The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-02-14
(The Southern Planter.) J

The month of January has been to
this writing (21st january mild and
dry over most of the South. We have
had q little snow and u few days rain,
but no real wintry weather, except in
the mountains Of the west of the State,
where snow has covered the land
thickly. Tt is fortunate that this has
been so. because following two months
of abnormally cold weather had the
month Of January been severe the
soil Wsuld have become cooled Sc
deeply that we could not have ex
pected an early seeding season, as it
is useless to put seed into cold iand
with TIE expectation Of good and
quick termination. AS it is, il the
weather should continue as mild as it
has been land will soon be in con
,iition to plow and receive the earliest
seedlings.
Whilst it * too early Yet to think Of
sowing any crop, unless it may be
Canada peas and oats, and oats alone
in the latter part Of the month in the
eastern sections of the Southern
sumo the plowing and breaking OF the
land intended to be cropped where
this work was not completed in the
late fall months or was stopped by
wet weather We are glad to know
that farmers all over the South are
no" appreciating the Importance Of
ayaiiing themselves Of the fine fall
mi ri Wiz,
thousands Of acres are now p!owed
in those months which formerly were
allowed to. remain unbroken until
March or April, and often until May
thus croWding work upon the teams
and hands and inevitably causing late
planting and rushed unsatisfactory
work, From information reaching us
from all over this and adjoining
States we believe that more land was
plowed in the fall and early winter
this season than ever before. There
are. however thousands Of acres Yet
TO ploW, and this should have the
earliest possible attention, SO that
deep plowing, bringing up some of the
i1ltherto tnwOrked subsoi may be
Subsou to the surface in any consid-
cradle quantity later than March, as
1t cannot possibly be sufficiently
aerated and sWeetened to make it a
ut seed bed for crops this year if
brought TO the surface after that time.
This subsOil is almost invariably sour
and dead and until these two condi-
trnt rid Of
Slbly be a success planted in it. This
Supsoll is almost universally in the
south, full Of mineral plant food IN
the shape Of phoSphoric acid and
potash, but these elements cannot be
made available for the support Of
pant lie until the soil is sWeetened
and filled with microbic life This
hlcroDic life cannot exist in sour soil
ana plant growth cannot be made
without this life. Fertilizers NAV be
out into such land in extravagant
4|ahuty without giving any results.
Nhat IS needed is fresh air and sun
Shlhe LET into the soil and these two
natural requirements should be sup
p'eihehted With some lime and vege-
ldbIe matter. These working to-
Sether VIII soon make of the dea d
9oll living soil capable of support
l"6 plant life. and as the soil be-
o'iileS sWeetened this life will increase
ana by the time the land is ready for
Tie seed 1t will be in a condition to
give up it's inert fertility and be cana
"oie OF assimilating fertilizer applied
~ II and thus make it available to
Inc plant roots as they grow These
plant roots will then still f,,rtha. ac+
apon the inert mineral matter tbr,,o1,