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FARMS AND FARMERS.
SUOIT TALKS WITH THE NEK WHO
G VIDE THE FLO IF.
Many Questions About the Farm Answered
by the Agricultural Editor of The
Weekly Constitution.
Please look ahead and send in Inquiries
early—ordinarily an answer may not be ex
pected under three weeks. Never request
an answer by mail; the editor has no time
to spare for writing private letters.
Never ask where an article can be had or
the price. Editors have no better sources
of information about these than other peo
ple. The editor has nothing for sale and is
not interested in anything advertised in
the paper. ——
'"Options of any character concerning the
farm will be cheerfully answered by the
editor of this department. Jnquiler* will
please make their questions clear and to t
point. The editor of this department w I
give all questions close research and win
give the readers of The Constlti tion the
benefit of anv information that can bo
tallied on all questions propounded. t .
Address communications for thw depnri
tuent to THE CONSTITUTION,
U arm and Farmers’ limit■) Atlanta.
Hnisinu I«o«» Corn.
’ Mr. W. B. Alexander, Felix, ?' la ” ) ,y i ‘ s ’ bv
- 'Tn
department) give place to .. lr
tail Mr. Alexander is correct, ■ - •
Oclesbv is wrong- according to our judg
ment. It will not do to rely largely on corn,
or grain of any kind, to grow pork. Mr.
(Alexander concludes by saying.
-What crop will make the best (an end
less) rotation for hog feed?
in replv. wo say it depends very much on
tho conditions and circumstances-and
largelv on the man and managem. nt. Some
crops that afford excellent food for growing
hogs will succeed in one section, or on one
farm, and fail on another. Red clover is
one of these crops. The first requisite is a
Kood thriftv breed of hogs—not necessarily
thoroughbred or high-priced animals. It is
doubtless wise to use a thoroughbred male,
but good thrifty, dark-colored, smalled
b | ed. short-legged sows will answer for
brood sows. It is easy to ‘‘grade up, 11
Hesired. The next requisite is a good
pasture, not necessarily a large area, but
e field of grass, with some woodland, and
clear, pure water. Red clover is good for
hogs, especially during late winter and
epring. Burr clover is claimed to make an
excellent winter pasture, and especially for
hogs, and the same land may be also set
In bermuda grass, thus making an all-the
year-round pasture. But the hogs must be
taken off the burr clover from March until
Jt blooms and matures seed in May. During
this time, the herd could enjoy a rye
pasture, but should have a daily ration of
corn or other grain.
We have found the sorghums a good
crop for hogs, to be cut and thrown to
them as soon as the seed have come into
milk. Then corn cut in roasting ear. But
v e like to have forgot lucerne—the southern
clover. Ilogs are fond of it, and it is really
more nutritious tha nred clover. Then
Spanish peanuts, common Georgia peanuts
(for succession) will afford rooting from
July to Christmas, or until they “give out.”
We do not sufficiently appreciate the sweet
potato crop as a hog food, and especially
for fattening. The writer has made* as
pice, firm, sweet bacon from potatoes alone
<for fattening) as any one could reasonably,
desire. But a little corn (and we believe a
small ration of cotton seed meal) would
help very much. The sweet potato is not
quite as concentrated a food as we could
wish to fatten rapidly. Probably’ the Rus
sian sunflower, which is easily raised and
quite productive, might be grown to ad
vantage as a hog food. The heads may be
cut and stored to be fed at convenience,
and the seeds are very nutritious and fat
tening. The artichoke is another crop that
is easily grot/iX quite productive, even on
ordinary soils, and almost as fattening (but
not so palatable as the sweet potato. Nor
should the value of the old long-legged,
blue-stem, Georgia, collard be overlooked,
or underestimated. It is especially fitted
for young and growing hogs, being nutri
tious rather than fattening. This is some
times quite an all-the-year-round cron.
Plants may be set out in March or April
and will be ready to commence using
(thinning out) in a month, furnish leaves
for priming ail summer and fall, and until
seeding time next spring. (Will somebody
try collards?) It is a good plan not to
rely’ on any one or two resources, but
rather four or five, or moe. Another point
should be stressed: Very few, if, indeed,
any hogs should be carried through a
winter, excepting, of course, the bleeders.
A two-year-old hog is not so profitable a
pork producer as a one-year-old. A nine
or ten months old pig makes the best and
cheapest pork. Breeding should 1. so ar
ranged that the sows will furrow in March
and tho pigs pushed from birth to butcher
ing. Christmas should find the meat in
the smok< house, except a few left over to
prolong the delights of spare-ribs, back
bones, etc. A pig should have all he will
cat from the beginning to tho end of his
life; the first six or seven months’ food
to make muscle and bone, etc.; the next
two or three months to produce fat and
muscle both. R. J. REDDING.
FARM AND QUESTION BOX.
Various Subjects on Which the Farmers
Ask Information.
J. J. W. S., Lawrenceburg, Tenn.—Plea©
inform me: 1. The best time and condition
to dig sweet potatoes.
2. The best way to save them through the
Vinter in the latitude of southern Tennes-
I save them pretty well in cold weather,
but the warm weather we often have in
■the winter has been too much for me. I
usually plant to raise frome one hundred
to two hundred bushels for spring sale. I
have a building wry warm but well ven
tilated.
