The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1917-04-26
How TO Grow a Full Corn Crop

By C. E. G',mer, Seerctar.

The South is new called upon to do
something which she has not done
since the Civil War-feed herself.
For more than fifty years the South
has, TO q large degree, clothed the
world and, in return for this boon
10 cilization, she has had right to
expect the world to at least, in part.
feed her, and in normal times this is
no unreasonable demand. But times
are not now normal. In fact, they
are very much abnormal. Almost the
entire civilized world is in a death
struggle, and worse, there is food
shortage in syerv continent oe the
world; vet GREAT armies must be fed
and the civil population must be kept
alive. The great wheat fields cf the
central and northwest are unprom-
ising. In fact, much land planted to
wheat has already been abandoned
lost bv unfavorabie weather condi-
tons last winter .Our Governm ert
has warned the South that she viii
need all the Grain grown in the wheat
and corn belt to feed our Army and
our Allies Army, and that we must
either grow sufficiency of food
stuff. or go hungry. The Govern
ment has not asked US to help feed
these armies. We are simply asked
to do that which every Southern man
should be proud to do-feed himself
and family. Could the Government.
in this emergency, ask less? Will
the South measure UP to this impera-
tive charge? The writer says yes
chs IL ill.
ncver vet has she failed to rise to
the level Of every emergency.
Just at present the South must
give it's first attention to corn. 1t
is our main food dependence. We
have no wheat, and the season has
passed for planting it, SO, Southern
FARMERS, look to your corn first as
being most dependable. The writer
knows that there is much ignorance
about corn culture in the South, and
in saying this he means no disrespect
or disparage1nent TO the Southern
farmer. He maintains that the only
stigma Of ignorance is refusal to
learn from those who know and are
willing to- teach. None of us know
much-and nothing by intuition-we
all must learn from some one else.
The writer could not weld iron, yet
he has seen it done by the most
ignorant negro blacksmiths-so dom t
refuse to learn.
Thousands Of acres of corn in the
South that is now planted is already
lost, unless drastic measures are
taken. It is lost by improper tillage
before planting; lost by drouth of
Ignorance Of proper land preparation.
These conditions must be corrected
as far as possible. The time is short,
but happily, much that was left un-
done before planting can yet be done
and the cron saved-at least in part.
Much more vii be lost by ignorance
in cultivation unless the farmer heeds
the advice of those who know. The
writer has seen many promising
crop of corn lost by the use of the
turning-plow at laying-by time
wrapping up" as they choose to call it.
At meeting of the Food Commit
tee of the farmers and the business
men of Shreveport, at the City Hall,
en- the 10th instant, five extra men
were authorized to be employed to
assist the demonstration AGENTS of
Bossler and Caddo Parishes to teach
those who do not know how to raise
corn. and it is hoped that other
parishes will follow this lead. This
S CT most vital Importance. The
writer IS going to make q few sug-