Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-07-29

dividend possibly OF to 10 per cent,
while the manufacturer has taken the
same product and reaped harvest of al
most IS to 90 per cent. The town has
been distinctly out Of touch with the
country and out of sympathy with it, 1t
was hardly to be expected, therefore,
that the farmer would be an optimist
under the circumstances; yet until he
becomes sn optimist we can not hope for
a change in rural conditions which will
place the country on a proper economic
basis and make possible the development
OF cooperative enterprises, which will
insure the continued prosperity of the
farmer, and maintain an adequate sup
ply Of raw products for food and for
manufacturing purposes as well.
Can the new impulse be given to farm
life which it so sorely needs? Can a
condition OF pessimism be changed to
one OF optimism? Can farming be put
on a more profitable basis? Can country
life be made more attractive? These are
the great and fundamental questions.
which require solution at the present
time. They may all be answered affirma-
lively. How viii these needed changes
be accomplished? Only through educa-
ton. This education will be carried in
type and viii differ din scope from what
we frequently regard as education be-
cause 1t must be designed to reach and
serve and redirect the effort of all
classes OF people who live in the coun-
try. In other words, ii must prove eff
cient In serving the needs of the grow
ing generation of boys and girls, the
teachers in the country schools. and the
adult population in all it's stages and
no matter what form of agricultural pur-
suit they are engaged in. So much has
not been asked of any type Of education
before, for in the past IL has largely
been called upon to serve specialized in
terests. and thus the problem was COM
paratively simple.
REMOVING SUCKERS FROM CORN.
j. ]. s., Hoschton. Ga, writes: 1 have
some fine young corn that is beginning
to sucker. Would it be better to pull
them on or let them remain?
BY all means pull the suckers off your
corn and do 1t as soon. as possible The
sucker Is an abortive plant. II rarely
II ever natures, and when 1t does, makes
out small ear or nubbin, and q weak
stalk which blows down when the first
severe storm passes over the field. The
sucker takes part of the nutrition
which should go to the building up of
the main stalk and ear, and therefore
is detrimental to the development of a
vigorous plant and a perfect ear. The
sooner the suckers are pulled off the
better. Owing to the wide variation in
the number and vigor of suckers pro-
dueed by varieties of corn, il would be
wen for you to Investigate this question
carefully this summer. and choose a va
riety in which a minimum number OF
suckers develop. The large number OF
suckers which develop is due 10 the
fact that we have made no effort to Sc
lect corn TO get rid OF them In some
instances, probably one-fourth of the
energy OF the plant and the commercial
plant food applied TO the soil is used
up In the production OF worthless suclx-
ers. 1t will surely pay every farmer
10 give attention to the selection of seed
which will enable him to eliminate this
nuisance from his corn field.
APPLYING NITRATE OF SODA TO
CORN AND COTTON.
W. O. B.. Midland, Ca, writes: In
applying nitrate of soda would YOU adj
wise sowing 1t alongside the drill row
and leave 1t exposed to the sun and air?
How would it do to sow it in a freshly
made furrow as I pillow my corn next
time. or would you advise sowing IL
ahead OF the pillow and running the pillow
through it? Or should IL be put so IL
would not be disturbed at next plow-
ing7
Nitrate of soda may be used as a top
dressing on corn and cotton and other
farm crops with very good results. The
necessity Of applying nitrate depends on
good many things. First of all the
amount OF plant food applied in the fer
tilizer used under the drill row; second
naqrwnn Of 1NrT.N
soil; third, the condition OF the crop:
and fourth, the season AS most OF the
cotton is small this year, an applica-
ton of nitrate to push Il along at this
time will probably be helpful II we
had an abundance OF yard manure in
the soil and had used 500 pounds OF a
high grade fertilizer. we would not be
disposed to use nitrate. We shall hard
ly use IT on the college farm, but our
land is probably in better fix for cot
ton this year than much we have seen
planted to the crop, and therefore nj
trate may be found beneficial in many
sections. It should be applied along
side the drill row after the cultivator
and not before It. Leave II on ton of
the ground. as the moisture In the soil
VIII quickly dissolve IL and bring II with
In reach OF the roots of the plants If
viii not injure in any way by being ex-
posed othe air. II should be put on af-
ter rain rather than before It. There
viii be no objection to running the psow
through the furrow where the nitrate
has been applied ten days after II Is
used. Nitrate should be applied as soon
as practicable because you want to slim
ulate growth and the development of a
sufficient amount OF stalk and leaf to
insure the maturity Of a good number of
bolls.
HOW TO TELL THE VALUE OF NJ
TRATE OF SODA.
S. 7. c., Milledgevile, Ga, writes:
What is the value OF nitrate Of soda, the
analysis reading 1922? When should II
be applied to corn as a top dressing?
Should IL be sown broadcast or dropped
around the stalks? The dealer is ask
ing me $500.
High grade nitrate of soda contains
from Is to 16 per cent of available nj
trogen. This is the highest grade which
can be purchased. The balance of the
material contained in 100 pounds is not
useful as plant food. though. of course
the soda may have some sweetening eff
feet on lands that are sour. Nitrate
costs in a commercial form this year
from IS to 20 cents a pound, so that nj
trate will cost you anywhere from 81 to