The progressive farmer and southern farm gazette., March 12, 1910, CORN SPECIAL, Page 180, Image 4

About The progressive farmer and southern farm gazette. (Starkville, Miss.) 1910-1920

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HOW TO DOUBLE YOUR CORN YIELDS
II.—THE PREPARATION OF THE LAND.
Humus to Be Effective Must lie Well-Rotted—Why Early
Breaking is Profitable, and Proper Depth to Plow.
S INDICATED in the nrst
article of this series, we con
sider the first and most im
portant step to be taken in the pre
paration of land for corn, is to fill it
full of humus—rotting vegetable
matter. If it is now deficient in
humus, as it probably is, it is too
late to remedy the defect for the
crop of 1910. In fact, if such be the
case, the crop of 1911 will also suf
fer from a lack of humus in the soil.
It is not sufficient to plow under a
large amount of stalks and grass, or
“trash” as it is called, nor will the
plowing under of stable manure,
even in large amounts, at this time,
supply the soil with sufficient humus
for this year.
What Humus Is.
Remember, humus is something
more than dead vegetable matter.
This vegetable matter or stable ma
nure must undergo changes in the
soil such as will largely reduce Its
bulk before it becomes humus. A
large amount of this vegetable mat
ter makes a very small amount of
humus, hence, to fill a soil with hu
mus in such manner as to have it
suitable for corn-growing, requires
repeated applications of stable ma
nure, and a rotation of crops which
will supply humus-forming materials.
We are frequently asked to suggest
a fertilizer by which land that now
produces 25 bushels of corn may be
made to produce 50 or 75 bushels.
We always decline to attempt the
task. It cannot be done. Lands are
not built up in that way, and soil fer
tility is something more than a ques
tion of chemical plant foods. That
something, as applied to Southern
soils, is humus and drainage. The
supplying of humus to our soils, how
ever, requires good planning and
management, or it may involve much
expense. Without discussing the de
tails of this question, suffice it to
state in this connection, that a suit
able crop rotation, including legumes
as largely as possible, and stable ma
nure, are the most economical means
of supplying our soils with humus.
Plowing for Corn.
When should the land be broken
for corn? This is a difficult question
to answer so as to fit all conditions,
but as a general proposition it may
be stated that the land should be
broken sufficiently in advance of the
planting for the stalks, stubble, grass
or other trash to rot enough to be
out of the way of the use of harrow,
weeder and cultivator in the culti
vation of the crop. If the soil runs
together so that it needs re-breaking
this should be done ten days or two
weeks before planting. It will not
run together and become hard if
properly filled with humus.
The question of the effect of fall
and early winter plowing as compar
ed with breaking just before plant
ing, on the yield of corn, is always
pertinent. The available data from
the work of the experiment stations
throw little definite light on the sub
ject; but this much is certain, fall
or winter plowing does not affect the
yield injuriously. The fact that
some soils wash more and others run
together badly when plowed early,
must not be overlooked; but th.ese
problems can probably be best solved
by winter cover crops and rebreak
ing.
Why Early Breaking Pays.
The rebreaking adds to the cost,
but against this may be put the
following benefits resulting from
early breaking:
Fall and winter breaking may be
done when the press of work is less
severe; it lessens the spring work and
admltR nf oarl* nlontlns. tttA •■■konll
is In better condition for working if
the plowing is to be done a little
deeper than usual; the trash or veg
etable matter on the land can be put
in condition to decay enough to be'
out of the way of subsequent culti
vation of the crops, and the action of
the frost and rain on the soil is
beneficial.
It should also be stated that land
which is broken early enough to re
ceive a rain or two before planting
will absorb more water ^nd will also
lose less by evaporation in case dry
weather follows.
To all these advantages soils fairly
well supplied with humus will con
tain more nitrogen in condition to
feed the plants in early broken land
than in land broken at planting time.
In view of all these facts we favor |
and favor strongly, the breaking of
the corn land as early as possible.
How Deep to Break.
The depth of breaking which is
most desirable, depends so much on
the character of the soil, the depth
previously broken and many other
varying conditions, that here again
we cannot speak definitely, except
that a deep soil filled with humus is
the ideal one for corn.
Hunt, in his "Cereals in America,”
gives data from experiment station
tests, from which we take the fol
lowing: In Illinois tests of plowing, 4,
6 and 8 inches, gave the largest yield,
71.7 bushels, from 8-inch breaking,
and the next largest, 69.4 bushels
from 4-inch plowing. In Indiana, the
average for three years, gave the
largest yield, 42.3 bushels from 8
inch plowing, and the next largest
yield, 40.5 bushels, from 6 inch plow
ing. In Pennsylvania the average
of three years, gave the largest yield
62 bushels, from 6 inch plowing, and
the next largest, 57.5 bushels, from
8 inches. In New Hampshire the
largest yields came from 8 inch plow
1 ing and the second largest from 6
inches. In Minnesota the largest
yield, 65.8 bushels, resulted from
1 Inch plowing and the second larg
est, 64.4 bushels, from 6 Inches.
These data show some advantage
from the deeper plowing, but It la
not very marked and not sufficient in
some cases to pay for the extra cost
In view of all these facta we believe
land should be plowed 6 Inches deep
if broken In the fall and winter—this
is deep plowing—and as much as 8,
or even 10 inches, when there is an
abundance of humus-formtng mate
rials incorporated. For spring plow
(Contlnued on Page 192.)
I “It U Worth Ito Weight in Gold”
r. M- Tam*.
I
It Saves
Cotton
Seed
^ 1
It Saves
Time
and
Labor
The Cole Planter
Make* Bigger Crops
Because It mixes the guaao with the soil close under the »««d to
that the cotton is nourished from the time It sprouts and grows off ! i
strong and thrifty. A farmer says: MtOO pounds of guano applied
with the Oole Planter Is equal to 900 pounds put out la the usual
w-»y.” The Cole Planter Increases the yetld e bale or more to each
one-horse crop.
SAVES TIME AND MONEY
One man and one horse at one trip prepares the eeed-bed, puts
In the guano, opens again, drops and covers the seed, all la Just the
right way for either Cora, Cotton, Pena. Sorghum. Peanuts, etc. The
Cole Planter beats the world In getting a quick, even stand. It
puts one seed after another in n straight Uae. thick or thin, so
that It eaves seed, costs lees to thin, and lees to cultivate. Mr.
| Hearn, of Georgia, write* “I would uot miss planting mr cron
with n Oole Planter for *900.00."
It means money to yon, write at once for free catalogue aad safe
and eesy way to order by mall; also name of merchant In your
county who sells and guarantees Cole Planters.
The Cole Manufacturing Company,
801 400.Charlotte, N. C
Until 1 <—■ »S JUST"THE TIME— I M lll j
If I Iff T 4wmGET a pencil and a POST card^^^m* Bl Hi f
l,V ■■ 1 w^o^TSha^”^ M7„, O II If I
(maybe. Had to ,uit reading and go out to do «mc chore or 0lLL!^4~JSIc,i)iJ,’?<)* 51“ *
KisiWCSWrile Galloway today about a Manure Spreader 1
r,Vpr *1U1. Maaaro la tillra ||1
olL rak<-a an awful Hit uf (ln«. |<i
Ihlukof Uiutf Tlfluk/loY*rT2airB |f"tLl^UaJIn wa.’""i"Vi!Vrr.T on* “/ ,,,m' Krrr
bettor than 1 claim it la could I *w were not ««iim ih a«> or
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IwSre lli *£r 1> nilcbt p«r lor joor .preoi„,
—ISL m. uuiro cowan "-saa. H“=£?§
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