The progressive farmer and southern farm gazette., August 06, 1910, Page 553, Image 13

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

Image provided by: Mississippi Department of Archives and History

                
WHEN COTTON FIRES OR RUSTS
IN AUGUST.
Muko Provision in Your Rotation for
the Feeding of Live Stock, and
Then Use Manure on the Corn
Crop.
My land is a sandy loam, clay
subsoil from 6 to 18 inches.
Have been following the three
year rotation system for fifteen
years. Cotton, corn and small
grain. I always mow the peas
following the small grain, but
plow under the peas on the corn
land.
I use the following formula on
my cotton: Acid phosphate,
(16 per cent), 400 pounds; cot
tonseed meal, 300 pounds; mu
riate of potash, 50 pounds. This
much per acre. I have made as
high as 2,400 pounds seed cot
ton per acre, but that was fifteen
years ago, and yet I have used
more fertilizer since then and
have kept up the three-year ro
tation plan since then. I have
noticed for several years past I
have had what we call "fire” or
"rust" coming on during Au
gust, at the time when the cot
ton seemed to be doing its best.
This destroys everything on the
plants except the grown bolls.
Some parts of the field are af
fected worse than others. The
grain crops increase every year.
Sixty bushels of oats this year,
with GOO pounds fertilizers, and
only 1,700 pounds seed cotton
from 800 pounds fertilizers.
Forty bushels corn from 300
pounds fertilizers. Can you give
me any reason why this should
be, and suggest a remedy?
W. F. McL.
(Answer by Prof. W. F. Massey.)
1 think that a large part of your
trouble is that you have been using
fertilizer annually on every crop, and
have gotten your land Into an acid
condition. As each field comes In
corn, I would apply about 25 bushels
of slaked lime and harrow it in after
plowing the land, and in keeping on
with your rotation 1 would lime the
land once in six years. After the
first liming only use 20 bushels. What
would be the result in applying the
lime before planting cotton I can
not say, but it would have a very
good result on the corn, and would
keep the soil sweet for years.
You do not say what fertilizer
mixture you use, but if l were run
ning a similar rotation. I would al
ways sow crimson clover after mow
ing the peas, and would have a good
crop of clover to turn for corn and
cotton, as I would sow crimson clover
among the cotton, too, about the sec
ond picking. Then l would try to
have enough peavlno hay, fodder and
corn to feed cattle and would use
manure Instead of fertilizer on the
corn, and would use no fertilizer on
the oats, but acid phosphate and
potash, and following the oats with
peas and crimson clover, would use
the same on the cotton with simply
a little nitrate of soda to give it an
enrly start. I believe that any cot
ton farmer, who farms right and
makes manure for his corn need
never buy an ounce of ammonia. I
know men who have followed this
practice for more than twenty years
and have seen their crops greatly in
crease. These are wheat farmers in
this State who make now 40 to 50
bushels of wheat, and 75 to 9 5 bush
els of corn per acre. Some think
that potash In the form of kalnlt has
a tendency to prevent rust; probably
it is the salt in It that has this effect.
When the bearings of your farm
tools need oiling, you are wasting
power and wearing out your imple
ments.
COST OP BUILDING A SILO.
A 45-Ton Silo Can Be Built for $75
—Not Too Late Yet.
Messrs Editors: The advantages
of a silo are so many and so
great that every farm having 10 or
more cows should have one of these
LIg “fruit cans.” It not only affords
a succulent feed all winter but it
prevents a great loss in taking care
of the corn crop. The Colorado
Station a few years ago, found that
in curing corn fodder under the very
best conditions in large shocks, there
was a loss of 31 per cent of dry mat
ter; in small shocks, there was often
a loss of 4 3 per cent. With the silo
the loss is from 5 to 10 per cent and
in many cases is even less than 5
per cent.
A good many are deterred from
building a silo because they think it
will cost too much. Stave silos are
the cheapest to build. The average
cost of the 10x20-foot stave silos,
holding about 3 8 tons, built last
year, was $50.50 which includes
everything but the roof. In several
cases where lumber was sawed on
the farm and all farm labor used in
building, the actual cash outlay has
been only $25 to $30. Twelve by 24
foot silos, holding about 45 tons,
complete, cost from $65 to $78, and
14x2S-foot stave silos, capacity 70
tons, cost about $100. These costs
include all hauling done by farm
team.
The Wisconsin type of silo, 16x30
feet, holding 125 tons, has cost
about $215. The average cost of the
modified Wisconsin, 14x28 and 15x
30 feet, has been $105.82 exclusive
of roof, which would have added
about $20 more.
Only one solid wall concrete silo
lias been completed. This was built
for W. T. Ingle at Burlington, N. C.,
12x2 4 feet, with 6-inch reinforced
wall and cost $131.
In building all these silos only
farm labor was used. Assistance was
given by the State and National De
partments of Agriculture for two or
three days when the silos were start
ed, just to show how the work was
to be done.
The groat difference in the cost of
silos is largely due to the way in
which the owner manages his labor.
Another cost which comes with the
silo is the machinery to All it, which
in many cases, is more than the silo.
This cost can often be lessened by
several farmers going together and
buying the cutter and engine. Often
these can be rented, and In any case,
these machines can be used for other
purposes than that of Ailing the silo
and would be a great help to any
farm.
The writer has printed bills of
materinl for any of these silos from
10x20 to 16x32, and will be glad to
Bend to any interested reader on ap
plication. J. A. CONOVER.
Raleigh, N. C.
DRAINING WET LANDS.
