Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-12-13
LESSONS FROM THE YEAR

| is before our farmers now. and it should
bear a fruitful lesson which will not
be forgotten by this generation.
Another reason why the land was not
properly prepared for planting I'm the
spring OF 1912 is found in the fact that
entirely too many Georgia farmers are
under equipped with power in the col
lar The horse and mule for many
years yet win furnish me chief motive
energy on the farm. The man VINO is
trying to cultivate from thirty-five to
fifty acres of land with one mule can
occasionally make a fine record when
everything is favorable, but let an I'M
usual amount Of rainfall or a protracted
drouth ensue and he is helpless to pre-
pare his land adequately for the crop or
protect IL from an undue loss of mois-
ture. This is exactlyNwhat happened in
the spring of 1912. The farmer who
had an abundance of mule power on his
farm recovered from the effects of the
delay caused by the rain. put his land
in good condition, fortified it well and
raised a fine crop. The man with linn
tied motive power &C aid not recover the
ground lost because he had no surplus
power at his command This lesson
should strike nome with tremendous
force for il demonstrates as nothing
else has done in a generation how help
less the farmer becomes whether he
operate a large or small plantation I'M
less he has a surplus of motive power
available TO overcome the difficulties
and obstacles which a variation in CHI
matte conditions is likely to impose in
any year.
Many farmers concluded that because
the season was cold and backward and
there was an abundance of rain that
liberal fertilization was neither advis-
able nor necessary. In this they were
mistaken. In a season of protracted
rainfall it is true that fertilizer may
not be so readily absorbed by the plants
and serve its purpose to the best advan-
tage; but il is equally certain that in
an uRfavorable year there will come
times when the crop will need stimula-
ton more than in a uniformly good sea-
son. This proved to be the case in 1912.
Let our farmers take courage from this
experience and remember that it is i'm
portant to put into the soil forms Of
fertilizer which become somewhat slow
~ available early in the season, but
keep in reserve considerable quantity of
material which they may use as side ap-
plications as the season advances. A
more judicious and well devised scheme
OF fertilization would have helped the
corn and cotton crops of Georgia ma
terfally in the unfavorable season of
1917
Judging from the correspondence
which has come to the EDITORS atten-
ton, as much effort was not made to
supply vegetable matter to the soil in
1912 as in the previous year. This
was a very serious mistake. Vegetable
matter is so essential to the improve
ment Of our soils that it's use cannot
be emphasized too strongly. and every
farmer should make a supreme effort
this year TO gather and utilize as much
OF IL as possible for the crop of 1913
Attention is also directed to the neces-
sity of selecting seed with the utmost
care. Select the corn for seed which
did well in the face OF trying condi-
tions. Select the cotton seed with the
utmost care from the plants which re-
sist anthracnose and other fungous dis
eases Treat the cotton seed with for
maldehyde before planting it. Select
and store the corn with care. and test
II for termination before planting.
Terrace and drain the lands wherever
necessary. Lime them IL they are acid.
BY giving attention to these matters
now and taking forethought for the
year 1913. Georgia can not only recover
from the loss indicted by the season of
1912. but can place herself on higher