Jumps and thoroughly fine
and compact the soil. Where 8
,p heavy growth Of clover is turned down
IN he applies thirty to thirty-tive bushels
OF Stacked lime per acre after the first
20. against planting until the soil is
u warm. May is soon enough to plant
Sc and he then puts the seed in at al
II. average depth OF two or two and {
w half inches, aud the warm sun quickly
er makes it Serminate, and the ground
CT being free from clods the little ~rootlets
Is rapidly fill the ground, drawing
is nourishment and feeding the plants
vs. which grow rapidly. He starts Guilt
IS waiting the crop with the Weeder be
III fore the corn is up and then when i
&c is out of the ground. he cultivate:
id once deeply, and after that cultivate:
I'll shallow until the corn tassels, il posi-.
"a. bic 10 so so.
at We have been thus diffuse
in describing Mr. Golfers