The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-07-04

cages our attention.; the harvest lis
yet the critical period i just nrfs-.
and we should try to avoid making f....a
mistakes. In the beginning Of fhs season
our minds and thoughts We're cn-..-t
principally with the problem u p-.ae-
fertilization, in most Instances. met..8x
of preparation and planting received u.
ondary consideration. Many OF NJ, at aa.
reckon with the problem of moisture. ha.
just took it for granted THAI il us.Hf'
be forthcoming, and herein we daI ,a,
cause of some of our most costly mis-
takes.
moisture is the most important factor
in the production of crops. ami methods
by which water may be stored i'm the sinh
soil and conserved for future use by tI.
crops should receive our most careful con-
sideration early in the season.
The planting season in many sections
opened with less water in the suh~oil thtn
ever before. and the rainfall In most pIIees
since April 1St is below the average o.
this period by several inches. As "a result.
the soil is unusually dry, ana the oil
water unusually low for this season =
the year. And, as alrea4y stated We
growth of the crop-thc stage Of growth
at which most moisture is required -
bring to good frnitase and maturity
with q normal rainfall the Tem1iula-
of the growing season ii Will require on
utmost skill to produce "A fair crop Ia
many sections. We will have 10 conserve
every particle of moisture possible nd
herein we need TO be reSourccfuI md
perform the work in the most efficient
manner. The only thing to do is IT, eil-
tivate. Cultivate shallow. cultivate FREE
quently. Avoid open burrows. The uI3a
who takes Il shovel pillow, or solid sweep
and opens a ditch on each side of he
row. as some are now doing. is guilty II
murder-the destruction of plant life Heel
ScrapeS cotton sweeps. burrows and ruI-
t%ivators. set to run shallow, not over one
or two inches deep, are good implements
to use IN making q dust mulch Iay
aside the Dixie and shovel pillow Ut
thereby save the crop. Make all uE>~f-
bic haste to stir the soil after a shower
Under present conditions il is Imperative
that we do this il we do not, and a crust
is allowed to form and remain for a few
days the soil actually becomes dryer
than if no rain had fallen, and the crop
suffers most severely.
I'VE should keep the cultivation going
even if no rain falls to form Il crust. n
some instances it may be better 10 t1h
a drag or a light roller constructed far
the purpose to break the crust or COM
pact the soil where too open and loose
Go over the crop every week or ten DAYS:
if allowed to lie too long, injury viii he
done by cultivation.
1T behoOyes US as farmers to study
the situation, to stand by our crops. seek
advice from each other and try not -
let our crops suffer through any mistake
of ours.
"There is another thing that should not
escape our attention. scarcity aht
high price of hay. Many farmers are now
paying $50 to $50 cash per ton. and 50
to $40 on time for timothy hay. The
drought has cut short the hay crop I'D
the North and West, and hay is going to
be scarce and high next winter and spring.
fortunately it is not too late for us -
yet grow the hay and forage that We
will need. An acre or two sowed Or
planted to sorghum, now or any nm' ~
July, and well fertilized. will yield ~
abundance Of forage. Miilet can hr
sown, as also can corn, COW peas anu
soy beans, and no opportunity shouI1 oe
spared to grow an abundance OF these
rr0nS To nrpyilQ annie SuDply or forage
for winter and spring.
in the fall. rye. winter oats. wheat;
barley. crimson clover and vetch can ana
should be sown for spring crop 81 hay,
Dat and wheat hay can be easily hnt
cheaply grown. and is far superior to the
best timothy hay.
I'VE recently saw a farmer paying 5!
cash per ton for hay. and we wondered
by what process of reasoning he arrived
at the conclusion to grow cotton to buy
hay instead Of growing the hay himself
remark Of a ten-year-oid boy, who stood
in q cotton field. leaning on his hoe nan
die. in the middle of an afternoon. ahone
the last of May, watching a farmer dry
ing by with ten bales OF hay on ms
wagon. He had passed early IN M
morning on his way to town and "h7
now on his way home. As we drove ~
with the cultivator the boy said. "faPd'
| have just been thinking. IF that '''h
had gone out last fall with his team
and prepared half an acre OF lana "hi
SDNeI 10 OalS anu tflHf~bH NV -
cut with moving machine this SpFI'-
and put in the barn. it would not h''f
taken him longer TO do this work mn
he has been gone from home Tor mus
load Of hay. and he would have mA1e
as much or more hay, too, AMI c"u'd
have saved the money he PAID Tor 'hi'
load Was the boy right?
Unless more than ordinary attention.
is paid TO our forage crops from no"
on. many farmers in this state VIII pIy
hay next summer at prices higher thih
they have paid for il in many years INC
hay crop out West is short. In fi't, l.
is short everywhere and We may r"d
sonabIy look for exceptionally high prices
for hay next summer. Begin now -
prepare for the evil day. II yonr STUD
BILE land is too hard To break win l
piow. run a disk or cutaway hhrro"
over il at once so as To form 4 uiiisH
and stop evaporation of the little "Ji'T
first rain falls prepare and SOW - one