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NESBITT’S TALK
TO TH E FARMERS
Monthly Letter cf the Commis¬
sioner of Agriculture.
* IMPORTANT QUESTIONS DISCUSSED
Attention Ct»Ueil t» the Condition or Crop*
oo Tift (ids sui'pllod rt <lh !lum«*. In Coo
*r*.t to Those Where Coiuinai eial Ter
tlltrem Atom, Worn IVpeufled Upon to
Kun»i*h «>* Growth.
Department of Agriculture,
Atlanta, Nov. 1, 1893.
Our accounts for the year 1898 must
soon be made up. In summing up these
accounts, and in taking a general re¬
view of farm operations for tho past
year, there are certain facts, which stand
<mt in bold relief. It is from these that
We should deduce conclusions to be re¬
membered in planning for anil man
aging tho crops for another year, The
immunity of tho onrly plautod cotton
from many of the disastt rs which befell
the later plantings we have already re¬
ferred to, but we wish now to call at¬
tention to the condition of tho cotton
crop and indeed, of all crop* on lands
supplied with humus, in contrast to
those where the commercial fertilizer
alone was depended upon to supply all
the elements of plant growth. But, we
hear some farmers say, the commercial
fertilizers profess to contain all these el¬
ements, and if this is true, why need
we supply anything else, except the
necessary preparation and cultivation
of the land. This is in a measure reason¬
able. Reliable fertilizers do contain all
the main elements of plant appropri¬ growtn,
but in order that plants may
ate these elements to the greatest ad¬
vantage in the proper fruit, development certain condi¬ of
•talk, foliage ami
tions of the soil are absolutely neces¬
sary, se me of the most important of
which are moisture, a deep seed bed, a
fluoly pulverized surface. All of these
may be largely supplied by judicious
plans of preparation and cultivation,
but every experienced farmer knows
how much easier these conditions are
reached if there is plenty of vegetable
matter in tho soil. Iu such protr icted
drouths as we have suffered from tho
past season, the contrast iu the crops is
even more marked. In September of
the past season many cotton fields were
bare of both leaves and green bolls,
■while on lands well supplied with hu¬
mus, the frost, which came about the
middle of October, found the plants
still covered with leaves aud a top crop
of bolls maturing. At this writing all
further growth has been checked, but
even now the appearanco of these plants
is altogether different from those oil
lands from which almost every vestige
of vegetable matter has been used up.
Let us examine into some of
THE USES OF HUMUS,
and wc will at once understand the
wonderful effects its presence exercises
on all plaut growth. But before wo en¬
ter into this subject we must first un¬
derstand that by the term ••humus” wo
mean decaying vegetable matter. This
is of course at first unavailable, but by
gradual decomposition it becomes not
only available itself, but iu the process
of its own decomposition forms combi¬
nations, by which the surrounding soil
is also decomposed. Nearly every soil
is rich in the mineral elements of plaut
food, but in such form that we cannot
appropriate them to our use. As an
agent for unlocking these valuable stores
•‘humus” cannot bo too highly valued.
The process is partly as follows: The
decomposing vegetable matter or liumns
is constantly generating carbonic acid,
which is known to be a powerful solvent
of mineral substances. The carbonic
acid thus formed uniting, with the soil
water, becomes the powerful, though si¬
lent agent, by which we break down
and dissolve immense deposits of plant
food otherwise useless, because insolu¬
ble iu water alone,
EFFECTS or .HUMUS ON DIFFERENT SOILS.
Another benefit derived from hnmus
is its mechanical effect on different
■oils. It loosens stiff clay soils, in¬
creases their power to take up water
from rains, and also to absorb moisture
aud gases from the atmosphere. On
loose saifdy soil its office is to bind it to
• gather—make it more compact. This
will prevent the rains from carrying off
tho available plant food, and enables
the soil to hold whatever moisture there
may be deposited in it. A porous soil
of this kind, when tilled with humus,
has also the power in very large degree
of absorbing moisture from the air.
This may be illustrated at any time by
an examination of such soil, but is more
marked during a drouth, or early in tho
morning. Lauds, which are well filled
with hums , whether they be stiff clay
lands suffer or from the lighter samiy soils, do not
drouth to the same degree
as lands destitute of vegetable matter,
aud the stillest clay soils, well supplied
with hnmus, rarely bake or crust even
during a drouth.
water holding power of humus.
