Newspaper Page Text
Banks County Gazette.
YOl. \ I
PREPARATIONS
WELL ADVANCED
Georgia Farmers Get a Good
Start on This Year’s Crop
PAS BEHIND 1:1 ANNUAL RAINFALL
rf ,lgriru!tnre la
Hu* Monthly Talk, tho Mi-rotr*li
Kreakiiig f Land lut-tndel For • orn.
howir.jf flover and Guise*—Ample Fro
▼isiou lie Hade Por Food Crop*.
Di.rAnrMr-.NT or agriculture,
Atlanta, Oa„ Feb. 1. 1897.
January has given us more than its
usual average of bright days, and ail
through the state preparations for an
other year’s crops are going on apace.
This, with the fail plowing of which a
good deal was accomplished, gives us a
very fair start, and should February
prove a very rainy mouth, wo will pos
sess our souls in pitieuco. Wo are very
far behind in the annual rainfall, and
It were better perhaps to have it made
up in this month, than later on, when
the young crops might bo retarded in
their growth, if not seriously injured
by heavy spring floods.
preparation.
The work of preparation should go on
steadily whenever the weather permits,
remembering that the laud intended for
corn should be thoroughly and deeply
broken. Corn is ui >ro sensitive to
drouth than most of our cultivated
crops, and needs a deep and mellow
seedbed. When planting time comes if
this breaking has been done some time
previous, it may become necessary t >
harrow the land before potting in the
seed, but the additional labor is fully
returned iri benefit to tho crop. Corn,
unlike cotton, is made in a few weeks,
ami after deep breaking and proper ma
nuring, we must depend on repeated
surface stirring to conserve m ns taro,
keep down weeds, titrate the soil, and
thus promote, the perfect development
of Hie crop. In prepat rig laud for any
crop we should be guided by the char
acter of the soil and its present condi
tion, as well as the previous crops
planted on it, and their cultivation If
tne soil bo deep, we may put the plows
in doep and turn each furrow, leaving
a mellow bed for planting time. But if
the soil be .- hallow and the subsoil near
the surface this plan will not answer.
If the turning plow is used, it should go
just- deep euon Ji to bring a little of tlia
fubsoil to the snrfaco, and the furrows
be loft on edge, as it were, in order that
I he small amount of available plant food
mr.jr not be buried out f roach of the
young plant roots We have always
found, how vor, taat on such lauds a bet
ter plan is to use a long, narrow straight
plow, running the furrows close to
gether, which will break tho subsoil
without bringing it to the surface and
leave the t t> soil in g rid condition.
Another imp iriaut point in preparing
for our crops, is that wo return to the
land as far as pus ible every particle ot 1
vegetable matter left on the surface
from the previous year. Tho crying
need of our lands is humu3, and when
there is a heavy growth of weeds,
broonjsedge, cotton or corn stalks or 1
nny other nun:as m iking mat rial on the
laud, it sliouid net be bn: at off before
the plows, but every effort should be
made to break it down and put it in
couditiou-to o- tuned un i r when t!ie
I lowing is done. Fort ns purpose so
lent a c M morning amt drag a har
row the laud in every section.