There is no “royal” or never-failing plan
for keeping potatoes. Sometimes they will
rot, more or less, in spite of every ordinary
precaution. It is one of the questions that
has not yet been solved by the experiment
stations. But there are several points upon
which most observers are agreed. The po
tatoes should be dug just before a killing
frost, or immediately’ after a moderate
frost, and, if possible, when the ground 'is
dry. When the ground has been dry for
some time the tubers will have ceased to
grow and will not be so full of sap. They
should be permitted to dry during tho day,
and put up in .hills or banks of thirty to
forty bushels. There should be under the
potatoes a bod of dry straw. A ventilated
box should stand in the center of the hill,
around which the potatoes should bo heaped
ns steep as they will lie. Cover the hill sev
eral inches thick with dry corn stalks, or
broom sedge, or loose straw and then
boards, regularly disposed so as to be prac
tically rain proof. Then cover all with
soil dug from around the base of the hills.
Cover lightly—four or five inches—at first
with the soil, but increase the thickness by
fresh soil un’il it is twelve inches deep be
fore winter fully sets in. The heavy cov
ering will protect them from both cold and
heat during the winter and early spring.
J. W. E., Scale Works, Ga.—l have a
mule nine years old that seems to be weak
in his loins, eats hearty, will lie flown to
roll and can get up by himself. Will you
phase give me a remedy.
You do not describe the symptoms with
sufficient fullness to enable a proper diagno
sis. He has probably inflammation or some
one of two or three affection of the kidneys.
Ee careful that he is not overfed on highly
stimulated food. Give a dose of one pint of
castor oil. Give absolute rest in a warm
stall, and a dose of one drachm of Dover’s
powders daily, to induce sweating. Keep
a blanket on him, unless the weather is
quite warm. Blankets wrung out of hot
water and persistenly applied to the loins
is a good treatment, and may be followed
by rubbing into the hair a thin paste of
mustard and water, and covering it with a
thf WEEKLY CONSTITUTION; ATLANTA. GA. TUESDAY. MAP.OH 20, 1894.
piece of paper and then the blankets. Keep
it on for an hour. Then sponge off the
mustard and replace the blanket. After the
bowels have been well opened with the
oil, give each day two or three ounces
Glauber's salts. These remedies are harm
less, and may effect a cure.
G. T. W.. Five Forks, Ga.—l. Please in
form me through The Constitution if
would not be best to give terraces, or
grade ditches as you call them, just enough
fall to gracefully bear the water to tbe
edges of small fields or to certain mtches
in large fields that would carry it otf. Is
it possible for men of common means o
build terraces that will hold al! of tne
water on the ground during h .o Hnd-
2. I am cleaning some old pine tiel 1 land
would it be best for the land to burn it
oft clean and point in cotton or let thf
straw remain and plant the land in P«as «r
sow it broadcast in peas? if the latter
be best what kind of plows would be best
tO 3 1 What L klnd n of"guano would be best for
old red land that has been lying out seveial
vears and grown up in bermuda grass and
broomsedge? What kind of a harrow woi d
be best to get the bermuda. out after the
ground has been thoroughly broken.
1 Our experience is that it is best to run
the terrace banks on a perfect dead level.
If grade is given a terrace bank it is no
longer a terrace, but a grade ditch. Some
times it may be well to grade the last hun
dred feet or so when approaching the
woods, or some natural water run. Me
think it is generally impracticable to so
construct a terrace that it will retain all
the water that might fall in a heavy lain.
The idea is to have the terrace such a per
fect level that the water will not be inclin
ed to break over at any particular place,
but will flow over all along the terrace in
a thin sheet, whibh will generally do little
or no harm.
2. An old pine field newly cleared up is
not the place for peas, i. e., it does not par
ticularly need a renovating crop. We would
burn off the straw (so late as this) and then
manage—fertilizer and all—as nearly as
possible just as you would manage soils
adjacent.
3. The same kind as you would use on
adjoining or similar land. Harrow the Ber
muda with a cutaway or spading harrow.
R. E. H..‘ Randolph, Ala.—l. Will it pay
to raise onions sets for sale?
2. How should the land be prepared, and
at what time should the seed be sowed.
3. What is the yield per acre.
4. At what time should they be taken up.
and full particulars about how to take care
of them. You would do me a great lavor
by answering the foregoing questions
through the columns of your paper
1. Os course it pays to raise onion sets for
sale, or nobody would raise them. But
very much depends on the man, as in every
thing else.
2. Select clean land, that has been some
years in a clean crop. Rich land is not
necessary. Plow shallow but close, and
harrow until in fine condition. Day off
rows with a sharp stick, or a very small
garden hoe, 12 inches apart and sow seed
in February, or early in March.
3. Don't recall the yield per acre.
4. Take the sets up when the tops turn
yellow and commence to fall over. Let
them dry in heaps laid on some brush or
straw to keep them well aired. Better make
a contract with some dealer in seeds to
take your crop before you plant.
W s L.. Plantersville, Ala. —I have a new
ground cleared in November and December
last, that I intend planting in cotton this
vear When would be best to burn off, and
how should it be prepared before planting.
