Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1914-07-01
CULTURAL METHODS
FOR CORN RAISING


Now that a very severe drouth Is
on us. we should not be surprised. for
II Is only what nine out OF every ten
OF us predicted. for we all are used
to the saying that zone extreme fol-
lows another" and had all said that
the drouth would be sure to come after
so much continued heavy rains. But
rain or no rain in Brazos County In
early spring. we have sufficient dry
weather In June TO cut the corn crop
short seven years In every ten. and
I believe that the percentage OF years
would average greater than this for
the past forty. With this experience
before us. would like for every
farmer In Brazos County to ask him.
self the question, Did make any
preparation whatever to meet the con-
ditions OF this dry spell so that my
crop, especially my corn. could resist
its ravages sufficiently 10 make rea-
sonable yieldg II did. what were
those preparations Now let us be
perfectly honest about this, for II Is
very vital question, one on which
might depend corn crop. Then I
ask. did you make any actual prepare.
ton other than going into the field
when you could and beddirg your land
at planting time. and then did you
cultivate II with any thought OF that
corn having to mature itself In Sc
we're dry spell' am sure that a ma
jority OF our farmers did not, and
some are really not expecting to make
any corn whatever. While there are
some few who are expecting to make
corn and will make some in spite OF
the wet and dry weather. We see In
our rounds many causes why farmers
will not make any corn this. year. OF
course the principal reason Is the I'M
precedented wet. weather: but when
we see two mems corn with may be
only turn row between. and one
man will make some corn while the
other will not make grain. the wise
thing to do is to study this difference
and find out exactly what caused the
difference and profit by the experience
next year. But coming down to the
cold facts in the case. majority OF
our farmers do not plant corn with
the expectation OF making a crop.
There are thousands OF acres OF corn
planted each year in Brazos County
that could not under favorable circum.
stances make on an average Of over
twelve bushels per acre. on account
OF the poor soil on which this corn Is
planted, and n II becomes too wet In
the spring-which is always the case
this poor land Is the first to drown
out and water-sob. and when 1t turns
dry in early summer-which Is always
the case-the corn on this poor land
is the first TO burn up. Every farmer
knows these truths, and when ne
plants this poor land to corn he is
compelled TO do II IN the full knowl'
edge of the fact that he does II with
out hope of ever raising anything
like reasonable returns for his labor
And how any sane man can content
himself to go year after year Just be-
fore planting time and break or rather
bed up this same land that cannot
possibly make over twelve or fifteen
bushels Of corn TO the acre, and get
his own consent to work this corn
or pretend to work II with no more
in front OF him than twelve bushels
TO the acre is more than can under
stand. know many will say. Well.
this poor land is all I have to cult
vate and have TO work II In order
that I might live. Now this Is the
actual condition OF many OF our farm
ers, and right here is the most serious
proposition confronting this country
today. 1t is the proposition OF impov'
erished, non.productice soil. This
country cannot continue to sustain IT.
self as a prosperous country with the
present non-productive condition OF
its soil. And there is being very little
done to improve II. Improve your soil
together with your cultural methods,
and the floods and the drouth VIII
neither be SO disastrous.
w pITCuANAN