tl.e eJUv-pa-m of eoru stalks this
v, ii. brea ii •vii ! in; prowt.i. In ro
r-.V to ' o -pury . an t ier >!u:nu iu
ri-osii ito t. v.: it-: tii' ; corn sulks,
w-tehare u-u;- v t tanning in tlio
tie.u, we lir.v.* imi * red to show how
much valti bio feeding material is
thrown away en ii y ear by tins waste
ful practice. Tup averug: tinner re
paid* these standing stalk .a ; i much
waste material, v. utcn is to bo removed
as thoroughly as possible and burning
is the usuai method of petting rid of
them. If cut down and turned under
whole, they are a mem- tojhe proper
preparation and after cultivation of the
land; the practice of cutting in shorter
lengths by hand and theu turning un
der is considered a loss of time and la
bor. and every farmer, who has tried
the plan, knows that if they are hauled
to the stable and put in the stalls, in
the hope of addin* to the manure heap,
they are a con-tont source of annoyance
and worry. Jtdoi-s seem strange that
this portion of too con crop, which
contains such a large per cent of
the nutritive value of that '-rap, should
bo regarded as a nuisance-, and be
annually and literally thrown iuto the
Ere. We are doing a1 in our power to
check the further progross of a mistake
which is each year losing as thousands
of tons of healthful anil nutria ms f ir
ago. Once the farmers fully realize the
truth, they cannot be induced ti leave
this crop iu the field to waste, any more
than they would a-l-.w their other crops
after they are made to stand exposed to
the destructive agencies of wind and
weather. We need a reform here and
we need it at once. To resume the sub
ject of preparation, the stubbie lauds
and the laltus which wet not plant -d
the previous year if not piowei iu the
fail should be the Hist to be broken after
Christmas. Being full of v-getab.e
matter they are not so liable to be
puekedbythe heavy winter rains. If
tjpttonseed is to he used as a manure,
we have found it is a good plan to lav
off the land, put in the seed and acid i
jind coyer w.ejl with a list. This gives 1
I me cottonseed time to decompose be
fore planting time and yet not to a de
gree that will cause a loss of its ele
ments of plant food before they aro
needed by the crop. Another advan
tage of this plan is that when we com
plete the bed and open the planting fur
row the soil is in nice, fresh condition
for the reception of tho seed. Rye and
barley patches may be left to be plowed
until the last in order to get all the ben
efit possible from them as green food-
We have seeu such patches turned
under late and then laid off, manure
put in and bedded up for potatoes, Tho
slips were not put out uutil July, but
the potatoes were no large and the yield
as great as from slips put out iu May.
As is usual, when this crop matures
rapidly, the eating quality of tho pota
toes was not as good, but their feeding
value for siock was unimpaired.
OATS
may be sown until the last of this
month. Iu the more Lorthern sections
of the state oats sown in February arc
not so liable to disaster from frosts as
tho January sowings, but as the cron
m? a shorter time for developing, the
and should be thoroughly prepared and
highly fertilized, iu order that the young
plants may at once begin to take up
their food supply.
CLOVER AND GRASSE',.
The next best plan to sowing these
crops on land especially and carefully
prepared for them is to sow oil tho grow
ing small grain crop i. Run a harrow
over the grain, which will benefit rather
than injure it; the i sow the seed, which
will rcijuiro no further work. The best
varieties arc red and mammoth clover,
tall meadow grass, orchard grass, red
top and rye grasses. Japan clover should
be sown later; it \s r i.l grow oil land too
poor for almost any other crop. It is a
nitrogen gatherer, good for stock food
and may be used as a starting point for
more desirable crops. Alfalfa, or lu
cerne, require ■, more care, should be
sown only on rich band and requires
careful cultivation tho first year. Th ■
plants are delicate, and until a good
stand is secured, aro liable to be choked
out by more vigorous growths. It al
ways suivo'ds bast whoa planted and
cultivated iu rows—after the middle
or latter part of February. It pays bet
ter to put
MANURED
directly in the ground instead of making
compost heaps 15y tins plan tit- ro is no
danger from over hearing and both tune
mid lulnr aro economiz 01. If preferred,
however, tho compost heaps may still
be built Loaves, muck, scrapings from
fence corners, etc., may all bo mixed
with the stable manure, and if phos
phates and potash ar.■ add’d they not
only retain their own valuable fertiliz
ing properties, but will materially im
prove the .. ho o mass. It is in the iiiu-o.
genous fertilizers that there is danger
of loss. Of these, cottouse and and cot
tonseed mml aro perhaps in safest, as
being less liable to loams of ammonia.
kaffir corn.
An inquiry as to Kaffir corn wa -
crowded out this month la view of the
fact that our crops are liable to injur .’
from our u?uil summer drouth, which
sometimes, as during the past summer,
proves very destructive to our corn crop,
it would be well to devote a certain area
to this variety of corn, which has shown
remarkable dronrli ic-i-ru;g quaiiti-s.
Next moath we hope to give full par
ts.-units as to its planting, cultivation,
gathering, as well as us aualvs.s as a
food.
We would again ut;,'3 that in r.‘ai l
ing on
th;: ar:; as for D:r?vn:::NT CRO-’S
ample provision b * ui ide for food crops
of ail kinds, and in deciding on the cot
ton land, don’t put in any that wili n ,t
m'ke at leu?t a half b.uc tj the acre
We n > and not calculate on more than 7
cents for our cotton crop, and the plan
of putting in from five to ton a'res to
make one hale cannot, under tlr> most
favorable circumstances, pay ex nos i.