The addition of humus to the soil not
only increases its power of absorption
from the atmosphere, but during dry
weather the soakage in the subsoil is
constantly returning toward the sur¬
face, where the humus will hold it and
prevent The its escape into tho atmosphere.
amount of water needed for healthy
plant development cannot be reduced
without injury to crops, but we may, by
the use of humus and other means, no¬
tably, shallow surface cultivation and
destruction of ail unnecessary plants
and weeds, which also draw on the wa¬
ter supply, control for the use of our
growing crops the reserve supplies of
moisture, which would otherwise be
•vnporated into the atmosphere or ap¬
propriated by grass and weeds. That
HUMUS IS A SOURCE OF NITROGEN
has also beeu proven. This is the
more When es plemeil pecially from peavines and clover
true all uuder. but is measurably
of decaying vegetation.
HUMUS ABSORBS HEAT.
By dnrkeuing tho soil humus certainly
increases its power to absorb heat. This
is a very important fact, to those who
realize the necessity of pushing forward
their crups iu the early spring.
HUMUS IS NOT ____________ FAVORABLE TO w INSECT ,,, ^vT bclTg LIFE
The carbonic acid gv w b ia
.* *” generated iff all lands * supplied with hu
■ \- l". A i n
son that crops on fresh land are freei
from blight and disease than on old
land, where commercial fertilizers alone
have been used for several successive
years, with the result that nearly every from
vestige of humus has disappeared
the soil.
RTE,
as an improver of the land, takes almost
the same place in winter that peas do in
summer. It also prevents washing. 11
may be sown all through the fall and it
a valuable green food for stock during
winter. Turned under during early
spring it contributes a large share of the
needed humus to the soil. Even the
natural growth of
WEEDS AND GTS APS,
which spring up after every cultivated
crop, can be turned under and made tc
do duty in manufacturing plant food foi
fnture crops. Don’t wait for heavy
frost to destroy tho most valuable con¬
stituents in these spontaneous crops,
but turn them under they as soon will as possi¬ only
ble. Treated thus not
decompose, but, if the furrows are only
partly turned, they will keep tho soil
open and porous, and prevent washing
by gathering up the winter rains and
storing them in lower depths. If the
vegetable growth is very heavy, an ap¬
plication of lime will be found to hasten
decomposition. It also helps to liberate
otherwise unavailable materials con¬
tained in the soil. In executing this
FALL PLOWING
lay off the beds across the fall of ths
land, so that the water will not run iu
the line of the plow and wash away the
soil. If this precaution is observed
washing will be checked and tho water
will eventually roach a lower level by a
glower aud less destructive process. • It
will thus be seen that in
SUPPLYING LAND WITII HUMUS
we are furnishing one of the most need¬
ful, as well as most important, helps to
our agriculture, lecause we give the
laud, besides the actual plaut food which
we put into it, the power to appropriate
aud supply to our growing crops the
locked up elements which it already
contains. It is not yet too late to sow
WHEAT,
but every effort should be made by
cross plowing, harrowing and rolling to
put tire land iu the very best possible
condition.
oats
may also he sown. In the Atlantic and
Gulf stateR the crop stands a bettei
chance to escape winter killing when
sown late than in higher latitudes. The
protracted drouth prevented the early
seeding of this crop, aud many farmers
Will take the chances now. As a gen¬
eral rule, however, it is safer when the
sowing is so long delayed to defer it un¬
til after Christmas. All of these green
crops furnish more or loss humus to the
soil, but rye more especially is an im¬
prover of tho land. Where it is possi¬
ble all unoccupied land should be seeded
in some one of these greeu crops. Few
farmers have carefully studied this
question of protecting their lands from
washing aud from deterioration. It
Should be their aim to secure both these
conditions at tho smallest possible cost.
