The progressive farmer and southern farm gazette., 1910-05-07
Professor Massey's
Editorial Page.
Farm Work for May.

WM to forget how big the South Is ana now
CNM far one section is ahead of another
had letter yesterday (April 22) from CORE
spondent in louisiana who said that his corn
was over knee high, while mine is just fairly
above ground Hence these notes and sugges-
tions may not always exactly fit in every part OF
the South But these notes intended more
to remind our friends Of what they might forget
rather than to tell them what to do.
OF course. the great work for May is the finish
ing of the corn planting and the getting the cot
ton in the ground. April is all right for cotton
planting in the far South. but there Is no ad-
vantage in the upper South in getting the seed OF
cotton or corn in very early.
Where one has crimson clover crop to turn
for corn it is we'll to let it stand till after cotton
planting and turn it after it is dead. 1t will do
more good then. and there is always plenty OF
time to make a corn crop in the South from late
planting. Where the clover is grown Ito be foi-
lowed by cotton it should be turned under as
soon as in bloom in April, the soil well fined and
the planting done on the level.
Try planting some Of your upland cotton on the
level, and use the smoothing harrow and the
weeder on it in the early stages, and see how
easy it is to get ahead of the grass.
number have written to me indicating that
they will not plant cowpeas because OF the high
price of the seed But peas have been high for
several years, and why should any Southern farm
for protein in the stock feeds North, and peas
are going to be a profitable crop for the Southern
farmers. There will never be any more 75-cent
peas, and you not afford not to SOW them, no
matter what the price.
Soy beans are somewhat lower in price, and a
mixture Of the Tall Yellow soy bean and cowpeas.
sown half and half is excellent, for the soys will
hold up the peas from the ground and make the
harvesting and curing easier. The Tall Yellow
soy bean is the best variety for the South, while
the dwarf-growing ones and earlier ones will do
in the more northern localities and the high
mountain sections of the South
On the western mountain plateau and valleys
of the Southern Appalachian system the Medium
Early soy beans will very nicely take the place
of the cowpeas where the summer nights so
cool. The seed should be planted In rows like
cotton and cultivated, though they be sown
broadcast. But, like the cowpeas, they should
not be planted till the ground is warm.
Cowpeas sown in May the land Is
warm, will make heavier crop OF hay than sown
later, but for seed-making, the later planting is
best. Now make up your mind that next spring
you will have peas to sell at $3.50 to SO per
bushel instead Of having them to buy. There is
always going to be demand for them at paying
prices, and with the machinery now in use, 1t is
easy to save the seed from the hay, and have the
hay to feed. for II the crop is cut at the proper
stage, the seed will mature well in the hay
Growing peas or soy beans especially for seed.
they should be planted in rows and cultivated. I
believe that better crop of hay can be made
from drilling them all over the land with wheat
drill than in any other way; certainly far better
crop than by narrowing them in broadcast.
DO not be AFRAID to go over cotton and corn
with the weeder and break the crust all around
in the rows by running the weeder across the
rows. 1t will not hurt many plants and will
save having sore-shinned cotton from chafne
against the crust. and will kill grass while 1t Is
just starting. You go over the land so rapid
ly that you hardly notice the labor. In a season