"Would phosphate do for a fertilizer. If so.
bow much is required per acre? The above
is old field pine, red, sandy land.
Burn off whenever it is convenient and
the brush, etc., are dry. No special or pe
culiar treatment is necessary. Prepare as
you would original new ground. Phosphate
is always in order, whenever iertilizing is
required, but, as a general rule, a complete
fertilizer gives the most satisfactory re
sults, especially when heavy manuring is
Intended. There ought never to have been
any “old pine fields” in this country. The
true policy is to increase the productive
ness ' ' commencing with
the Yirse or st dlt. i'Veaf after clearing away
the original forest. An old pine field that
has lain out fifteen or twenty years, affords
a good opportunity for reform practice.
Fix up a mixture of 250 pounds of acid, 120
pounds of cotton seed meal, and 75 pounds
of kainit for each acre if to be planted in
cotton. Twice as much would probably
give you a bale to the acre.
J. D. McC., Greenwood, Tex., writes a
very long letter, to ask a few question.
(Dear correspnodents, please don’t waste
time and space with long introductions,
etc., but go right to the point in as few
words as possible.)
1. Land that will produce 75 to 80 bush
els of corn and only one bale of cotton
should never be put in cotton. The land
you describe would probably produce rice
very well, say 50 to 75 bushels per acre.
2. Sugar cane ought also to yield well. It
is now too late to think of planting sugar
cane. February and early March are the
only times to plant. There is no secret in
planting and cultivating cane. Plant in
wide, deep, furrows, 5 to 6 feet (apart.
Double the stalks and fertilize with cotton
seed (or meal), karfit and acid phosphate.
Such land would not require much fertiliz
ing.
3. Peanuts yield from 30 to 60 bushels pet
acre on fair land. Plant in March or April.
But they prefer high, dry land,
4. Onions would probably be a good crop
on the richest, but dryest, portions.
5. See editorial about raising hogs. We
cannot take space to tell one man “all we
know about all the crops that are good for
hogs or cattle, time and mode of planting,”
etc. It is asking too much at qne time. We
are crowded for both time and space.
To E. I*. 8., Hooper, Ga.—Your friend's
mule is afflicted with fistula of the withers.
'l'o treat it effectually requires the free use
of the knife, and you should have a man
who understands it to perform the work.
The sinuses (or pus tubes) must be opened
up from bottom to top. If there is a
large hollow space on top of the shoulders,
between the skin and bone, cut the skin
open in the direction of the length of the
horse from side to side of the open space.
You will probably find the ends of the bones
exposed and rough and diseased. The dis
eased parts must be cut away witli forceps
or fine saw and treated with: Hydroehlo-h:
acid, two drachms; water, half pint. Apply
twice a day directly to the diseased bone.
Dress the pus openings or pipes twice a
day for a week with solution of two
drachms bluestone in half a pint of water.
After one week change this wash to one
made of carbolic acid, one part, to water
thirty parts. Inject into the pipes three
times a day. Then after a week change to
the other wash, and so on, alternating every
week. It is a shame that the case has
been permitted to run on so long.
Subscriber, Hoffman, N. C.—Please in
form me if feeding mules on rice straw
will cause lameness or diseased hoofs. It
has been used here in the last year or two
to a great extent for hay and every one
who has fed it has mules with sore hoofs.
We have never before heard of such a
result attributed to feeding oat straw. It
would seem an easy matter to determine
with certainty whether the oat straw
caused the lameness by feeding one-half
of a lot of mules on oat straw and the
other half on something else. It is pos
sible that it is thrush, caused from standing
in filthy lots or stalls. See reply to B. W.
E., Isom, Ga., in this or next week’s issue.
To E. D. S., Cherryville,~N7”C.— We iu-g
pardon, but we cannot make out two words
essential to the meaning. You say the
horse “that is worked »»»*»♦ The
last two words can’t be made to mean
anything. You say the horse is stiff in his
hind legs and hips. He is seventeen years
old. Give him a tablespoonful of James
town weed seeds (Jimson weed) in bran
once a day for four days. Then stop four
days, then four days again, and so on until
he eats heartily. Rub well and blanket
him when cool.
W. G. R., Brogdon, Ga.—Please give full
information relating to the planting, culti
vating jmd saving or curing of our common
Indian corn as a forage or hay crop, I
wish to know the time of planting (in mid
dle Georgia), distance of. the rows apart,
thickness in the drill, stage for cutting,
etc.
We thought corn forage, 1. e., thick-sown
corn, cut and cured, had grown out of date.
Twenty years ago it was “all the go” with
some farmers, but our own experience was
that thick corn, cut and cured, made but
poor forage, and was difficult to cure, and
we soon gave it up. We think it is better
to give reasonable distance, so that the
stalks will have good ears. The forage,
aside from the ears, will be much more nu
tritious than when crowded together and
forced Into an unnatural and immature
mass of spindling stalks. But there may
be some farmers who still follow the prac
tice, and they are invited to g.ve their
experience and deails of how to do it.
