The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1942-01-29

Farming is defense industry,
with heavy defense responsibilities,
should mesh with the rest of the
ouatry's defense equipment. This
tifficult if farmers do not look
beyond their forces, according to a
statement in the 194l Report Of the
Secretary of Agriculture, released
his week. Secretary Wickard has
told the country that food will win
the war and write the peace. Far
.ners must meet county 1912 goals.
Far better than we produce too much
ton soon; in the words OF" Donald
Nelson, war production chief, than
that we fall short of these goals and
prolong the war because of our fail
IRE. Alibis will not restore lives lost
in battle.
--oOo--
Liberal applications of complete
fertilizer such as 4-lO-7 or 1873
are recommended for Irish potatoes.
An application of 1900 pounds to
the acre pays on most soils in hin
sections. This will increase the per-
centage of No. l size potatoes, as
we'll as total yield, with this amount
of fertilizer, plant not less than 500
pounds of seed, spacing pieces IL to
"a inches apart. Select well drained
soil that has not had potatoes grown
on it for the past years A sandy
loan or slit loan with slightly acid
reaction is preferred. Scab usually
is worse with potatoes grown on a
lkaline soil or land on which heavy
applications of lime have been made.
Deep breaking and thorough pre-
paration of the soil before planting
is an important requirement.
900
Recent short cotton crops, due 10
seasonal conditions and boil weevil
damage, have resulted in dissatisfac-
ton among farmers in some instances
with the varieties of cotton used.
Their experience of these past two
or three years would have been the
same with whatever variety of cotton
they might have planted, and a
change from the variety adopted by
any community this year, would be
serious mistake in view of war
demands for standardized produc-
ton Of quality cotton. Any change
from the adopted variety would be
a setback to One-Variety Improve
ment in this county. Good planting
seed are going to be high in price
and scarce and farmers should OBJ
tain at once planting seed Of the ad-
opted variety not more than two
years removed from the breeder.
900
Mississippi farmers have been
asked to produce ~ billion pounds
of milk this year, or 1,744,186 gal
Ions If we exceed this amount by
one-fourth to one-half billion pounds
American soldiers will be ensured
larger reserves and the population
of this state will be better nourish-
ed and will build a greater protec-
Zion goals by setting aside lands, seed
and fertilizer for pasture and silage
as we'll as for grain production, in
order to keep herd production
throughout the year.
Plan to have 2k tons of silage for
each COW unit. Planting dates for
slage are April 10 to May %. Seven
to 9 pounds of Honey Sorghum or
Japanese seeded Ribbon Cane will be
needed for each acre to be plant
ed. This crop will produce 6 to 20
tons of silage to the acre, depend
ing on land and amount Of fertilizer
used. Under favorable moisture con-
ditions $50 pounds of nitrate fer
tilizer to the acre will increase pro-
duction 25 to 75 percent.
900
Save and protect burlap, cotton
and heavy paper bags and all other