Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-01-27


deeply for several years previously.
The red clay would not ordinarily be
brought into condition 10 grow as good
crops as a son which had been deeply
broken for a series of years. but for the
fact that the freezes have had an oppor-
tunity to pulverize. and reduce IL into
condition where the plant food IL con-
tains is easily assimilated by a growing
crop. There is no method of hning and
improving the texture of the soil superior
to that obtained through the action Of
frost on the land. Therefore. it is i'm
portant to so cultivate and handle the
land as 20 secure the largest beneficial
action from frost and other natural
agencies.
DESTRUCTION OF INSECTS.
Another advantage in blowing the
land in the autumn is the destruction Of
insects Thousands of these hibernate In
the soil They burrow into II at depths
varying from four to six inches. When
the furrow slice Is turned over and set
on edge and the soil becomes thorough
~ saturated with water the, insects are
exposed to sudden changes OF tempera-
ture and millions of them are destroyed
which would otherwise pass through the
winter unframed and be ready in the
early spring to attack the first growing
crop on the land. Thousands Of weed
seeds may also be destroyed by breaking
in the autumn, and this, OF course, is a
great advantage for each weed Is in COM
petition with a growing plant and Is
sapping out of the land a part Of the
nutrition that should go TO increasing
the size and vigor OF whatever crop the
farmer Is trying to cultivate. We do
not fight weeds with half as much en-
ergy as we should. and fall blowing Is
Z k<~l
ployed with advantage in the warfare
against these pests.
sull another advantage follows from
fan blowing in that any vegetable mat
ter or litter on top of the ground may
be incorporated with the soil. 1t will
then tend to decay more readily and will
not be washed away by heavy rains.
Moreover, the nitrogen In all decaying
vegetation is not in a fixed condition and
is subject TO be washed out Of the stalks
and carried away from the land by the
heavy rains of winter. When this mate
rial is incorporated in the land the loss
from teaching will be greatly lessened,
and thus at least a part OF the plant
food contained saved for future crops.
PLANTING OF SEED
Another great advantage Of fall pIow-
ing lies in the fact that the land is in
a good friable condition for cultivation
in the early spring. The advantage of
early planting need not be emphasized
10 the successful farmSr who realizes
that two weeks difference in the date
OF planting may often result IN the har-
vesting- of a meagre or an abundant corn
/ crop. On farms where considerable areas
OF land are to be cultivated 1t is impos-
sible to do all the work at a given time
in the spring of the year. BY blowing a
portion of the land in the fall, a part of
/ the spring work is thus gotten rid Of
the land put in better condition for crop
production than could be done in any
other way, and some OF the BENEFITS
enumerated secured by the farmer Many
seem to think that the fall of the year
is the time for ease and repose on the
/ farm, but this is a mistake, as II is
the best time to prepare for next years
crop. The old axiom. "a stitch In time
saves nine" has never been more clearly
I exemplified than in the practice of the
farmer who has his soil well prepared
I in advance OF planting. and has SO
/ handled his land as 10 hold In check in
/ sect enemies and weeds while faciIitat-
ing the setting free of plant food and
/ putting his land in the best possible con-
dition to insure quick termination and
/ a rapid. uniform growth from the time
OF planting to harvesting.