To B. W. E., Isom, Ga.—lt is very proba
bly a case of thrush, characteristic symp
toms of which are the rotting away of the
frog, the discharge of very offensive matter,
the deep cleft between the heels and the
closing in of the latter. Trim off all dead
and ragged portions of the frog, clean out
all the holes and crevices with a knife.
Then apply a linseed or a boiled turnip
poultice with fresh burned charcoal, pow
dered, over the surface. After twenty-four
hours, clean It all off and dress all the af
fected parts with calomel well introduced
into every crack and crevice with a case
knife. Repeat this once or twice, letting a
day intervene. When it is all dried up dress
with tar. Keep the horse on a clean, firm
floor, with clean straw under his feet.
To C. E. 8., Erin, Ala. —This is another
and well-marked case of thrush. Use the
same treatment recommended for the mule
of B. W. E. , Isom, Ga., above. Mare mules
generally have thrush worse in hind feet;
horse mules worse in fore feet, for obvious
reasons. Standing in filth is the cause of
thrush.
D. H. C., Lakeland, Fla., also has a
case of thrush, and he says it is very com
mon in his section. He is also referred to
treatment given in reply t(J B. W. E.,
Isom, Ga., above.
Reader, Gainesville, Ga., and C. I’. S.,
Basil Springs, Tex., do not give their names.
Our columns are too crowded to give place
to inquiries without a name, but are open to
those who comply with the rule. (See head
of this department.) The name will not lie
published unless the inquiry invites cor
respondence.
J. N. Borum, Lockesburg, Ark., wants
some one to inform him where he can find
some thoroughbred Essex hogs for sale.
To E. F. 11., Brooklyn, Va.—lt is a case of,
shoulder lameness. Foment the joint o'
the shoulder three times a day with hot
salt water, half hour at a time. "When it
lias dried rub well in a liniment made as
follows: 1 our.ee each of liquor ammonia,
tincture arnica, tincture opium, turpentine
and alcohol, and water to make one pint.
Do this morning and night.
E. l'\ IL. (?)—Wood ashes'arc rich in
lime and potash, and also contain some
phosphoric acid. It is best to bed on them,
say 10 or 20 bushels per acre. You should
also use some cotton seed meal, say 200
pounds to every 200 of the ashes.
T.. J. Standifer,, (Chapel Hill., Ala., is af
flicted with a tetter which causes his hand
to chap very badly in winter. To any on.
who will send him a recipe to cure the tet
ter, he will send a recipe for enlarged ton
sils and other diseases that has been worth
s.a)o to him. (The editors’ better half re
commends Cuticura Resolvent, Cuticurd
Salve and Cuticura Soap..
To \V. T. rl., Seuppernong, N. C.—l. W
cannot tell you the value. You may com
post or mix with aciil phosphate 200 pounds,,
kainit 100 pounds, with 1,000 to 2,000 pounds’
of the fish, or you may put all into tin
furrow and bed on it at once.
2. We cannot say what is the mat*
with your pigs, but it may Jv
are infested with trichina spiralis..
3. See that every part of the plow gear
fits properly. It is often a bad habit and
difficult to account for.
R. M. K., Neva, S. ('.—Your description
of the symptoms is quite meager, but we
suspect that your sow had what is common
ly called staggers. Cold water poured on
the head from a considerable height is the
first remedy. If this does not relieve bleed
ing must be resorted to—bleed from the
jugular vein. At tile same time give an in
jection of four ounces epsom salts, two
drachms spirits turpentine and half pint of
soapsuds.
'Tim, Dud. Fla.—l have a mare twelve
years old that has a swelling on one of her
hind legs just above her hoof, it is swol
len now all the way up to the stifle joint.
She has good use of the leg, and the swell
ing reduces some when she is used, but
swells up again at night. Iler leg seems to
be hard all the time. Her hoof on that leg
is wrinkled and seems to grow slow. Her
leg is swollen more at her knee than any- 1
where else. She eats hearty, ami it does
not seem to give her any pain. Iler moth
er had the same kind of swelling in one
of her hind legs, and, alter some it
swelled to considerable size and killed her.
Can you tell me her disease? Can she be
cured, and what will cure her?
Your mare has the ailment called “stock
ings,’’ a characteristic symptom of which
is that the swelling" comes on at night, or
when standing idle, and goes away when
the animal is put to work or exercise. It
is due to an impoverished condition of the
blood. Give the following tonic, one powder
night and morning: I’a ounces pure copper
as; 2 ounces saltpeter. Powder and mix and
divide into 12 powders. Shower file leg with
cold water in hot weather,, but omit if
weather is cold. When the swelling goes
down after work or exercise, bandage the
leg tightly, using cotton bandages in sum
mer and woolen in winter. Remove the
bandage when going out to work or exer
cise, and give the leg a vigorous hand rub
bing. If necessary repeat the course of
powders.
To E. W. C.. St. Albans, AV. Va.-Tt is
very probable that the horse was injured
by a severe kick, and that the bone (shoul
der blade) has become diseased and fistu
lous. Open the wound from below and lo
cate the spot where the bone is carried and
swab the diseased bone with U ounce muri
atic acid in 1 pint of water twice a day.
Dress the flesh portion of the wound with
a lotion of: 6 drachms sulphate of zinc, 1
ounce sugar of lead, 1 pint of water, shake
well and apply twice a day.
