Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-01-07

be placed on the market for sew
eral months. 1t is also self-evident
that certain types of essential
plant food will be difficult to Sc
cure. There is a great scarcity in
nitrogen and in potash. 1t does not
seem possible from the present out
look TO have the rrGUs.:
these two essential plant foods sat
isfactorily met before the seeding
of another crop. There is always
be especially favorable and in that
event crops may be reduced easily
by % per cent. We have the we'll
known ILLUSTRATION before us of
billion bushel wheat crop in 1916
and a five hundred million bushel
wheat crop in 1916 and a five hun
dred million bushel wheat crop in
1917. No matter what the outcome
may be, it is evident to all think
ing men, including the land owners
and everyone in it is obliged to be
rather than a mediocre harvest.
There is a possibility in the case
of the landowner not being able to
obtain as great returns for his crops
as has been true of the war period,
but it is certain that he would OBJ
tain at least a living wage, and pos
sibly in the period of readjustment
following the war this is about all
we SIOulQ normally expect. FROM LnlS
it should not be concluded that the
writer has in mind the idea that farm
prices will not be satisfactory in
1919.
He is disposed to take the opposite
| view; but in the case the producer
should not obtain the prices to which
he thinks he is properly entitled, l
am firmly convinced that he will in
any event obtain a fair return on his
expenditures. This is backed up by
the belief that peace will have been
signed several months before the
next harvest is in hand SO that some
sort Of stabilized government will
have come to the afflicted countries
of Europe, that their purchasing
power will have been improved, or
means of obtaining loans arranged,
and their industries, therefore, be-
ginning to again grow and develop.
1t is evident that if our shipping
program is carried through, as is now
anticipated, that we should be able
to deliver abroad any sort of sup
plies we are capable of producing
from our lands or from our manufac-
turing industries. There will be a
market for all we can raise, provid-
ed the individuals and the nations
who want our goods are able to pay
for them, and it is believed that
some means of accomplishing this
end can be worked out in the next
few months. If we are to raise a
bumper crop during 1919, therefore,
it is high time that we were making
plans to that end.
First of all, the farmer should be
looking around him for labor and
should make the best effort possible
to secure a reasonably adequate
amount of it. The time is relatively
snort before we must get into the
field and lay the foundation on which
to raise another large crop of food
1aY1O1 lY1f f(I&
the next thing to do after making
some sort of arrangement for labor is
to put all implements on the farm
In good serviceable condition. 1t
will take several months to get the
necessary repairs in hand on account
the congested condition of our rail-
ways. Do not delay looking after
this matter promptly and carefully.
Next begin breaking the land as
soon as possible. ON the college
farm here at Athens we have done
most of our spring breaking already.
Long experience has demonstrated to
US that land broken in the fall is
more satisfactory for spring plant
ing than land broken just before
seeding. We gain many benefits by
breaking the land at this season of
the. year. The work is performed at
a time when there is not much pres
sure on labor and under conditions
which make the work much easier
on the live stock. When the seasonal
conditions open up in the spring the
use of a disc harrow, as a rule, puts
the land in ideal condition for seed
ing to almost any crop. A disc har-
row will cover a good many acres
In day If properly handled, and
hence rapid, and easy seeding are
accomplished.
If there is one thing in my expe-
rrience and observation above another
that regard as essential to the
reap1ng of profitable harvest it IS
the planting of crops at the right
time, SO as to have them devotion
under the most favorable seasonal
conditions. The difference in plant
ing of a few days made necessary
by spring or fall blowing of the land
may determine whether the farmer
will gather a profitable or unprofft-
able harvest. 1 can not over-empha-
size the necessity of fall blowing,
therefore, as a means of crop insrr-
ance for 1919. Everything which
can be accomplished between now
and Christmas will put the farmer
in just that much better position to
meet the shortage of labor or I'M
favorable conditions. The breaking
of land in the autumn is therefore
worthy of the strongest emphasis.
Fresh plowed land can absorb andsI
store large quantities of water from
the winter rains and the action of