Sharp County record., 1916-07-21
WEEKLY LETTER OF
COMMISSIONER PAGE
The Farmer Who Is To Have
Plenty In Winter Must
Manage His Land Well.


have been GOOD and the crop con-
ditions are now fne-fine to ten
Der cent above the average; but re-
member the old adage, not to count
the chickens before they are hatch
ed. The government reports for the
last ten years show that crop con-
ditions were better in the month OF
June seven years out Of the ten, and
that the crop conditions got worse
instead of better in every single ln-
stance. In nine of the ten years
the crop condition was worse IN
July than June, in August and Sep
tember there was still more falling
| off This report has reference to
cotton, but it also applies to corn
and some of the other crops. VI
course. the wheat and oat crops are
made, but much depends on the
season in the corn, hay, truck and
garden crops. Just now many far
mers are laying by their crops. Most
of them should have one or two
more civilizations. Cultivate shall
low and lay by shallow Don't
ridge up the corn. If you have cul-
tivated it properly it will stand up
without a ridge and surely it will
stand a drouth better. The late
CIVILIZATIONS pay best. When you
raise a calf to be a yearling you
don't turn him out and expect him
to make a living for himself the
balance of his life. Treat your corn
crop like you would a yearline.
Don't turn it loose to take care Of
itself and fight the weeds and grass
and dry weather just at its most
important stage in life, when it is
getting ready to make grain. 1t
needs plant food, moisture and pro-
lection from the weeds and GRASS
for the next thirty days more than
any other time If you don't be-
lieve what | say, just try it on a
few rows of good corn and then let
me know in the fall after you gath
er the corn.
Those who can should get some
crimson clover, winter vetch and
winter rye and SOW between the
corn rows at the last blowing. This
will make you winter pasture and
cover crop, and when you plow I'M
der in the spring, will make your
soil better. This will beat buying
so much fertilizer. This system will
beat cowpeaS. Every farmer who
has pea patch should plow under
a part of it, just to see the difference
it will make in the land next year
Try this, if only small strip, You
will learn something from it. When
the peas put on full bloom and be-
fore any peas are mature, take the
disc harrow and disc, then cross
disc, and then plow deep and turn
under every thing In the fall break
again and turn under the new veee-
tation before frost. Break again
early in the spring, double disc and
harrow we'll and roll or drag until
you have a perfectly pulverized
piece of land, before planting. Then
ii won't take so much work to make
your crop, and the yield will pay
you we'll for your trouble. Some
farmers depend more on the land
than labor to make a crop and
some depend more on their labor
than on the land. Which makes
the best cropsY You know. To
which class do you beloneY II you
are in the wrong class, change. Re-
member the story Of the grasshop-
per and the ant, The erasshopper
sang and idled all summer while
there was plenty and when frost
came and killed the grass he had
nothing laid by and died, The ant
was frugal In time Of plenty he