The Columbus dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 19??-1922, 1922-02-05
Helpful Hints To
Our Farmer Friends

1t Is recommended that sufficient
acreage Of food and feed crops be
planted to make an adequate supply
even under unfavorable seasonal con-
ditions. By all means farmers should
give more serious and careful thought
to planning their work and strive to
put their cropping system on more
stable and permanent basis and make
their plans to cover a period of years
rather than to jump from one crop to
another from year to year rs prices
huctuate. 1t should be borne in mind
that any crop will hit hard seasons
occasionally and fail to be profitable
either on account of yield or price,
therefore, to be safe, we must have a
system embracing two or more money
crops. Do not throw a crop down
and waste what development has been
made because it fails to pay ore year.
In planning our system we mus. give
due consideration to soil building.
Regardless of immediate profit any
system that constantly depletes the
soil will bring poverty in thc end as
fertile soils are essential to profitable
agriculture. Owing to the present
impoverished condition of our soils,
we recommend liberal but judicious
use of commercial fertilizer. All soils
/ in Mississippi with the exception Of
the Delta and the East Mississippi
Prairie are deficient in phosphorus
and an application of at least 200
pounds of acid phosphate per acre will
be profitable under general farm
crops.
Practically all our soils are defici-
ent in nitrogen and it should be APP
piled by the use of nitrate of soda,
sulphate of amonia, or cottonseed
meal.
Cotton should continue to be one Of
our important money crops, but by
no means our sole cash crop; The
acreage devoted to cotton should by
all means be prepared well and liber-
ally fortified. The Holly Springs
Experiment Station has found that an
application of 200 pounds of acid phos-
phate per acre over period of eight
years has increased the average yield
500 pounds of seed cotton. Best re-
suits have been obtained from 200
pounds of acid phosphate and 100
pounds of nitrate of soda. All of our
stations have found that close spac-
ipo oriva tho host Yields
One of the most important factors
in the Standardization of varieties in
order that growers may sell their cot
ton comparatively to better advan-
tage thereby getting the premium that
comes from good cotton of fair and
uniform staple.
Dairying for the small farmer is
safe proposition when properly con-
Quoted, because it brings in a steady
income enabling him to operate his
farm, to a caftain extent, on cash
basis, furnish employment for labor
for the year round, and improves the
soil not only on account of the manure,
but the dairy farmer will necessarily
grow considerable acreage each year
in leguminous crops. The Co-opera-
tive Creamery here at the college, has
been in operation now since 1912, so
dairying here issno longer an expert
ment. During the month Of Deem
Der, one of the worst months in the
year, they received from the farmers
in this community 67,623 pounds of
cream for which they paid the farm
ers $27, O49.20. Forty of the patrons
of the creamery received checks for
this month ranging from $50 to 5000. |
Dairying was not the sole occupation /
of a single one of these patrons but
the dairy business was only part
of their farming system and con- !
stituted only a part of their income.
With proper attention as 70 select
ion, feeding, and breeding, n flock of
chickens will yield nice profit with
out taking much time from other
work. Every farmer should have a
flock of good chickens. Where there
is sufficient room, there is good money
in turkeys. A shipment of turkeys
was made from Starkville a few weeks
ago for which the people received over
$4,000.
We have not the exact figures as to
the cost of production in each case,
but it is certain that these turkeys
yielded a nice profit
Where economy and good manage
ment is practiced in production, there
is a chance for profit in hogs, even
now while prices are low. Recently
there has been a better demand for
pigs weighing 100 to $50 pounds than
for heavy hogs. As pigs can be rails
ed to that weight at comparatively .
small expense, we recommend that
attention be given to the production
of feeder pigs.
In certain sections where soil and
climatic conditions are favorable, and .
the proper organization is available
for marketing, limited amount Of
is profitable. However, any
before launching truck
ing business should be careful to or
ganize for uniform production and
establish some agency for exploita-
ton and marketing their products.