The Pole Drain Will Do Good Service
Rut Tile the Permanent Solution.
The Anal drainage of wet lands
is the problem. How can it be done?
Not best be done, for all are ready to
admit that the tile is the best drain
age. But while the scheme that is
now upon foot to add the manufact
ure of drain tile to an already es
tablished industry of brick making,
is sure to materially cheapen the
llrst cost of tile, yet this cost will be
still beyond the immediate reach of
many of the purchasers. Open ditches
are, compared with their cost and
very great Inconvenience, so inferior
; that it is hoped that not many will
- bo compelled to resort to them for
long. While not so permanent nor
quite so efficient as tile, very good
results can be obtained by what is
known as pole drains. These are
constructed by digging a ditch, such
as would be needed for tile, and
about the same depth, say from two
to three feet. The deeper the ditch
the further apart they can be for
efficiency. A ditch an average depth
of three feet, would easily drain 50
feet upon each side, so these could
be placed 100 feet apart. After dig
ging the ditch with as much fall as
possible, then lay a continuous line
of green pine poles in each side of
the bottom of the ditch and another
so as to partially cover, but not fill
the space between. If available,
place a few inches of dead grass or
straw on top of these poles, then fill
the earth back in the ditch on top of
the poles. Such drains, costing noth
ing for material, can be cheaply
constructed, and will last for quite a
while. I have seen some such that
had been in operation for 20 years
and were still giving satisfaction.
They will at least last long enough
not only to pay for their cost, but
to more than pay for their ultimate
substitution with burned tile.
When the latter are finally placed
the work will be done forever, or
at least for as long as the outlets
are mtaintained. The efficiency of
any system depends very largely on |
the keeping up of the outlets. Should
water back up into this local drain-!
age and remain for any length of |
time, there is grave danger of these ,
drains becoming clogged permanent-j
ly. It is also of importance that the
tile drains should be so secured
where they empty into the open ditch ,
or canal that they will not be mis-1
placed. While the drain tile will ul- j
timately be resorted to, this matter
of the pole drainage is well worth
looking into by those who do not
feel that they can afford this ex
pense at the beginning of their oper
atloua. |
Instead of burned clay tile, the
sand and cement tile might be used,
and while, maybe, not being so very
much cheaper than the clay, would
be cheaper in that their construction
would not involve such an expendi
ture for machinery, ovens, etc., and
they could be made in small quanti
ties, as needed.
D. N. BARROW.
Before you mail a letter or postal
to any advertiser, always make sure
that you have said: “I am writing
you as an advertiser in The Progres
sive Farmer and Gazette which
guarantees the reliability of all ad
vertising it carries.” Remember, our
guarantee to make good any loss
you may sustain holds good only
when you use this language.
BOTH GROWERS AND BUYERS ENTHUSIASTIC OVER
The Benthall Peanut Picker
Peanut growers and buyers alike declare the Ben
thall Peanut Picker the only absolutely satisfactory
picker made.
Growers do the work of forty men with one machine, and more than double
their profits. It picks Spanish or Virginia varieties with equal satisfaction. It
picks while the vines are in a condition for saving, thus giving a crop as good as
alfalfa. Buyers declare Benthall picked nuts cleaner and much more desirable than
hand picked nuts.
Vines are fed to picker like grain to thresher. Nuts come out whole and
clean. The stemming and cleaning capacity has been increased, and the weak parts
in the 1909 models corrected. 13 ft. model run by horse or applied power ; 16 ft
model applied power only.
All horsepower machines will have 1908 shoe or shaker, and we will build
machines if desired with 1910 general construction and 1908 shoe or shaker.
Standard Peanut Co. buyers say : "It is a standing rule with our buyers to
give preference to machine picked peanuts, as in our opinion they are far superior.”
W. F. Jones, grower, writes: "Threshed 173 sacks of Virginia nuts in one day.
Can thresh 100 to 125 sacks Spanish.” E. J. Railey : "I threshed 1609 bags with
repair bill of only 75 cents.” ^
Big money picking for your neighbors. Write for free booklet giving pic
tures and full information. It will mean much in profits for you.
, BENTHALL MACHINE CO., Suffolk, Va.
S50 TO $300 SAVED
Wt am manufacturer*, not merchant*. Save dealer*.
Jobber* and catalog house profit. I’ll nee you from
$50 Id$100 on my High Grade Standard Gasoline
Refines from 2 to 22-H P —Price direct to you
lower than dealer* o> jobbers have to pay for
Dlrael
Prom
My Fac
tory on SO
Daya' Fro*
Trial. Satisfac
tion or money
back. Write forsper.
I;1 proposition. All
you pay me is foe raw
material, lab os and
one small profit. Send lot
my btg BOOK FRKS^
Wm. Galloway, Prci
Wm. Galloway t o.
(Ill Galloway Staltas
Wninolss. Ifg
Wo SoO^sS^S WM^^S
BRICK FOR SALE
400,000 Pressed Brick, 8 inches long.
N. T. NORRIS, Mabeiiy Mist.
Farming Is Profitable In
The Southeast
There Is no better occupation
for the Average Man than Farm
ing and no Section is Superior to
the South for a Good Farmer.
Farming is a Great Business and
should be carried on by the Appli
cation of the Best Business Princi
ples. The Proper Location, the
Study of Soils, Seed Selection, the
Wise Choice and Rotation of Crops
and Careful Cultivation will bring
Assured Success.
We are In position to Aid You
In the Selection of the Proper Lo
cation In Districts which Present
Splendid Advantages and Oppor
tunities. In writing tell us what
You Want.
M. V. RICHARDS,
Land and Industrial Agent. Southern Rail
way. and Mobile A Okie R. H.
Washington, • ■ • • D. O.