Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-01-15

was pIdCLlCGu. IL - SSl1-CNlSClll III
large crops represent the exercise
and investment of great intelligence
and skill in the handling and man
,agement of the land. Therefore, in
creased crop production is generally
accompanied by the building Up ano
problem which this generation has
before it is that of preserving the
essential fertility of our soils and
building up those we have depleted
of available plant food by the IT.
rational system of agriculture fol
worthy or satisfactory type of agrii-
culture instituted or followed which
| does not embrace a constructive
program Of land building. In the
southeastern states, our chief asset
is the soil. We have an abundance
Of it. Much of it is Of mediocre
quality, but the greater part of it
| is capable Of profitable cultivation.
If not skilfully handled. it would
soon become an asset instead OF a
| liability. In any event, the. state
concerned can make no satisfactory
verted into a resource. This would
call for the exercise of many years
of labor and the outlay of large
amount of capital for fertilizers and
other purposes. Why permit our
soils to deteriorate into such an I'M
ter of fact, we can avoid their doing
so by exercising a little forethought?
Under the circumstances, we
should proceed to maintain the fer
tility of our soils by preventing the
washing and erosion of the land.
This is best accomplished by deep
blowing. Let us break UP as much
we stir it to a sufficient depth,
we create a reservoir which can take
up and hold a large amount Of wa
ter. Thus we lessen the tendency
to erosion and we provide the land
with stores of water which next
seasons crops must have. if they
are to be properly 1natured. Better
blowing is one of the chief needs of
our agriculture. Swimming the sur
face of the land is a crime. When
we do this, we simply loosen up a
light. thin layer of soil and help a
to a lower level. I cannot over-em--
nhasize the virtue and Importance Of
deep and thorough blowing. To &C
complish this, we must have big
mules, effective tractors and large,
heavy plows. They represent the best
make who wishes to minimize ero-
sion and so preserve the fertility of
mis- land.
Another way in which we can in
crease the crop yielding capacity of
our soils and add to the store of
available plant food is through the
intelligent use of crops which will
supply the soils with humus. All Of
the legumes do this satisfactorily.
They are recommended especially to
the attention of our farmers be-
cause they gather part of the MI
trogen they need out of the air. AL
most any crop will add some humus
RI 1on1 1nHnr a in nir-
Gums stances, it may be desirable to
use non-leguminous crops as green
manures. But when practicable,
there is an additional advantage de-
rived from using legumes.
# WE ride e across r coHntry in
we must often be impressed by the
comparative barrenness of the coun-
tryside. There are no crops grow
ing in the fields for a great part
If the year. There are many square
niles Of territory which remain I'M
nd, therefore, subject to erosion, to
laching and to the loss of a. con-
siderable part of the most quickly
available plant food on this account.
Next to deep blowing and the use
Of leguminous crops, it is most i'm
portant for US to plant ever enlarg-
ing areas of our farming lands to
cover crops in the autumn. Anything
may be used for this purpose. Some
will, of course, have a greater eco
nomic value than others. 1t is best
to make a choice and use those which
will best serve the type of farming
which is being practiced. One far
mer may wish to specialize in oats,
another in rye. One may wish to use
the one for grazing, another for hay.
Some individuals may find it good
practice to use combination crops of
-, %c
clover. The most fundamental thing
after all is to get the land covered
and keep it covered during the win
ter season. This is not so difficult
job as some might anticipate. The
idea that we can be Indifferent to
stacle to be overcome relative to
this matter.
We can do much to minimize soil
washing and the loss of soil fertil-
ity by practicing contour blowing.
This tends to hold water largely on
gathering together in sufficient vol
ume to break over and form gullies
on the sloping land. Contour plow-
ing is not more costly or difficult
to accomplish than many other types
Of blowing. 1t is the will, the deter
necessity of stopping the useless
waste of plant food that will accom-
plish the end desired in this case.
Much can be done to minimize the
destruction Of soils by terracing the
hillsides: If the terraces are prop
erly laid out and are of sufficient
width, the land can be farmed eco
nomically and it will hold and carry
off the water satisfactorily for an
Indefinite period of time. Naturally,
a violent rain may cause a break
in the terrace or hillside, but if this
to-
age may not result from this cause
for a considerable period of years.
Much can be done to lessen the
tendency to erosion by the proper
drainage Of considerable part of
our land. The south has more soil
Of this type than possibly any other
section. Yet, we have made very lit
tie progress in this direction. Of the
eight million acres which need drain
age in Georgia alone, we have only
instituted projects looking to the
reclamation of one hundred and five
thousand acres. If we are to grow
profitable crops on wet land, we
must first proceed to drain them
Until this is done, the roots of the
crop have no medium in which to
grow and develop, and, If the land
be extraordinarily rich in it's con-
tent of available plant food, the
crop can utilize but little Of it be-
cause of poorly developed root
system.
We can add very considerable
amount Of humus to our soil by saw
ing and returning to it all decaying
vegetable matter. It is the custom
to burn most of this. Naturally
this is the quickest and easiest way
to dispose of it. 1 believe there is
no exception to the rule that burning
is about the most undesirable and
wasteful practice in which the far
mer can engage. The easiest way of
doing things has never proven salts
factory to the agriculturalist.
think it must be a fundamental law
of nature that the exercise of skill
and care are essential to win a worth
while reward. Burning and the de-
struction of vegetable matter is as
much to be abhorred as any crime
in the deca1ogue. We have become
SO used to this sort Of thing, how