The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-05-07
MR.. NJ QUARR|E
G|vESFARMERS
USEFUL DATA
CROP ADVISER TELLS IN DETAIL
WHAT FARMING OPERATIONS
ARE MORE PROFITABLE FOR
MONTH OF MAY IN THIS
COUNTY.

Valuable suggestions are contained
in the below article by Mr. McQuarrie,
the Escambia county crop expert. 1t
is advisable that the article be read
carefully and pondered over by all
farmers. The article follows:
Farm Operations For May.
1t Is generally conceded that the
treatment of the growing crops during
May and early June determines their
yields at harvest time, and as dry
weather is characteristic of that
period, the farmer must see to it that
the cultivated crops are we'll attended
to by frequent shallow workings and
whenever rain occurs, this cultiva-
ton should be Immediately repeated,
for the frequent shallow stirring of
the soil during the growing period of
any cultivated crop determines the
results more than all other factors
combined. No tool should be used in
any cultivated crop that goes more
thaQ a couple of inches deep, as the
crop roots occupy the soil up to that
quent, they may come almost to the
surface for the oxygen that is SO
necessary for their very existence.
Some varieties of corn can still be
planted, but the crop is apt to suffer
from the work of the bud worm; the
best way to control him is to apply
little air slaked lime in the bud
when the first symptoms show; the
ear worm will also attack late planted
corn more than the early planted;
a mixture of arsenate of lead and
-four, OF. of the poison to a quart
of flour is about the proper proper
ton; it should be applied by a powder
gun to the tip of the ear just as it
shows formation.
The main crop of cow peas should
be planted towards the end of the
month; IL growing them for hay, de-
lay planting TIL early June SO as to
avoid the rainy season in curing them.
The Brabham and Whipporwill are the
best hay types. Those having. an
Irish potato crop should plant corn in
the water furrow a couple of weeks
before harvesting the crop; the dig
ging of the potatoes will give the first
cultivation to the corn, and this rota-
ton is a very desirable one. Owing
to the backward spring, some farmers
will still plant cotton early in the
month; TO those who do so would
recommend to plant at least in five
foot rows and chop out to five feet.
The boil weevil is with us and late
TO its atacf than the earlier paintings
Heavy fertilization and frequent Guilt
walton. with wide spacing will help to
keep him in check.
The cat crop in some sections has
been almost total failure: this was
caused by their rusty condition owing
to the heavy rains of February and
March. Had those fields been har-
rowed after these rains occurred, the
crop could have been saved, as the
heavy crust left by the rain kept the
soil cool and excluded the oxygen so
much needed by al, crop roots. A
few workings by a weeder or harrow
on these fields during March and early
April would have saved at least ninety
per cent of the crop. Our farmers
are slow to adopt the use of these
modern tools, such as the weeder,
smoothing harrow and others, with the
result that their yearly losses from
low yields of crops amount to several
times the price of any of these tools.
A strong effort should be made to
grow a large crop of sweet potatoes,
as 1t is valuable crop and can be
put to several uses. The draws that
we want to plant early in the month
'or the purpose OF giving us the vines
'or the main crop later, should be
watered when set out, so rs to get a
good stand. 1t is not advisable to
make more beds than there are draws
available to fill them, and if we plant
draws on fresh made soil, we always
get a. better stand than on old beds;
the settling of the soil of newly made
beds insures a stand. Some farmers
report successful crops of sweet po-
tatoes grown after the Irish potato
crop was harvested; while we ques-
ton the advisability of practicing this
rotation to any large extent, still the
mechanical condition of the soil after
the Irish potato crop has been dug
helps to get a better fertilizer assimi- |
tation than can be got from few other |
rotations.
The cantaloupe and watermelon |
crops should receive close attention. |
Thin out watermelons to one in hill |
and cantaloupes to two. We want to |
get highs grade crops and to this end !
we must have thrifty vines. A top
dressing if nitrate of soda will help |
them. but it should be applied before |
blooming time. If the land on which |
these crops are grown is intended for |