It. T. Nzsinrr.
h>;,; I'Vr?l!
Qtrrsnov. —I have o i bund acid phot
I h.ue, wi ll n-itas i, running 11 pur -• . •
phospli -ric a-ii and ! pa: cent potn-li
I have a.so cottons-: -l iimil (i per
'■“nt atnm n. a) ai 1 muriate of pi- h
(89 per cent potash). Kin i r t--.l me
how to mix tlies.) imreria s ti make a
fertilizer that will analyst 8 per cent
| phospli . • acid, 3 per cent a.n'uuiii
ami 4pc 1 c -nr p t.i-.u; an i:r that wi.'.
auaiyz* 8 2-0, and aujtaor tiiat will
! run 8 J ii.
Avswr.3.—To mike a fertilizer cut of
tho materials you m uiti.n tiiat will
analyzes nor cent phosphoric acid, 2
per coat aims min an 1 4 par cent potash
you must mix as fo low.-::
Acid Phos D.iite, with Pi,to h.. 1,0-ji) lbs
i Cottons,ted Meat -o ;o ih.s
! Mmiate of Potar.h 52 lbs
Earth !)x ion
Total r,', i lbs
To make a forrSlmor ru.tui.-g boo
yon must mix as f-.;.-;-.v-:
Acid Phosphate, with 1* -taro. .1,2* ) ib*
Cottotweed Meal r, 9 i n Jf
Muriate of I’ota.sh j;jj ibs
Earth i , lbs
Total 2,099 ibs
To make a lertliiaor tunning 83 ii
you must use iu the mixtur :
Acid Phosphate, with Potash. .1,359 lbs
Cottonseed Meal ! ibs
Blood 129 lbs \
Muriate of Potash ibs
Total 2,0 !?) lbs
Iu this last formnla you cio.ior go
tho ammonia you want fra cor;oil
seed meal, and you must therefore use
blood, which contains ah out twice as
much ammonia as does cotton 53d m > ii.
In other wards, it would take 7, >
ponud.s of c ftonseed meal to furnish
the 3 per cent of ammonia, while you
get the same result from the 503 pound;
of cottonseed meal and 120 pounds of
HOMER, BANKS COUNTY, GEORGIA: FEBRUARY 11, 1807.
THE VALUE 01?
CORN STALKS
A Subject of Great Importance
Handled by I.lr. Nesbitt.
COMMISSIONER A:T3\73!N QUERIES
E ;v to s "nvo Wit it ll.i* ilorotofore H©ti
K g.irtle.l by tho Farmer* of the South
uh a I'rnc: ic.itly Woi f lilo.*!* Product —Tho
U©*t iMrihmi of l'icktiii? Iseef—More
About Fr.iudtllout XV: til .z -r*.
Crr-STtOV --Yv .il yon kindly republish
inf ir-matioii as to the vaui of cum
ft.i'k-s and the method of converting
th, in into ft) hie ?
Axswsn —Wo Imva from time to lime
drain ; the List fjw y j;irj Write,’!! a : id
deal on this su' j -t. It i-: one of great
importance to farmers north and south.
Such, however, is the difii mity of chan ;•
iug established methods that farmer
as a rule, show very little interest
saving what they hare been taught
regard as a practically worthless prodn
The usual treatment of our corn still
is an extravagant waste of one of t
principal resources of our farmers. IT
farm rs have grown so accustomed t
seeing these stalks cither burned or im
perfectly plowed under that they regard
any attempt to utilize them as among
tho chimeras of “book farming.” No
general reform has ever been accom
plished in a day. 1 1 our effirts to in
duce an entire clia igo in this matter,
wa have been sustained by this fact, as
well as by the conviction, that a prac
tice so pregnant with goad results to
our agricultural interests must eventu
ally receive general recognition and in
dorsement. During a recent visit to tho
Georgia Experiment station, where ex
periments on this line have boon iti pro
cess of development for twn or tlireo
years. Ave found on inquiry that the cut
or s’iro ided stalks are eagerly oaten by
farm animals. A s.imp'.o of two or throe
wagon loads was sent to one of the prin
cipal livery siablos of the town in order
to test its value there, and the proprie
tor assured tho director that both
horses and mules ate it groodi'.y.
lie seemed to think that w.i.'h an
abundance of this forage tho long es
tablished, but exnrin’v.’, “fodder pull
iug” would become a thing of the past.
