PROGRESSIVE FARMER
Tuesday, September 9, 1903
AGRICULTURE
Seven Important Considerations for
Farmers.
Correspondence of The Progressive Farmer.
As there are many reasons for im
proved farming the following sugges
tions are offered.
I.
Every acre of cultivated land
should be subsoiled to the depth of
15 inches every two years at lease,
thereby cultivating two acres, one
on top of another instead of two by
the side of each other, as this modo
is cheaper to cultivate than the old
way, and the manure put on one goes
through both. In time of. heavy or
protracted rains the surplus water
sinks to supply both instead of wash
ing off the soil of either and in long
or protracted drought moisture
comes up and nourishes or sustains
the crop through the roots that run
down to the depth of the loosened
earth.
II.
Wheat land thus prepared will
double the crop the first year and be
ready for clover, grass and pasture,
or followed the same season by a late
crop of corn and peas, and wheat or
rye sown the last plowing, which
should be done by a light cultivator
or harrow so as to leave the surface
smooth. Thus we have two crops and
a third started in twelve months, and
the peas turned unJer for another
crop of wheat in November which
would increase the next crop by turn
ing under the peas before f rost,or the
peas gathered or mowed, making four
shoiis a year and leaving the land in
good plight for another crop of corn
the next spring, and if manured
broadcast a heavy crop might be had.
III.
The wheat, rye, oats or grasses
sown after the other named crops,
can be pastured all winter till March
in Western North Carolina to the
advantage of crops, land and animals,
if taken off when the land is wet;
sheep and calves do no harm but ben
efit all together.
IV.
As farm labor is becoming scarcer
and dearer every year, the hold crops
should be discontinued, except corn,
and vegetables near market, the
former raised by improved machin
ery and steam power, the latter by
day laborers from the towns.
V.
A5 all meats are bringing good
prices and must continue to do so for
years to come, extra attention should
be given to stock and poultry, the
manure from which properly cared
for, will pay for feeding and attend
ing the animals and poultry, espe
cially when green food can be fur
nished them all the year round.
VI.
Wool and mutton can be produced
by this system of farming with great
er ease and less cost than the raising
of cotton and tobacco and the lands
improved every year which would bo
equal to a bank account all together
nuld be more piofitable thai bank
stock or compound interest on ?noncy
leaned.
VII.
. All our rivers and creeks should be
straightened and cleared of all rub
bish so as to furnish navigation for
flats, small boats and rafts, thereby
obtaining cheaper transportation
than mud-pikes over steep hills, espe
cially in winter when most crops are
marketed; and the rivers, creeks and
swamp-lands of the East could be
thus improved all of which would
greatly improve the health of the en
tire State, and make every kind of
business more profitable.
JNO. F. FOARD.
Iredell Co.. N. C.
Meeting of Cotton States Association of
Commissioners of Agriculture.
It was our intention to publish last
week a report of the fourth, annual
meeting of the Cotton States Asso
ciation of Commissioners of Agricul
ture held in Nashville, Tenn., a few
days ago, but it was crowded out.
From the press accounts we condense
the following report.
The Association was opened on
Tuesday with an address by Presi
dent S. L. Patterson, of North Car
olina. He referred to the fact that
the United States spends $750,000 an
nually through its Department of
Agriculture and the various States
half that much. He said the work of
the States should follow closely that
of the United States and supplement
the latter. He considered analysis
of fertilizers as probably the most
important State work, and thought
the revenue from this source should
be devoted to the development of the
science and practice of agriculture.
The State Departments should work
to exterminate crop pests and dis
eases and that each State should have
at least one entomologist in its em
ploy. Live stock growing should be
encouraged and the advantage of the
section for growing forage crops
should be impressed on farmers. He
spoke of the great benefits derived
from farmers institutes, the advan
tages of issuing bulletins from head
quarters and the gathering of crop
statistics. '
On Wednesday, in addition to the
address of Mr. T. B. Parker publish
ed in last week's Progressive Farmer,
two other important papers were
read.
One of these was a paper on silk
culture by L. B. Hagid, of Georgia,
He said conditions were ripe and ad
vantageous for the revival of the in
dustry, especially in the South, and
declared the United States should not
stand still while her people were con
suming over one-half of the silk pro
duction of the world, at an annual
expenditure of $75,000,000. The cul
ture of silk was said to be more
remunerative and less uncertain than
the raising of cotton and Mr. Hagid
urged that the attention of farmers
be called to the industry.
The other address was that in
which W. A. Orton, of the United
States Department of Agriculture,
discussed cotton wilt' and cow pea
wilt. The Associated Press report
follows: "He began by saying that
when he began studying the matter
four years ago, thousands of acres of
cotton land had been rendered use
less by the wilt. No remedyf or the
evil had been discovered, but he had
found a 'resistent cotton when a
field is ravaged and occasional stock
is left standing, and it is the seed
from this that produces the immune
plant. The disease, he said, was
characterized by the sudden wilting
of the stahy It first appears in spots
and gradually spreads, the seed being
permanently affected. The cause, he
said, is a fungus in the soil that gains
entrance . to the plant through its
roots, finally .cutting off . all suste-
nance. Experiments in the affected
fields had produced the immune
plants, but they had not gone far
enough to ascertain how far the seed
from such a plant will continue to
produce immune growth. Until this
matter is thoroughly understood the
best thing for farmers to do is to
plant other crops on the affected
lands."