Subscriber, Turpin, La., violates the rule
in withholding his name.
To J. T. G., Pamlico, N. C.-It is probable
that your horse has phlebitis, or inflamma
tion of one of the large veins of the neck.
Your treatment was very good, and should
be persisted in. If the swelling does not
permanently yield apply blistering ointment.
Do not use the animal. Feed on bran
mashes. Gentle rubbing with the hand af
ter the hot fomentations is good. 4
High Fit rilling.
Spring is opening, and planting time will
soon be here. What and how shall we plant
are important questions. The monetary de
pression and consequent low prices give ad
ditional emphasis to them. As most of our
farmers will continue to grow cotton we
will venture a few thoughts about how to
grow it so as to make it pay. We cannot
raise the price; then we must study to find
how we can cheapen the production. This
can be done by increasing the yield per
acre. There are certain fixed charges that
remain the same whether the acre yields
much or little. There are otheu variable
charges that attend extri manuring and
large yields. These extra expenses are
what our farmers fear. But it is in these
that the chance for larger yields and
larger profits lie. Let us look into this
matter a little, and see it we can find how
we can grow cotton cheaper.
First, we must plow deeper and oftener.
In other words we must prepare a deeper
and softer root bed for the cotton to grow
in. This can be done by using two-horse
plows and subsoiling where the clay is
dry enough.
Secondly, we must use more manure and
fertilizers. These furnish soluble plant
food ready for the roots to feed upon. Take
ten acres, break it ten inches deep, spread
ten tons of stable or lot manure per acre
upon it, plow it in and harrow thoroughly.
Then put 809 pounds good fertilizer broad
cast per acre and harrow that in thorough
ly. Bed the land and use 200 pounds per
acr? with the seed in planting. Mike
rows 4% feet apart. Leave
the cotton two feet in the drills.
Cultivate rapidly and shallow.
Now let ns count up the cost.
Flowing and harrowingsß 00
Ten tons manurels 00
1,000 pounds fertilizerl2 50
$35 50
per acre. Now for the Income with this
manuring and prcpgrrition we ought to get
at least two bales per acre, worth at 7
cents per pound, S7O, leaving a clear profit
of $34.50. The seed will pav for any ex
penses wo have left out. If we get two and
a half bales the profit would be $52 per acre
or $520 for ten acres. If we have not the
manure then double the fertilizer and put
on $2,000 pounds broadcast except a little
with seed to give the plant a sart. Besides
the net profit thus secured we have ten
acres of land that will be good for large
crops for years to come.
Many will be ready to say tW*se figures
are too big. Well, prove them so by try
ing the plan on one or more acres. No
man has ever lost by trying it.
It requires nerve to invest so much per
acre in poor land. We must cut loose from
all our old ideas of drilling a little manure
or fertilizers along one narrow furrow ami
expecting a large crop.
Only the very few roots that confine them
selves to this narrow streak can get any
help. By broadcasting all the roots find
food in time of need. The whole plant is
nourished and fed and flourishes and fruits.
Crops thus planned and manured do not
suffer from drought like the ordinary way.
The sooner we wake up and try new
methods the better for us and our children.
SUBSCRIBER.
(We consider the above article as on the
right line and full of good common sense
ideas—the same line of argument that we
have been pressing for years past. We do
not endorse every detail, but commend the
article, as a whole, to the thoughtful at
tention of our readers. R. J. R.)
FACTS ABOUT WATERMELONS.
Sonic Scientific Statement,! of Interest
to the .Melon Groivers.
At the recent convention of the State
Agricultural Society, Dr. George F. Payne,
the slate chemist of Georgia, delivered a
most interesting address concerning the
watermelon. The statements contained in
his brief address were of a peculiarly in
teresting nature, especially to melon grow
ers, and The• Constitution has received so
•*;nany applications for the address that Dr.
V’ayne was requested to furnish a copy,
■Shich is presented as follows;
j About the Watci-meiou.
q.“Alr. President and Gentlemen of the Geor
gia State Agricultural Society: Last sum
. iei* pur attention was called to
. 4s statement which appears to be pretty well
|lj 'knowledged as a fact, that watermelons
!"eimiot be successfully grown a second or
k'ird season on the same land, even with
ane use of fertilizers. A belief is entertain-
il by several growers with whom the matter
discussed, that if the vines of water
a cions were not allowed to wither and de-
Pty in the Held, a good crop could easily
raised the second season; but even if the
U’ ainage water from such fields of decaying
s nes and melons, runs over land as yet
Uiplanted in watermelons, the land so im
gnated will fail to produce a crop if
‘®mted in melons the succeeding year.
' ,J, re are parties, however, who raise suc
"ive crops of watermelons on the same
season after season, with very small
‘ unts of fertilizers.
Thinking it might possibly be a deficiency
4 ’omc particular fertilizing material which
’ quickly exhausted from most soils,
Watermelon was reduced to ashes to find
'-v much available P’ineral matter is
I from the soil by a fair crop.
bing a large watermelon to ashes
e >t be an easy job under any clr
’’•es, but when it must be done in
"Ming only a small cupful—and
juice—not a single seed nor
\d must be lost, and not a par
’•n matter must get into the
A'ally source, it I" comes indoi.l,
Arduous matter. A fm“. handsome,
1 ■ eeJ.uMatermelon is a ver> teml'tmg arti
cle when sliced wide open on a ho. daj in
I Iv but not a particle of it was tasted.