Others, who have mod the shroddod
fodder, bear testimony to the e tin i
facts. This fodder is also a first class
absorbent, and if, during the prosed of
feeding, any considoruVo amount is
thrown out in the stalls it is not thrown
away, but h ips to ret lin mu-h of the
the liquid manure, which, under care
mismanagement, is usually wasted.
For t io same re non it furnishes a i ex
cellent bedding for stock util inani
tion is soft itul comfortable to them.
Ihofe-s.>;■ O. il White, who is 100
Chris', at of the staliotl, tells u; that
shredded stailci contain ui ire uatritno it
than cottonseed hull*, which arc 11 >w s >
popular as a winter It Ini boon
, shown by analysis at tlir M iryi in 1 K.t
pertinent station that two and a li ilf
pounds of shredded stalk butts, that is
tho stalk after tho 100,705. e ira and t ipi
have beou t ikon off, are equivalent as
food to one pound of goal corn mo il,
while in fertilizing properties it out
ranks wheat, oat or 170 fit iw. At the
lowa station an au.ily-.is bus shown that
the shroildsvi fo liar is as valuable for
fi 'nliiip as their urn id Timothy h ly.
We are oouv.u ■ 1 that when these f1•• s
are generally a i.ier.stoo 1 by farm irs, it
will b) uuusjaas-iry to urg> thorn to
rave every part oft! • corn plant,
which appears above the gr mud utid
the result will ho st ir-shouint and
barns (idol to ov--rfl twiug wild a
nutrition;, wholcu.ni food w.iioh is
now allowed to rot in the Held.
As to tho b >-.t math id of
CTT3I.VI ts > ,sa;t2oD; .0 co ts stacks,
it has boon fm id that it is a savin ' of
labor as well as of tho nutritive proper
ties of too pr-tdaot to u and i.vn ari l
cure tho plant, o I'.i-e. to it in, rt tik,
btad’s, thinks, oari no 1 too. instead of
stripping tho blade v t ikiug off the top
ha;ks and ears and lnayin; the bars
stark sm i ling. That th t,i biro stalks
are v tluiblo, however, it sh mil bs
tnourioiie 1 boro, that it w.i -, tr ,ai such
stalk. at trio Georgia Espsidmeut Sta-
tio-i that the shredded f 0 I lor was m -.do
which called forth su:h f tv r adio com *
moot. To caw tho \vh do plant r.r
one- tin stalks should b) cut dnv 1
when tin; corn is well g’.az 1 i, but be
fore 111 ■ folder baai.ues tee dry. Those
stalks should the i be set up int i giio .ks
cf iICO or 399 stalki oach nut tied to
gether with binder’s twin 3 After
the in are cared t hoy miy, at any c-v
veuient ti.-ae, be h iu: -1 to the bam an i
put into the shredding m aching, which,
being ie 1 0:1. the wai priueiil.i as a,
threshing m ichine, tak.33 iuld of tho
stalks, shuck; and thro.vs the ears to
one side and convert* the rent Under of 1
the crop, tint is biales, shuck;, tops
god,-Talks. i..to a finely shrodde l fod-
Cdorn
is a vigorous feeder and t*e
spends wed to iieorai fertiliza
tion. On com jands the yield
increases end ui - soil improves
if properly tr kited with fer
tilizers cenimmng not under
O .-15
A y i\
IP? ••- re r-,IU
[r £ •; i; O
A tri:>! t ! ibis ; ' . > costs but
httlo and is s,, ■. to lead to
pro?)tab!' 'him.
, ivl l'?.i ? ■ ,i" ire Wy actual ex
t ?•!’" ■' in ih. United Stales—te
1, S'. an : '■ in■ul ~! 1 piadly
nai. wee tc ally 1..i.. . \ v. liow.il wiite fur it.
