The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-07-25
CULTIVATION Of CROP

Inst at the closing of the corn sea-
son and in the midst OF the cotton cu'-
tivation. one less hOuld be lmVress-
ed on every farmer and that Is thal as
a rule we lay N&Our corn ana cottoh
too soon. PROVIDED we are using Small
low cultivation. Deep culeVatloh, ol
course, is damaging. But the coI'on
crop is greatly heiped by a
Of cultivation just as late as poooiie
and the best rule ! have observed IS ~
continue until some OF the IONS oe-
gin to open. Just as. long as the cui-
tiyators are kept unninz the soil Is
stirred and the cotton plants keep put
ting on bloom, which IS OF the great
est importance under DOH WeeFli Gun
ditions and is almost equally IMPORT
ant where the boil Is not pres
ent. Sometimes a quarter OF a pale
is added to the yield Of an acre by TINS
late cultivation. We are in too much
of a hurry to get through and lay by.
THE farmer likes to hin that MS 1Ob
is done and nature must DO the rest
We are largely founding our reform
in agriculture on deep and thorough
preparation of the soil. better SEED.
and shallow. intensive cultivation, long
continued. OF curse it is necessary
to have the implements so that we can
get over the ground rapidly and the
man Who has not the lmplenenUS
should get them in some way lmme-
diateIy, for they will pay Tor tnem-
selves in one year. we must also nave
stronger teams but that takes time ana
we will discuss that a little later.
Importance of planting Il Cover Crop
at the Time of Laying BY OH Corn
or Cotton.
One of the most disastrous mistakes
we have made in trying to farm our
lands is limiting the product to one
crop and sometimes thinking that
when the land lies exposed for half a
year or more that we are letting 1t rest.
The truth is that land frequently loses
more fertility by exposure during the
period when it is idle than during the
crop producing period. Then, too, in
the Southern States, We should take
advantage OF all that nature gives US.
The first progressive step to take is
to keep the and doing something the
year round. and we must
in the cotton field and corn field. Last
month sent out Il little letter show
ing the value Of planting cOWpeas IN
the corn. That is of great Importance.
While it detracts nothing from the corn
it does give a crop Of great value Tor
feeding the stock in the fall and then
it leaves in the soil a large amount or
vegetable matter to feed the crops Of
me next SbdSo1. W. SuSSeSIAtliS Cotl1C
here!
In the extreme South the corn is
harvested and the cowpeas can be fed
in time to put in a winter crop, which
should always be done if possible. But
further north it may be a little late to
do this and it is better in such cases
to SOW between the corn at the last
cultivation crimso clover. or rye and
vetch. We generally use about three
fourths rye and one-fourth vetch. At
ter the corn is harvested these crops
will thrive nightly and in the spring
furnish a large amount of material to
turn under and enrich the SOIL. or may
be cut for hay. Numerous cases in
Virginia and the CarolinaS have been
reported to US where the crimson clo-
yer yielded over two tons of hay pei
acre and was cut in time to pillow the
land for the corn crop in the spring
Some farmers alternate and cut halt
the plot for hay and the other hal1
they turn under to enrich the soil, al
ternating each year. Thus the amOunt
of food secured for stock was nearl,
equal to the corn crop and made dur
ing the period when most farmers al
lowed their land to run to weeds.
Rotation.
If we are ever to become great ant
prosperous farmers and have thrift
everywhere through the country w.
must adopt some system of rotation
AT least we must have a plan abOu
our farm so that we do not continu,
to raise the same crop IN a field eacl
year. Soil dislikes to be put at tn,
same tasks every year as much as
boy gets weary of doing the same jol
the year round. And this is the secont
part of our proposition. The first, a.
stated, is to plant something In tn
corn and. for that matter, in the cot
ton, too, where there is no infestatiol
OF boil Weevil. OF course. where tn
boil WeeEil is present it is necesSar
to pillow the land early in the fall, Blu
where there is no boil Weevil. plantin.
frye and vetch in the cotton for tn
winter cover crop IS an excellent plar
1T does not hurt the cotton and it doe
a great deal of God to the land. I