The iuice was evapoarted to a syrup, the
svrup evaporated to dryness and the. resi
due burnt to ' h ’”V would
until thoroughly ,irv » n . * ,
• ko fire an<l burn like so much 1 T e
i h e pulp, rind and seeds v ere m.-.llv i -
duced to Ashes and the ashes thoroughly
’"iTim melon selected weighed twenty-five
and one-fourth pounds, and was a hand
some fellow Os the Augusta or rattlesnake
v ’.Hetw H. was sold as havhig been raised
v ithin ton miles of Atlanta. Ihe ashes ob
tained from this large melon would not
nu ke more than two heaping tab espoons
ful. They weighed a Utile less than two
minces Over twenty-five pounds, or tin.
t nil' of the watermelon, consisted of the
materials extracted from the air and soil
water. Il is not necessary to reproduce the
many figures and calculations of the analy
onlc the lesson they teach will bf
briefly stated, and for comparison will be
<’ivcn the amounts of phosphoric acid and
potash taken from the soil by average crops
of cotton and corn. A common yield of an
acre in cotton is 209 pounds of lint cotton
and 409 pounds of seed, or 600 pounds of seed
cotton, fifteen bushels of corn per acre
is a frequent crop, and that of watermelons
about half a carload. Upon such crops as
•i basis are the following figures calculated.
Supposing that the cotton, cottonseed, corn
and melons only, are removed from the
field and that the remaining part of the
plants are plowed under, 209 pounds of lint
cotton and 400 pounds of seed carry away
from an acre of land four and one-fourth
pounds of phosphoric acid—fifteen bushels
of corn carry away -*rom an acre of land
six pounds of phosphoric acid—and half a
<■ lYload of watermelons carry away from an
ocre of land three and three-fourths pounds
of phosphoric acid. This shows tiiat the
watermelon crop does not take away from
the soil scarcely as much phosphoric acid
as either the cotton or the corn.
“Two hundred pounds of lint cotton and
400 pounds of seed carry away from an acre
of land six pounds of potash.
“Fifteen bushels of corn carry away from
an acre of land three and one-half pounds
of potash.
‘Half a carload of watermelons carry
away from an acre of land seventeen and
three-fourths pounds of potash.
“This is an immense quantity of potash
removed by the watermelons, as much re
moved by the soil as would be carried away
by three crops of cotton and cottonseed, or
five crops of corn. If the cottonseed were
returned to the soil and only the lint sold,
over thirteen crops of lint cotton would be
required to remove as much potash from
the soil as the one crop of melons.
“The nitrogen or ammonia removed from
the soil by the melon crop i« not as large
as might be inferred, the juice only con
taining about one-fiftieth of one per cent,
the pulp about seven-fiftieths of one per
cent, the rind about twelve-fiftieths of one
per cent, and the seed about one and one
fourth per cent of nitrogen. The juice con
stitutes about one-half of the melon, and
the seeds are a very small proportion.
“A crop of cotton and cottonseed may
remove twenty-nine pounds of nitrogen from
an acre.
I'A crop of corn may remove about four
teen pounds; and a half carload of melons
about as much as the corn.
“The great demand then upon the land Is
for potash. Some soils naturally contain
much potash. Clay soil being formed by
the decomposition of feldspar or granite con
tain more or less potash, those clays being
richest in available potash which have no*-
been too thoroughly leached. Sandy soils
cyRE NMSELF
J.? JU IHL.
ie, etc., when J will send FREE the prescription of a
ositivo remedy for tho prompt lusting cure of
ood, Nightly Emissions, Nervous Weakness in
men, Varicocele, Impotency, and to enlarge wenk
ns. Cures in Two Weeks. J. send this presc-ipl
f charge, and there isr.o humbug or advertising catch
about it. Any good drugglstor phygiciancan put it up for you. as everything iu plain and simple. All
1 ask in return is that you will buy a small quantity of the remedy from me direct or advise your
friends to do so after yon receive the recipe and see tha. there is no linmbtig nor deception. Bnt you
[ention The Constitution.
are not rich in potash, ami
when It is applied to th £™'
it is readily leached out by the rains
soils of the upper half of the state shou ,
as a rule, contain more potash tho.
of the lower half, as the days of the lat
ter portion have been subjected to -
washing and transportation, and heme
leaching. ,
“A common amount of ferti 11Z 1 *
an acre of ground in Georgia is P ' '
Fertilizers average I’9 per cent available
phosphoric acid and 2 per cent of l’° 1 •' ’
so this would be an application ot
pounds of available phosphoric acid an
four pounds of potash, or, in oth<‘i wo . ,
over four times as much phosphoric aciu
is put back as the watermelon takes o ,
yet it would take over four years of sucn
fertilization to put back the potash taken
away by the one single crop of melons. -
wonder melons do not do well thus starveu
to death. . . .
