Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1911-09-01

40L I1IIAIS 444oC4IA4ACAyJ dAAA ~ 40 "
be hoped that a pace may be set
for the rest of the State in strict
ly scientific farming. For exam
pie, deep blowing, thorough pre-
paration of the soil, careful selec-
ton of seed, proper rotation of
crops and diversificatiOn of farm
interest.
Since the successful growing
of alfalfa is limited to a certain
soil, the characteristics of which
are found pre-eminent in the
prairies Of this region, and no
section can grow it of such quail
ty as grows here, and no crop in
the same soil ban complete with
alfalfa as a money crop, and as
alfalfa stands at the head Of the
list of forage plants, the outlook
of the prairie belt would seem
largely to depend on the growing
of this magnificent crop. We
predict this with the more conf
dence, when we witness the
steady advance of the Mexican
boil weevil, which so seriously
threatened the growing of cot
ton. There need be no fear of
overstocking the market. If all
the available lands of the Prai-
rie Belt and elsewhere were put
in alfalfa, the demand c Duld not
be supplied. Markets accessible
to the alfalfa growers of Missis-
sippi are New Orleans. Birming-
ham, Memphis, Mobile, Nash
vile, Chattanooga, as we'll as
our own smaller cities of Meri-
dian, Jackson, Vicksburg, Hat
tiesburg. Natchez and Columbus,
all of which must be supplied.
Besides. with the growing of al
falfa, naturally comes the rails
ing of fine stock, for which this
region is especially adapted.
The r. is no better pasturing for
hogs than alfalfa fields. The hog
pas.tle may we'll be divided into
four parts; and when the hogs
have grazed down the first, they
may be turned to the second, and
t len into the third, and then in
t. the fourth, and by the time
the fourth is grazed down, the
first Will be ready with a full
crop for the hogs again.
The levees in the Delta are
safe, and there is no danger of
overfows The black and gray
prairies of Northern Mississippi
are natural alfalfa lands. it does
n 1t need to be inoculated. It has
a limestone (chalk) subsoil. which
is continually making new black
soil above it. The soil in the prai-
rie region is from eight to ten feet
deep on the hilltops and twenty
five feet to as much as forty feet
deep in lowlands. Alfalfa pro-
duces from one to two and half
tens at each cutting. and on ac-
count of our having this climate,
a three months longer growing
{ ca ;on. it can be cut five or six
i'm IS each year, 1t sells as
readily as cotton at $18 to 800
per ton. baled, f. o. b., at near
est railroad station. Let's figure
it, say. at $15 per ton and three
tens per acre, and IS per ton for
marketing, though it does not
cost half this; these lards yield
10 per cent per year on an invest
ment of $500 per acre, or 100 per
cent on the present value of the
land. In addition to the actual
profits derived annually above
ground, so to speak, there is
steday increase in the fertility of
the soil itself that is set in alfalfa,
and a greater yield of other crops
in III rotation, because Of the al
ftlfaS office of enriching it. AL
talfL sod plOwed under as a fertil-
izer for corn, potatoes or any
other crop is as good as a heavy
Eating of manure. No crop has
d m: n 'trated the great usefulness
t" man that alfalfa posses Be-
ides it's deepening and enriching
the soil by its invisible process of
taking nitrogen out Of the air and
storing in the oil, it brin Ss up
eded elements from the subsoil
that most forage crops cannot
reach, working at times eight feet
,ep or more. Alfalfa hay has a |
greater feeding value (more pro-
t.in) than any other. These lands
are rich in plant food:
PhOsphoric acid, 400 to 1900 |
pounds per acre.
Potash, 2,4OO to 4,SOO pounds
per acre.
Nitrogen, 1900 to 225O pounds
per acre.
Lime, $3.50 to 10000 pounds
DAr acre