Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-06-11
AGRICULTURAL
,A!:.EDUCAT1oN.
70 SWcEssFUL FARJauNG
l@sED ANDREW N. SOULt.

on the boys this year, I feel certain
that they will be faithful to the great
trust which the eXigencies OF the pres
ent situation has placed I'm their hands.
\ hundred bushel corn crop will re-
quire from 1850 10 $500 tons of water
TO mature il. This amount would cover
an acre of ground to a depth of 10 TO
- inches. The greatest need for water
BIZ the corn crop is in May, June and
July, and as the average rainfall Tor
these months is only Il 10 10 inches II
is readily seen that every care should
be used to cultivate the corn well and
save as much of the soil moisture as
possible Cultivation forms a blank
ct" or mulch, on the surface that pre-
vents rapid evaporation of moisture
from the soil. This mulch should be
stirred every week or ten days through
the growing period.
Cultivation should begin soon after
planting. even before the corn is up.
The object of cultivation is, first, to con-
serve moisture; second, to Kill weeds;
and third, TO keep the SOIL Trade
Moisture, plant food and a good me-
chanicaI condition of the soil are I'M
portant factors in making the crop.
Weeds use food and moisture that
should be saved for the corn and 1t is
important that cultivation should begin
early. The adjustable harrow is a good
implement for the first cultivation, es-
pecially on the heavy types or SOIL IL
breaks the crust and kills young weeds
and saves moisture by forming shall
low mulch. 1t can be followed by the
weeder as the corn begins to come up
...ithout fear of hurCing the young
plants. These implements, when USED
in this way, save much hand LABOR Win
the hoe and conserves the soil moisture
IN the early part of the growing sea-
son.
In this connection it is very important
10 remember that everybody Is expect
ed TO plant an acre of wheat this ran
To this end he should join the Pea club
and begin now through the planting OF
this crop to put his land in the best
condition for wheat. The peas may De
sowu for hay or planted in rows, Guilt
waited and harvested either as seed peas
or cut for hay. If hay is desired, II
will be best to sow broadcast. The Iroh'
Brabham, Large Black-eye, Red Pepper
and Whippoorwill are the leading Varl-
cites. If they are grown Tor grain
Nhippoorwill, Iron, Large Black-eye'
TAYLOR and Brabham will do well. rant
as early as possible after May ISL
Where there is danger of wilt, be sure
riety. as they are not killed by VIII.
AS in the case of soy beans it is de-
sirable to use ground limestone in the
production of cowpeas. The increase
from the use of ground limestone has
varied from about 400 to 400 POUNDS
Of hay per acre in the various parts OF
the state. Ground limestone can be
utilized on such legumes as cowpeas
and soy beans in the rotation, and these
crops will ordinarily pay for the lime
stone. and in many cases give proht IN
addition. The increase Of the other
crops following the legumes VIII De net
profit.
one of the difficulties in the produc-
ton of cowpeas is getting the land pre-
nared after small grain. This is during
the rush of the summer work and ii is
sometimes not possible get in all
Of the peas that the farmer would ike.
Recently the college has been using
method that is believed will help in solv-
ing this problem. After the oats are
taken of. a subsoiler is run every two
and ofe-half to three feet. This leaves
the land in condition so that the disk
harrow will do very much better work.
This can be done much quicker than IL
can be plowed and even II the land Is
Moved a harrow will have to be used.
already in the field, and to furnish a
desirable seed bed for the peas. Judg-
ing from the results that have been OBJ
tanned at the college, IL seems that TINS
method is just as desirable, if not more
so than blowing the land, and II GER
tainly decreases the work.
AS stated above, the corn should be
cultivated from the time it is planted
until the growing state is well passed
or until the ears are well made. An eX-
tremely heavy yield of corn requires
large amounts of food and moisture ana
every effort should be made to keep the
soil in such condition that the corn roots
will have no difficulty in obtaining this
food and moisture.
After the corn has reached height of
three or four inches, larger implements
should be used. These implements
should not be fitted with large shovels
They should have a large number OF
small shovels in order that the soil may
be completely stirred and yet no dirt will
be thrown to the corn. The first Guilt
walton should be deepest and nearest to
the corn plants. During early growth of
the corn the roots do not approach the
surface Of the soil, nor do they extend
to the middles. and cultivation, can,
therefore be carried on close to the
plants without injury. Later the fine
feeder roots spread to the "middles"
and approach the surface, and will be
injured If cultivated deeply. The last
cultivation made should stir just the
surface soil in the middles for the pur-
pose of saving moisture and killing
weeds.
The old practice Of laying by corn
by digging out the middles and throw
ing the soil up in ridges around the
corn with a "middlebuster" does more
harm than good. II breaks many of
the feeder roots and causes a greater
loss Of soil moisture by eyaporati ton.
The soil should be level at the time Of
last cultivation.
The kind Of cultivator to use will de-
pend largely on the fancy of the one
that is 10 use IL and the supply one has
TO choose from. There is perhaps no
best" though some are better than
others. cultivator should have more
than one shovel. 1t should have many.
They should be small. A "Plantet. Jr.,"
type, or a spring tooth, is good one
horse cultivator, and wherever practical
a two-horse cultivator Of a reliable
make should be used. 1t saves much
time and does excellent work when prop
erly handled.
Cultivate systematicsliy and with a
purpose Continue cultivation as long
as the season and soil require II, as this