The Brinkley argus. (Brinkley, Ark.) 1883-current, 1917-04-20
A Patriotic Duty To Raise Food sup
ply For Family.

By Harry F. Kapp, District Agent,
Southwest Arkansas.
Mr.. Farmer, it is your patriotic duty
in the present national crisis to raise
a food supply sufficient to protect
your family and to produce maximum
crops on every tillable acre of land.
Prices for all kinds OF food crops
will be high and the government is
making plans to market your surplus.
II maximum crops are to be had,
attention must be given to early cul-
tivation and the proper implements
should be used.
Remember, young plants in the field
must have the best opportunity to
live and grow IL the largest crops are
to be obtained.
Early Cultivation Means Big Crops
Most of the Arkansas farms have
been titled in such manner as to rob
the soil of it's humus supply. In this
condition soils pack extremely hard
from our beating rains and crust heay-
lily after rain followed by couple
of days Of sunshine.
Don't Allow Soil To Pack.
II the young plants are permitted
to stand in hard, packed crusted
ground 1t cannot be expected that
they will make the rapid. sturdy
growth necessary to maximum crop
production The Importance of early
cultivation must be so apparent to
the thinking farmer that discussion
at length is unnecessary.
Use a Section Harrow.
The question then is-What is the
best implement farmer can use for
early and rapid cultivation? Our an
swer is, A fifty or sixty tooth iron
section harrow. 1t is not an expensive
implement; it is one that is needed
on every farm at all seasons. With
a good team fifteen acres per day can
be cultivated. The teeth are ADJUST
able so that the ground cen be pull
verified with a minisnum amoAnt Of
digging that would tear up the plants.
The section harrow can be used be-
fore and after tire seeds are up. When
beating rain follows the planting Of
a crop the harrow should be used just
as soon as the ground will pulverize.
This will prevent crusting, form a
mulch for the retention of moisture,
warm up the ground. enable the young
plants to come up without difficulty
and proEote their rapid growth. II
corn or cotton lis not planted on a
high bed-a practice that should not
be followed except on badly drained
lands-the section harrow can be
safely used after the plants are well
up. It is the best early cultivation
that can be given such crops It breaks
and pulverizes the whole surface IN
and out of the row 1t kills all the
early weed growth and gives the cror
every chance for the rapid growth So
highly desirable
Cultivate With Care.
In narrowing corn or co.ton after
the plants are up the team should
not be driven with the rows nor di
rectly across them. II the rows are
followed harrow tooth is likely tc
plumb the center OF the row and tea,
up all the plants n the driving il
done directly across the lows tins
whole tos of the row may be pulled
OF if planted on a slight bed or roll
as IL should be. Drive diagonally
across the rows each time. Always
cross harrow after the first operation
Corn may be narrowed until it is 81
tall that it will break and cotton unit
il is chopped out.
Try the harrow, Mr.. Farmer 1t 1,
the speediest, best early cultiyatol
you can use. II you are afraid it will
ruin your crop, try it on an acre q
two and watch results.