Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-04-05
AGRICULTURAL
.AEDUCATIoN.
SUCCESSOR tARhalHer
5EsEE ANDREW N SOULt

ing through drought season with the
least injury. If there is sufficient mois-
ture in the soil one can count on good
yield of corn. Vegetable matter is the
most certain means OF iuSuring the alb
sorption and retention Of a sufficient
amount of water to make this crop.
Corn should be literally fertilzed.
Use any form of nitrogen carrier which
can be obtained at the lowest cost. Only
limited number of these carriers are
now available by reason of war condi-
tions Virtually speaking, nitrate of
soda and sulphate of ammonia are off
the market. but we still have fish scrap,
blood, tankage, cottonseed meal, velvet
bean meal and peanut meal. The last
three should of course first be fed to
animals, but in the stress of emergency
we may possibly be pardoned for apply
ing them directly to the soil that we
may stimulate the greater production
of an essential food crop. Five hundred
pounds of a formula containing to 4
per cent of nitrogen, to 10 per cent of
phosphoric acid, and all the available
potash which can be secured will be
about the right amount to use. Mix it
thoroughly with the Subsoil, though of
course part of it may be retained and
used as a side application provided it
is put on early in the growing season.
Select seed of a variety which has been
demonstrated to be well adapted to the
community. This point can not be en-
phaSized too strongly. In the coastal
plains region a standard variety to
plant is the Whatley-a prolific type of
wide adaptability as to soil and climatic
conditions and a good yielder Other
sorts which can be grown either in the
coastal plains region or in the Piedmont
section are Hastings, Marlboro and
D. oh 10
tested carefully before planting. A uni
form stand on all the land devoted to
corn in Georgia this year will increase
the yield from ten to twenty-five per
cent. Remember this important fact.
1t is no trouble whatsoever to test the
viability of corn seed before 1t is plant
ed. Place a few seeds between sheets
of blotting paper and put on plate in
the living room. Keep the paper moist
and the termination of the grains which
will quickly follow will determine the
viability of the seed.
Plant the corn in the water furrow.
This enables some earth to be worked
to ii throughout the season and insures
better against drought by keeping the
roots well covered. Frequent shallow
cultivation is necessary. Plant in four,
four-and-a-half or five-foot rows, de-
pending on the nature of the ground.
Leave the stalks eighteen to twenty
four inches apart i'm the drill. This of
course applies to prolific corn, the only
/ type which we believe to be well
adapted to general cultivation in the
southeastern states. Remember that
| frequent surface cultivation is an inn
/ portant factor with this crop. 1t means
the outstanding of moisture which falls
as rain and which has been taken up by
the soil. Keep the cultivation up as
| late j nthe season as possible. Muzzling
/ the mule may be necessary, but the
preservation of the dust blanket is the
most essential factor of all.
] If these suggestions are carefully
/ and persistently followed out there is
no reason why we should not be able to
| increase the yield per acre over last
year from four to six bushels. If ave
( do this we will provide the amount of
corn which it is necessary for us to
raise in order to do our bit in the feed
ing of the nation. We will have a sur
plus of this crop so we can finish off
plenty of hogs. We will have an album
dance for bread and some to spare for
our neighbors. We will have stood
squarely behind the boys who are over
there fighting and dying for us. We
will have responded to the call of the
pesident and we will have the inner
consciousness of an important national
duty performed in a thoroughly patri-
otto manner. If we fail to produce
enough corn in 1918 and the wheat crop
4 is short, what will we do for bread
stuffs? 1t would indeed be a terrible
situation if the boys and girls of the
south should ask for bread next autumn
and no bread would be forthcoming
I This condition could easily arise. The
worlds cupboard is bare. There is no
/ reserve of food anywhere that is within
/ the reach of our national needs. We
must take fresh start in food produc-
/ ton. We trust and pray that the sea-
sons will be favorable, but if they were
unfavorable and a great drought should
occur, there might be a great shortage
/ Of essential bread foods next fall. In
4 any event we shall be called on to di-
/ vide our loaf with our associates in the
war If we can not supply them with
! food they must haul down their flags
and surrender and then the whole bur-
/ upon our shoulders and we must either
sustain and carry the thing through or
suffer the bitter pangs f defeat 1t is
not our intention and purpose that this
should ever occur. Therefore, il be-
/ hooves us to farm with zeal and with
| intensity of purpose i'm 1918, and throw
every safeguard humanity possible about
! the production of a bumper crop of corn.
/.
Maternity Makes Great Drain on VI
tality
J