Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1912-03-12
SOIL IMPROVEMENT.
How to Maintain the Plant Food Supply
While Growing Crop aftei Crop Of Corn,


If for any reason the farme.
should desire to follow corn with
corn and the land needs greer
manure, the following plan viii
bs found quite praotlcable and
profitable and will greatly aid in
maintaining the plant food sup.
ply of the soil in an available
condition.
The corn crop should invsri-
ably be cultivated lats enough to
insure a sufficient conservation of
moisture to mature the crop al
fsady on the land. Corn is gen
orally laid by" too coon in this
state, after which the midsumm
drought catches the crop, buns
1t severely, and frequently re-
duces the yield at least one half.
Cultivate shallow, frequent,
and late is al excelleat motto fer
the corn growers of North Caro-
lima.
Rye aud crims n clover should
be sown broadcast III corn enc
covered by the last calslvatlon
This will serve as a cover crop
and green maturing crop for the
corn the following ]ear.
Do not pull fodder or cut tops
from corn whom the following
crop is t, be corr aso Let both
fodder and tops dry. up in tie
field. In the spring, when -toe
rye and crimson clover have made
q good growth aud are ready to
pillow under, the farmer waits to
bring sharp disc harrow into
action. This old corn stalks, the
rye. and the crimson clever
should bs cut into bits. The old
stalks must not be plowed under
whole to hinder the proper cultl'
vation of the following crop, but
should be SO reduced that they
will give no trouble by pulling up
hills Of corn or catching and
dragging in the oG!tivatoFs teeth
The disclng should bs done
when the crimson clover is COM
ing into b}oom, The rye Will
likely be heading out by this
&ime; but the discing and plow
ins should be done with reference
80 she development of the Grim
son clover.
When the discipg has been
done the land should be plowed
some eight or ten inches deep,
depending on previous depths to
which the land has been plowed,
and discsd once more to break
clods and further mix the organic
matter with the soil stratum.
The soil should now be allowed to
settle and become somewhat
compact before planting after
which the land should be pre-.
pared and the corn planted &C.
cording to the method outlined
for this crop whsn following
wheat.
We do not recommend the
sandwichipg of pea crop be-
tween two corn crops for green
manuring purposes because, in
case the crop is cultivated as late
as is generally necessary, the pes
crop would make but al ind!ffer-
ent growth before frost and we
would not only fail to get much
of a pea crop to plow under but
would not be able to put on cur
winter c,ver crop for green ma
nuripg in ths spring.
In view of the general practice,
however, peas may be sown IN the
corn at the last working, allowed
to mature, and cut mp with the
corn stalks and plowed under in
the fall, after which crop Of
rys and crimson clover may be
sown as winter cover crop ano
green manuring crop IN the
spring. This msthod is likely to
reduce the yield of,-corn by ex-
posing the crop to the midsum me1
drought which saps the land c.
It's moisture contens aud check
the development of the plants -
Bulletin N. G. Department @
Agriculture.
To Mothefs-And Others.