“As potash and available phosphoric acid
cost about the same, chemical manuting
can be done much more advantageously
and fully as cheaply by using more potash
and less phosphoric acid. The potash should
be used in the form of sulphate of potash
and not as chloride or muriate of potash,
as the watermelon prefers the former, as
ther. was only a minute amount of chlo
rides found in the w’atermelon upon analy
sis, but a considerable quantity of sul
phates.
“The following is suggested as a formula
for a watermelon fertilizer, which will fur
nish a liberal amount of potash and other
fertilizing material per acre:
Acid phosphateloo pounds
Sulphate of potashso pounds
Dried b100d35 pounds
“Os course a much larger quantity van
be used per acre if the land is well pre
pared and a large crop is desired.
“M. Georges Ville, the eminent agricul
tural chemist of France, states as a general
proposition: ‘Return to the soil by the aid
of manure more calcic phosphate, potash
and line than the crops have taken out of
it; restore to the soil about 50 per cent of
tho nitrogen of the crops.’
“The acid phosphate in the above formula
furnishes ample calcic phosphate and lime.
“Cotton seed meal can be used in the
above formula in thw place of blood. If
this is done, the quantity should be doubled,
as cotton seed meal contains only a little
over half the percentage of nitrogen found
in blood.
“These investigations were undertaken in
the hope that they might be of some direct
benefit to our people.
“If they should prove so, tho time spent
upon them, which was principally at night
after office hours, will not be regretted.”
Corn-Fed Hog*.
Editor Constitution—uear Sir: In your is
sue of the 20th I read an article, “More
Hog Meat. The farmers ought to raise
more hogs and less cotton. This is good
advice as it comes from high authority.” I
read on and came to where the author says
hogs must have corn. “If the farmers try
to raise hogs,” said Mr. Oglesby, yesterday
afternoon, “they will have to commence l y
raising more corn. A hog that Is brought
up on anything else except corn i- hardly
good to eat. He is what we call a razor
back.”
"How they ought to be raised.” reads
thus: “The hog ought to be raised with a
great deal of. care. It is foolish economy
to give him the waste products of the farm
and wise extravagance to give him the best
food which can possibly be assimilated.”
A hundred dollars in corn,” said a friend of
the writer yesterday, “that 1s properly con
verted into hog meat is not only SIOO saved,
but is that amount doubled.
There is all the difference in the
world between a hog fed on slops and a
hog fed on corn.”
This is good advice—comes from high au
thority. Raising hogs is good advice, hut
when we are arlvised that any meat not
raised on corn is “hardly good to eat,” I
fail to see the point, I wish to say to Mr.
Oglesby that he is very wrong. All corn
fed meat is not good. 1 believe Mr. R. J.
Redding will agree with me in this.
He, Mr. Oglesby, says that W" farmers
must raise more corn to raise bogs. Geor
gia farmers may have to raise corn fed
hogs. In Tennessee we need very little
corn for hog feed. It is costly feed, as
I will show l.yforfi j
but these meh can run if k’.rn ■-‘.lie g (■■■•iy,
but I do doubt their success on a hog
ranch.
I will next notice “How *hey night tn he
raised.” “Hog Friend” says “It is foolish
economy to feed hogs on lhe waste products
of, tiie farm and wise extrava
gance to give them the best.”
Does he wish a farmer to under
stand him to say that a hog will not
thrive on waste from the farm, or tiiat tne
meat is poor? He goes on to say tiiat $199
worth of corn fed to hogs will double. At
59 cents per bushel, $lO9 will buy 200 bush
els of corn. Ten hogs thirteen months old,
weighing an average of 285 1-10 pounds each,
Will make a total of 2.858 pounds of meat,
selling at 7 cents per pound, equal to S2OO.
Allowing tlie pigs to be thirty davs old
before they are fed, t find tiiat 200 bushels
of corn divided between ten hogs will make
a feed for each hog 365 days to be as fol
lows. showing what will be eac h iiog’s feed
per day, also running monthly: There are
6,400 quarts in 200 bushels (thirty-two quarts
per bushel). Coinnienee by feeding each hog
one-half quart per day for sixty days anil
you get five quarts for one day’s feed for
the ten hogs, or you feed in sixty days live
times sixty, which is 300 quarts.
First and second months, one-half quart
per day for each hog, 300 quarts.
Third and fourth months, one quart per
day for each hog, 600 quarts.
Fifth and sixth months, one and a half
quarts per day for each hog, 900 quarts.
Seventh and eighth months, two quarts
per day for each hog, 1,200 quarts.
Ninth and tenth months, two and a half
quarts per day for each hog. 1.590 quarts.
Eleventh and twelfth months, three and
a half quarts per day for each hog, 1,900
quarts.
The whole making a grand total of
6,400 quarts.
By this calculation “Hog Friend” must,
from about three-fifths of a feed make a.
hog go over the average weight in order to
double his money on SIOO worth of corn. I
learned from experience that corn is a
costly "feed for hogs, and does not make
good, sweet meat. My advice to farmers
It not to grow corn for hogs. It is very
costly. T am a constant reader of The
Constitution and admire it. especially the
farm department. If flits article is in error
1 hope the farm editor will show me
where I am wrong. FARMER.