A • : .1 K.U . WORKS,
n f .:..,i ?t., X ~ y.i-k
cr which it also conveys, In mean* of n sliding
.'..line anil pulley*. directly into the barn
There machines are as yet expemdve, but any
man owning a small engine mat I,la' ■- it and a
slireddiijg nmehine pi otitable by shanking and
shredding the com crop on ’ares, as is now
done with the small grain crop,). Another
advantage of harvesting orn drop, beside .
utilising the entire plant reeding and fertilizing
purposes, is that the crop being
moved out of the way give
u chance for the fa ng ind the
sowing of fall grai . , -tohes, cri isoi
clover aud tlio ot!i >r winter crop:,
which are bngiuiiin.: 1 at true. 6so much
interest. Even if itrr.nv inion* tore
move the shocks from tlio ii ’. 1 ;.s soon
as curoil, they can, if they lmvo boon
put into regular rows, tha rows being
nr. far apart us possible, be hauled out
as is m >st convenient. Tho greater por
tion of the fiet-1 will thus bo cleared
ready for the plows. By this plan tho
whole plant will not only be utilized,
but the different parts are actually
made more valuable, because in the
shocks there is grontor protection against
the destructive effects of tho weather,
and afterwards loss \; tsta in hauling to
shcltor. Many enterprising farmers
have already adopted this plan, and we
trust that it, practice will ore long be
come universal.
Besides he large machine mentioned
above there aro are several smaller ma
chines on tin market run by horse and
hand power which aro suitable for cut
ting either tho cured stalks or any green
crop suitable for ensilage. When the
farmer? realize what a big loss is sus
tained in this yearly waste of forage
these machines will come into general
u.jp. They will tlion bo morn able to
keep more stock, in bortir condition,
and at less '•vpoiiss. This cat or slirod
ded forage is one of the most valuable
of stock feeds, both on account of its
sugar and starch content, and because
by utilizing it wo convert what is now
& waste product into paying farms.
This will enable us to Beil for tho cash
much of the hay and other kinds of
feed, which are now consumed on tho
farm. It has been shown by reasonable
calculation that in the one item of al
lowing their corn stalks to waste in the
h-lds, the farmers of the United States
lose annually $013,724,8:1:11
The advantage of tho cured cut fod
der over Silage is that 110 rsponaivo riio
is required for storing the fodder, and
also that the dry fori lor may, if pra
ferred, bo cut as needol, while the si
lage must bo cut at a certain stage of its
growth or it loses much of its value.
The bul.ctm of tho Maryland Throm-i
--mont fetation, College Park, Md , for
•March, ISO I, may bo had on application
and contains very full and valu.tb! - in
formation on this subject.—ot go Ac ;•
cultural Don irt ltietit.
“Curt- -Ik” in favor BBjjHH m B
of flood'd Sarsaparilla, y <£s S
as for no other medi- B fi tnk
cine. Its great cures recorded in truthful,
convincing language of g-ateful men and
women, constitute its most effective ad
vertising. Many of these cures are mar
- ious. They have won the confidence of
the people; have given Hood’s Sarsapa
rilla the largest sales in the world, and
have m-de necessary for its manufacture
ihegrea* st laboratory on earth. Hood’s
• sarsy--arijla is known by the cures it has
made cures of scrofula, salt rheum and
eczema, cures of rheumatism, neuralgia
and weak nerves, cures of dyspepsia, liver
troubles, catarrh cures which prove
Sarsaparilla
Is the best-in fact the One True Blood Purifier.
t * ] cure liver ills; easy to
JIOOCI S Pills take, easy to operate. 2sc.
WONDERFUL are the cures by i
Hood’s Sarsaparilla, and yet they
arc simple and natural. Ilood’s Sarsa
parilla make- PURE BLOOD.
TO
/MessTm/ftarCt/fftaiSßearAcTßJir atOuim Wmb/oh
Oj/e Eooos'-.aee the Best
Ooft P/s/ces ; -fte lowest AiißTTrit. .£3&L\
Hnn W P Hr./ ■ u n ,0.9,
B a© V i <D <J? * LI- j / L:L,ii L 5
ALL who are int-;:. Mitcd in fu. ttrLig-t f ;e sale of Hon.
VI. J. Bryan’s r,c\v : nncuid correspond im
mediately with the puhhiii: i he vverh v/ill contain
Jk L: ■ ’ tour. . .
f il'Z h. wife : ;
■ v f K> ■ • speed ~s .. . .
' cf £896.
“ /r "" Af ■■ sties? situation . .
“'■*■**' f'*. V. - ,J 1 arnw >-• -sanirmv'
■s> AGTNTO WANTED <-
Mr. Bryc i has announced Ids intention cf devoting
one-half of ail royalties to furthering the cause of
bimetallism. There are already indications of an enor
mous sale. Address
w. B. CONKEY CW?m, PuUhl :rs r
311-351 Dearborn St....CIiSCAGO.
NO. 40.