If the wonderful processes of nature arc
observed, aud her laws carefully fol¬
lowed in prosecuting this important
work, iu other words, if we will give
her the necessary raw materials at tho
proper time, she will at once take hold
of them ami begin the important work
of converting them into valuable plaut
food, to be ready for the demands of tho
spring crops. The work of
COMPOSTING
nil available materials should bo stead¬
ily followed all during tho winter. One
can scarcely employ his spare time more
profitably than in gathering up and pro
paring to give back to his land some
part of what he has been taking from
it year after year. The stables should
be supplied with bedding, aud the accu¬
mulated manure, liquid and solid, should
he removed as often as necessary. It
not composted or put under shelter, it
should be hauled at once and spread on
the land rather than allowed to lose
some of its most valuable constituents
by being thrown out into tho open barn¬
yard.
fattening hogs
should not be kept after they are in con¬
dition for good pork. The plan is to
push them now, to be ready for the first
cold spell. We have generally found
that pork killed before Oliistmas stands
a be tier chance for keeping than that
killed later. We cannot expect the best
quality of meat unless all the details ol
cleanliness and comfort are attended to.
See that there is plenty of clean food
and pure water, and that the pens arc
kept free of filth.
R. T. Nesbitt, Commissioner.
Planting Oat*.
Question.— I want to plant a large
oat crop: would you advise me to plant
it all now, nnd what kiud of seed oats
would you recommend?
Answer. —On account of the frequent
wiuter-killiug of oats, I would advise
planting half your laud now, and the
rest of your crop iu the spring. In this
way you do not take the risk of having
all your crops killed, and are moderately
6ure of at least a partial crop. If your
laud is rich, or if you propose to fertil¬
ize, I would recommend the winter
grazing oat. They stand the cold bet¬
ter than any other variety, and on good
laud will make you a fine crop, sow
from a bushel and a half to two bushels
per acre. Should yon not be able to get
these, or if your land is only fairly good,
sow the Texas rust-proof oats, and for
fall sowing, always use seed from fall
sown oats, as they are without doubt
mors hardy than seed from those sowed
in the spring. Foryour spring planting
use the Burt oat, sowing at least a
bushel aud a half to the acre. The Burt
oat is very light, and therefore not as
valuable for feeding as other varieties,
but it grows off rapidly and matures
early, aud there is more certainty of a
crop from them than from any othei
variety, when sowed in the spring.
Don’t be afraid to fertilize your land foi
the oat- crop, for none responds more
readily to thorough preparation than
this, the cheapest and best food crops
for ocr horses and mules. After taking
off t>te ° * to tl ' ,rt «unun«r,. don’t failtc
the land in peas, and thus keep up
the fertility of. your fields,—State Agri
* ! *1; P*-*
a uurJl i biMN ■ •
ANSWERS
TO INQUIRIES
Commissioner Nesbitt’s Ques¬
tion Box For the Month.
VALUABLE INFORMATDN GIVEN
Whjr So Ftw Sh»«p Art In Otorjl*.
Morn About th« Hire Cotton Tie— Jem
mIhh Artichoke* »a a Fond Fur Hoc*
and How t.» Plant Them—Importance of
the Selection of Good Seed.
Qubbtion.— Why is it that in Georgia,
many parts of which state are pecu¬
liarly adapted to sheep raising. th*re are
so few sheep raised? One would suppose
that if properly managed it could he
made a most profitable business.
Answer. —In southern Georgia there
are a good many sheep raised. Several
yonrs ago one of the largest sheep own¬
ers there reported that he clipped an¬
nually 00 cents worth of wool from
sheep, which cost him only 14 cents a
head in expenses. There is only one
reason why sheep husbandry is not one
of the lending industries of the state,
and that is, there is no law for their
protection against the dogs which roam
at will through the country. It has
been said by men of experience that one
acre well sodded in Bermuda grass will
support five sheep nine months of each
year. This was on ordinary land, which
had not yielded profitable returns in
other crops. For the remaining three
months We have other crops, such as
rye, turnips, barley, potatoes and the
hardy native grasses, all of which can be
grown in abnndnnce. The sheep more
than pay for their keep in fhe increased
fertility of land on which they are folded.
