Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-01-13
TIMELY SUGGESTIONS FOR
THE SMALL FARMER

Nv C. Bishop. Ca. writes: am a
small farmer and have about three
horse farm. and would like to cultivate
some cotton and corn another year un-
Ter your instructions as TO preparation
OF son. manure and cultivation OF the
crop I will thank YOU for any sug-
gestfons you can give me.
Our plan Of cuItivating corn and cot
ton Is as follows: First break the land
IN the fall II possible Deep preparation
Is essential TO success, certainly on red
clay land where the subsoil Is stiff
Much Of our Land you know has been
broken shallow for a long time and
air and rain can not enter freely. neither
tan the roots OF plants spread through
the sol Is rapidly aid completely as
u desirable. You may use disk pillow,
4 turning plow and q buli-tongue or
regular subsoiler in the furrow behind
the pillow It will probably take three
good horses and mules 70 operate the
pIow to 4 desirable depth Let the land
law cut in as rough condition as pos
sibIe during the winter. In the early
spring disk and prepare . good seed
bed. Lay off your rows for corn and
cotton about four feet apart. opening
wide deep furrow. Use all the yard
manure or compost you can secure II
you can only get two tons per acre use
that. but II you can secure five. so
much the better. About ten days be-
fore planting mix the fertilizer and the
manure together in the drill row with
q hu1I tongue using at least 500 pounds
Or s-1e-s fertilizer per acre For cot
ton make . low bed. for corn, plant
practically on the level. though slight
furrow i sometimes an advantage in
, dry season Select the best seed pos
sible For corn. Whatiey's. Marlboro
or Hastings Prolific should be found
satisfactory for upland OF cotton a
selected strain Of Cook viii be one
n the best varieties TO plant. Cultivate
tic land thoroughly and completely by
means Or understanding implements.
Leave the corn rs inches 70 two feet
arart IN the drill row, and the cotton
about two feet. leaving two stalks to
the hill OF cotton in preference 10 one.
Late cultivation for both crops Is es-
senfial The adtisabilfty OF using nj
trate OF soda viii depend On The sea-
son. With land thorouxhIy prepared
ana the use OF three 70 five tons o.
vardsnnanure or compost and the fertfl-
izer indicated. you should be able 20
raise excellent crops OF both corn and
cotton
=. B. Helena. Ca. writes: can buy
phosphorus acid III raw rock for about
one-fourfh what II costs in acid phos-
plate. Can / get as good results on
land that i well supplied with vegetable
matter next season by applying four
times As much phosphoric acid In the
future 70 become available. as I would
to apply onerfourth as much in the form
81 the treated rocks
Raw phosphate rock gives its best re-
suits when applied 70 soils which con-
tain An abundance CT vegetable mat
Ter. Comparatively little OF the land
with which I am acquainted contains q
large enough amount OF this material
IN my Judgment to make the raw rock
give as good results in single season
Of a smaller amount OF acid phosphate
or the treated rock You know. Of
course. that there is much dispute on
this point We are making tests along
this lire at the present time. but have
not gone far enough with them TO be
able to give a definite answer. Where
one desires quick results. however. we
would be disposed to advise the use
OF phosphoric acid until We have more
information relative 70 this matter than
Is araflabIe at this time In the presence
OF an abundance OF vegetable matter and
where one can AFFORD to wait three or
four years for the best results we are
inclined 20 think that the use Of the
fne1y ground rock viii give satisfactory
results. Many persons point to the great
success which has been achieved from
the use OF raw rock in Illinois and wor-
der why We hesitate TO recommend its
extensive use In Georgia Illinois Is allu-
vial. formed no doubt through centuries
OF decay Of the thick heritage which
undoubtedly covered this area IN pre-
historic times Our soils here in Geor-
gfa are mostly derived from the rock
they overlie- or course. in the southern
part OF the state the soil is made up
largely from the dislntegrating OF the
rocks n the mountainous sections. In
any instance our soil is as a rule def
Gent IN vegetable matter. and we can
not noDe 10 secure the same results
from the Use OF floats under the condi-
tons pertaining here that has been Sc
cured in Illinois under more favorable
circumstances When our farmers In
stitute crop rotations. using an abund-