Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1914-03-27
By EDGAR L. v1NcENT3

(By EDGAR L. VINCENTO
The general farmer, and ne is the
one for whose eye this is written.
will make arrangements early for the
several crops he hopes to grow in the
coming season.
While he may not be able to settle
all the details of the work that is be-
fore him he can in a general way have
his schedule all laid out, SO that as
the time comes for actual operations
In any particular line he may be able
to take advantage Of every favorable
wind and tide that will sweep him
along toward success.
No man that / know of is more at
sea than the farmer who has no
plans laid out before hand. but goes
on in haphazard fashion from day
to day.
The general farmer will need some
crops in almost all the different fields
Of agriculture. That is, he should
have some wheat, some corn, some
oats. some potatoes
In selecting the fields that shall be
devoted to these several crops, he
must be guided by the conditions as he
finds them when looking out over his
farm.
Take the corn land, for example.
This is a crop that needs good strong
land. Many of us are in the habit Of
either keeping our lands in grass I'M
til there is not enough of growing in
them to make birds nest of. or else
we go on growing corn on the same
piece of land year after year, until we
have practically exhausted the fertil-
! ity of the soil.
Both these ways are demoralizing.
| Rotation crops is a thing we need to
study more than we do. Therefore, 1t
1t is best to pillow the meadow land for
corn before the grass is all run out on
it. Leave something for the crop to
feed upon. If the soil has been de-
| pleted by previous crops. supply as
much homegrown fertility as possible.
Wherever we can it is best not to
grow corn on the same field more
than one year in succession. The
same may be said of almost every
crop.
Last years corn or wheat ground
| ildy 06 aCNUlCu OhI6 LUI6 year by
looking ahead we may have in our
minds eye just the fields to be given
to this excellent crop. The time is
4 coming when we will have to pay
more attention to the oat crop than
we have in the past. No cereal adopt
ed to the soil of this country has a
higher feeding value for man anC
beast than oats.
In planning for this splendid crop
hen, we will give plenty of space tc
is cultivation. We may be liberal
With the use of fertilizer, either ma
tive or commercial. and If we have
not already prepared the earth fol
its growing. We may take advantage
of the first warm days to do tbs
blowing.
Here let us not make the mistake o.
being in too great haste. Land SHOULD
be well dried out before blowing
Nothing will more permanently injurt
some kinds of soil than blowing wher
wet
The potato crop may also be Sc
apart, just as the corn and oati
ground should. For this crop a goot
rich dry soil is needed. The bes
potatoes | have ever saw grown Oh
piece of old pasture that had no
been plowed for many years.
AS the general farmer will keel
more OF less stock, it is right to hav
plans for the coming year all laid GU
in advance. Cows may be added Il
the herd for dairy purpose in tn
spring of the year to better advantag
than any other time, 80 most farmer
make a practice OF reducing thei
stock then. If at all. And then, thi
is Just the time to get the herd i
good shape for the work OF the con
ing season. Work done now will las
all the year around.
By getting out the barnyard manur
early we may anticipate other wori
Soon the real work OF the season wi
be upon us, but by planning goo
: way ahead we may be ready for tn
planting and sewing when the tim
comes
The best practice is not TO seattle
barnyard manure In winter on field
hat are siding. Better wait than I