One hundred sheep regularly folded
will fertilize eight acres of land to such
a degree as will enable it to double the
crops produced on it. Besides the added
value to the lands in the droppings we
have the crop of wool and the in rease of
the flock, which last may be reasona¬
bly calculated as 00 per cent of the
whole. Nor are these all. The charac¬
ter of the crops required to support the
sheep are just those needed to recuper¬
ate our too often exhausted lands. Ber¬
muda is particularly adapted to these
lands and the grass roots serve to hold
the soil together and prevent the wash¬
ing away of the accumulating vegeta¬
ble matter. Many worn fields could bo
thus rehabilitated, that now offer no
encouragement to cultivation in other
crops. We trust the day will dawn
when the present difficulties in the way
of successful sheep raising will be re
moved, and instead of about 500,009, the
present number of sheop iu the stato,
Georgia will contain at least 8,000,000
or 4,000,000. Our mild winters and
early springs give us many advantages,
of which growers north of us are de¬
prived. In somo sections of the stato
the sheep receive no attention beyond
the annual clipping, and until the price
of wool was so much reduced they were
even under this careless management
found profitable. If more attention
were given to raising crops for them, to
improving the breeds, and to the gen¬
eral care of the flocks, there is no rea¬
son, except the one mentioned, why
sheep raising should not be made profit¬
able in our section. An experienced
sheep raiser iu Southeastern Georgia
once said to me, that it was cheaper in
that section to raise a sheep than a
chicken, because the chickenB had to be
fed, while the only attention the' sheep
received was an occasional salting.—
State Agricultural Department.
How to Tel I the Age ef She.p,
Question.— How can I tell the age of
sheep?
Answer.—B y examining the front
teeth. The first year, eight small teeth
make their appearance. The second
year the two middle ones are shod, and
two teeth of much larger size take their
place. The third year two other small
teeth are shed, one on each side of the
two center teeth, and they are replaced
by two large teeth; thus giving them
four large teeth in front, on each side
of which are two small, pointed ones.
In tho fourth year, this process is re¬
peated, the animal then having six large
teeth in front, flanked on each side by
one small tooth. In the fifth year the
last of the small teeth are lost, and are
replaced by large ones, thus giving them
eight large front teeth. In the sixth
or seventh year, they generally begin
to drop out, and if not they will begin
to break or show signs of wearing.—
State Agricultural Department.
Wire Tie*.
Question. —I notice that there is
much complaint from compresses as to
the wire ties with which some of the
cotton has been baled. Are these the
same ties of which you speak in your
last mouth’s report, or are there other
patents on the market?
Answer.— There have been several
ties used, all more or less unsatisfactory
on account of the inflexible quality of
the wire, light weight and inconvenient
methods of fastening. Most of these
are single, large wires, without buckles
or other means of fastening quickly and
securely. The Hitt patent wire tie, to
which we called attention last month,
consists of two flexible wires, with pat
eut buckle, which can be quickly and
securely adjusted, and weighs 50 pounds
*° the bundle. Wherever this has been
tried it has proven not only equal to,
but superior iu many respects, to the
tie. Had it been patented earlier in
seasou, then u no doubt that it
UP TO DATE!
-----------
That h True Of Our
2.® and Notions a c T3 a ^
We have the la'est and most ylisli patterns— cc O = —
PLEASE ALL THE LADIES
And leave a surplus in
the purse.
]V[illineiy goods.
We have the handsomest line of Millinery ever brought to
Conyers and Mrs. Eaks will sell you a hat (hat you can be jusdy
proud of.
A CUSTOMER PLEASED IS OUR BEST
ijTiiTiiiiim
WE WILL TRY TO PLEASE YOU.
J. J. LANGFORd.
DELICATE
BFLAUFXEIjD'8
FEMALE
REGULATOR.
IT IS ft SUPERB TONIC and
exerts a wonderful influence in
strengthening her system by
driving through the proper chan¬
nel aii impurities. Health and
strength are guaranteed to result
from its use.
My wife was BRADF1KLD bedridden for FEMALE eighteen months,
after using S REGU¬
LATOR for two months, is getting well.—
J. M. JOHNSON, Malvern, Ark.
BBlDFTEUl REGULATOR CO., ATLANTA, 6A.
Bald by *11 Oruggiati »* *1.00 *•• bottle.
"trtf v Vi
K. »
X
Vk K
h m 4
h Of * 2 &
K 'a ■Ji
!/n„,L
V l
•saj
>J> i/J.
\
V v
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Superior To All Sarsaparillas.