(We agree with “Farmer” in his foregoing
criticism of the article referred to—“ More
Hog Meat.” The article appeared in The
Daily Constitution and while we dissented
in toto from the views expressed and felt
inclined to enter a disclaimer, the crowded
state of the “Farm and Farmers” depart
ment of the weekly at the time prevented,
and it only remains now to cordially en
dorse the criticism of “Farmer.” At some
future time we may recur to the subject of
“corn-fed hogs” and show that wo cannot
afford to raise pork on corn alone, to the
neglect of much cheaper foods.—Editor.)
S? Worry tells, sadly, on
X woman’s health and X
Q beauty. A
Beecham’s
AiSA Pills
(Tasteless)
©fortifythe nerves andO
Owill help to banish
many an anxiety.
Price 23 cents,
Thin Ghildren Grow a r at
on Scott’s
Emulsion,
because W <' A
WW
make lat
children.
They are
thin, and remain thin just in
proportion to their inability to
assimilate food rich in fat.
Scali’s Emulsion
of Cod Liver Oil is especially
adaptable to those of weak diges
tion — it is partly digested already.
Astonishing how quickly a thin
person gains solid flesh by its use!
Almost as palatable as milk.
Prepared b.v Scott Bowne, N. ST. All druggists.
■
SURELY CaftEO,
To the Editop.—Pieane inform yor” read
ers that I iiave a positive T" ■ ■ !y forth&
above named disease. By its ' .icly use
thon■ !■ds of hop ' ■ ■ ■ -
manently cured. I shall be gl.nl to send
two hotties of :>y remedy free to miy of your
'•eaders who ha ve consumption if they wiil
send mo t heir express and post office address.
T, Arfilonnm,M.C., 1 JPet rtß ~New York.
Alp/pr sower lias no
second eliam e. If
ff//'/ you would at first sue- , \\\yX
sureand start with wvA
ff' FERRY’S W
K S S. 1
llflu Ferry’s Seen Animal lor 1834 //'J’f
WflW' contains the sum and
WW of the l:i!‘‘st. firming knowl-/7/7tf
v-s'wX edge. Ev< . y planter sb.ould
’TOW. " have it. Sent, fits . '///t
D. M. Ferry & Co., /////d
Detroit, x ''/did
EISST FARM FENUE. made of GAX.VAN.
I.ZED STEEL WIRK. FENCES and GAI .Cai
for all purposeH. Write for tree rciai-'
giving particulars and prices. Address
SEDGWICK BK’S. CO., RiGHMm IM
Mention The Constitution.
AGEHTS WAMTED
JWSAT CHOPPER S’-.AWj.CUTTER.
»u.l 100 Ch»n>l>en Str<>«. Xo'’ Sort Cilj. *>
Mention Tho Uonatltutlon-
rrom S 2 00 (0»5O.O9.
W:-. tlU’rr, “'1.:1.> to S '.-.<«>.
* nrrrrb-l olio-- to rlO.'Hl.
Urrolver.. XoVot-piatoit.
GBffTwH & SffIPLE, 540 Bil St, L iOSYUIe, Ky.
Mention The Constitution.
K WORLD’S FAIR S
EOAL and DIPLOMA,
r I.NCt ABTOn and BBOOli! ’■
iotl. If you are interested m
i Poultry Culiuro. Addre-U
Mention The Constitution.
'(Tjrr cani”.’!' '.f. now wo
■
Mention The Constitution.
‘ ■ ■■■
■ ■
Ci-'b.- ....
Railroad, Farm, 4
Fencing, r
Mv.Ualii-n Woven Wire Fence Co., Chicago.
Mt ition The C ■ titut ■ n.
■
. $0.78 inys a 5 Sise?
i'.achi'.' . 519.83 ' ' ‘
11 i.: i|.'- !(.■■•■ ■ • Tll >■ t' ’ ’ :••■’■ lr
Ofei’-v chine ia the v. rid. J;s'l 'ri nt
<r.-V..
iKTCEio E i^ t ’ ' or. I '. I. Cii.t.e-
FSTdF* 1 :-cllmg »’Wi ig Hi”
' IdHA— -’ll chines direct.
A' I :!’• ■:! terms ’■- . . "ng
a >■"■ ■- i-' -' 'l"'"'’J,;;,', t
Mention The Constitution*.""^ 1 ’
' 1
» FROST CO. CHICAGO, iLL.
ISHine this papi r.
/; UI.I.C.HOGS
/ 1285 svid in ICS3.
V .. S 'lid for :■
'V.' • •'fanuHix '!!•■■“■ i. i i: ;t r• nt
X . The L. B. SILVER CO.,
X. <■I.KVK’.ASB, OHIO. '
Mention The Constitution.
BABY CARRIACESWS!
\'T• 1 ■ rn >.••.. n h.»1v5.-d> J’’ irl ' -.y-T;. . t ! .'■•
i.iJu S.u.. .!••:■ j > I . u ( L-r ’ '
ukh:-. i.;:v •• “
“ *•
i . ’ * Buy-Ti/-’Union.
164 West Van P-urca ’-tret I,. S 3, I***
Mention The Constitution.