On Thursday Judge W. H. Tayloe,
of Alabama, read a paper on the
Torrens system of land registration
and its effect on the value of country
property. The speaker declared he
would like to see the Association
start a crusade against everything
but fee simple titles. ' Entailing life
estates and dowers should be abol
ished and the time to begin was now.
With the question of titles once set
tled it would be easy to settle the
question of land values. We hope
that we can secure a copy of Judge
Tayloe's speech for publication in
The Progressive Farmer.
The Convention will meet next
year in Montgomery, Alabama. The
following officers were elected:
J. G. Lee', Louisiana, President;
R. R. Poole, Alabama, First Vice
President; G. W. Koiner, Virginia,
Second Vice-President ; T. H. Paine,
Tennessee, Treasurer; B. W. Kil
gore, North Carolina, Secretary.
Before adjournment the Commis
sioners gave out their annual state
ment as to the cotton crop with aver
age September conditions. The to
tal estimate is for 9,713,394 bales, as
compared with 9,952,762 bales ginned
last year. The following table shows
the estimate by States for this year
and the yield last year:
State. 1902.
Georgia 1,000,000
Louisiana 700,000
Arkansas 950,000
Tennessee 241,000
Alabama 875,000
Texas 3,000,000
Mississippi 1,087,394
S. Carolina ..... 775,000
N. Carolina 500,000
Oklahoma 200,000
I. Territory 300,000
Florida 50,000
All othe'rs 35,000
1901.
1,401,651
858,000
736,740
209,186
1,162,739
2,590,704
1,279,286
730,603
464,434
149,415
280,000
57,198
52,110
Mr. S. W. Laughlin has sold to Il
linois parties a tract of 500 acres of
land near Asheboro, known as the
Davie Mount tract. They will Es
tablish a sheep ranch, we under
stand. Asheboro Courier.
THE FAIUI CALENDAR.
What to Do in September on the Farm.
On the farm, in the orchard and
garden, labor now brings a rich re
ward. And not only are the matured
crops awaiting tne narvester, out
growing crops feel the quickening im
pulse of cool moist nights and in the
early part of the month make rapid
crnwt.ri.
o w w -
SEPTEMBER 1-10.
Gather and market peaches, plums,
pears, late summer 'apples and nearly
fall apples. See that the cider mills,
cider and vinegar barrels and-evaporators
are ready for the windfalls
and second-grade fruit. Harvest and
market grapes. Celery, cabbage and
cauliflower are growing rapidly and
require attention with cultivator or
hoe. See that the soil is stirred of
ten and well. Celery wanted for very
early use should be straightened up
and the earth drawn to it with a
hoe. Sow grass land with timothy
and red top, if for pastures adding
alsike, orchard grass, Kentucky blue
grass and meadow foxtail to give a
the following season. Continue fall
plowing as fast as land is in condi
tion. Begin to cut silage and fill
silos.
SEPTEMBER 11-20.
Seed winter wheat and rye and
continue grass seeding. Bank up
early celery for half its height. Sow
cauliflower, cabbage and lettuce for
pricking out in coldframes to be
wintered over. Seeds planted before
the 10th are apt to produce plants
which will run to seed when planted
out in the spring. If planted later
than the 20th, plants will often lack
necessary vigor and strength. Shal
lots and onions should be planted and
spinach sown, So be wintered over for
spring use. Sow corn salad and
chervil for winter salad. Harvest
onions, beans, melons, cucumbers for
pickles, potatoes and tomatoes. See
that potato bins are in readiness to
receive the crop. Get corn cribs in
condition.
SEPTEMBER 21-30.
Cut rowan for second crop of hay.
Finish banking up early celery. Har
vest apples and latepears. Continue
wheat and rye sowing. Watch ten
der flowering plants lest early frosts
catch them unawares. See that they
are protected, or if they are to be
transferred to the house, take them
up. irrepare coiairames. It you
have none, build one or two for the
early vegetables they will give you
the following spring. Harvest pump
kins and squashes.
OTHER SUGGESTIONS.
Give the cattle and stock attention
all through the month. Pasturaera
will probably be insufficient ; see that
it is supplemented with liberal feed.
J? at is easily put on durmer th9 cool
xaias j-luuo vjj. auifkuuu, illiu. luf lilla rca"
son cattle, hogs and poultry should f
be fed liberally. Arrange exhibit
lor your county fair. Look over
buildings in preparation for the ad
vent of cold weather. Build an ice
house if you have not already. Pre
pare window-boxes end soil fo? thorn,
for flower-folk are cheerful neigh
bors when frost has fettered a dreary
landscape. Country Life in America.