4 wh»t
Down In Georgia, over fifty years ago, a marvelous medicine was discovered. It was
Is now known as P. p. P., ( Lippman's Great Remedy ), and its fame and reputation has beea
growing with the years. joint*
For Rheumatism, Blood Poisoning, Pain In the side, wrists, shoulders, back tnd
Dyspepsia, Malaria, Scrofula, and all Blood and Skin Diseases, it has never been equalled. banished
Its wonderful Pam is subjugated, influence. Health Renewed, Appetite restored and sleepless nights
P. P. P. is a wonderful tonic and strengthener. Weak women should always tax*
V P. P. P. It builds them up. It has the universal commendation of medical men throughout
the country, because we publish the formula on every bottle, and one trial will connate tl*
most skeptical that it it .i ger cine health restorer.
Read The Truth And Be Convinced;
A Wonderful Cure. ccllent thing. We handle about on* dottfl tottlwi
X was a martyr to mutcuttr rheuraatisrt f f: thirty Bra'. J. M. * M. T. RICHARDSON, Fitdmost, S. C
years; trie*! ail medicines and doctors wit*. no per
tnaaenl relief. I was advised to take P. P. P-. and
befote X had finished two bottles my j-.qip subsided Hot Springs 8urp«M«ch
»o X wasable to work. X feel better t.t i. 1 have for I®®*®**
n years, and ssa confident of a complete recovery. A bottle of P. P. P., ha* done me more
J. S. DUPRISS. KcwnanviUe, Fta. three months’ treatment at the Hot 6pnag«, Brown Atx.
JAMES M. NEWTON, Abcrdee*.
Testimony from the Mayor. ft
f suffered with Rheumatism for fifteen years, tried Pimples. Sores and Eruption* Curod.
•!l the so-called specifics, but to no purpose. My take great pleasure in testlfyinf to tht *»*■»
grandson sot me • bottle of P. P. and X feel like a I medicine »kia
new man. qualities cf the popular lor
W. H. WILDER, of Albany, known as r. 1>. P. I suffered lor Kveral ytM» *
Mayor an unsightly and disagreeable eruption on tor
/i After taking three bottle* in »ccord»nce with cap¬
i From Two Well-known Physicians. tions, 1 am entirely cured. JOHHSTOR.
We *re having a big sale for your P. P. P., and C*pt- J- D- Johaiton*^
wc prescribe it in a greatmany cases, and find it an ex* Savannah. Ca. , of ;
. mi
The above letters are taken from many received by ns. P. P. P., {LiPP m **
.
Great Remedy,) is a medicine whose virtues are known from the Atlantic to the ?*«***•
P. P. P. begins its work by purifying the blood, which is the source of all l* Ie i
\ *>nd does not cease until a perfect and entire cure is effected.
The mortifying eruptions that disfigure the complexion, the tired feeling that pj*"
vents thorough accomplishments of the daily tasks, sleepless nights, loss of
irritability of disposition, all mean a derangement of the system consequent fro® ■
a to impure be P. the blood, P. Greatest P. which ( Lippman’s can Blood and Great Purifier will be Remedy), cured of the by is Age. P. conceded P. P. It positively by physicians and and pemanMW thepwp ® .. ’ii
cures. For sale by all druggists or direct from us; price |i a bottle, six bottles faf tv
IIPPMJIB BROS •» nOftllTOM, HU Lippman Block. SAVANNAH. 8A * A I*
r /"s
~rn T
CTri' ' . »*
tV? Gr .k
•i.-: --- CSC* ' 1 ■ iVi'i '
Read our ‘adds. ’
Amid
v"®r
Maker W/M Jeweler
iS.
Office in Johnson’s tin
shop on Commerce street.
Repairing ot all Mi (Line iiromptly.
Bring in your time-pieces and
have them pud in good running
order.
ssipg Ot»
0 >’ advert! ^ernentg
} on money if »jjj
them. you kill
IU
LITTLJ tl
ONES
Are the j°y and sunlight
homes. Use all care to \
little {
ones in health. Do N
them nauseous doses. yJ
overcome their troubles tJ
King’s
Royal Germeti
They all like to take it
does not taste like a nt
but like a lemonade. overcoj It cures]
in young children,
bowel troubles, gives good did
and quiet, healthful sleep.
As a tonic for weak child J
as a remedy for use in teething
the greatest in the world.
CSPSold by Druggists, new;
large bottle, 10S Doses, One
Manufactured only by
The Atlanta Chemloi! Co., II
Writs for fg-rnge Boot, lillei
FOR SALE BY
DR. W. H. LEE, Dri