The progressive farmer and southern farm gazette., March 16, 1912, SOIL FERTILITY SPECIAL., Image 1

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

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SOIL FERTILITY SPECIAL.
Vol. XXVII. No. 11. SATURDAY, MARCH 16, 1912. Weekly: SI a Year.
lit is Not a Hard Matter to Improve Southern Soils. I
fr is the merchant’s business to sell goods. It is the farmer’s busi
ness to sell plant foods. It is the merchant’s business to buy goods
to keep up his stock in trade. If is the farmer’s business also to
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fertility of his land. If the mer
chant expec ts to do a larger bus
iness this year lhan he did last,
he must lay in a larger stock—
must buy more goods. If the
farmer wishes to do more busi
ness than he did last year—that
is, raise larger crops this year
than he raised last, he must 'in
crease his stock in trade He
must increase his soil fertility.
In short, all hope of better farm
ing of better living, and increas
ed usefulness and pleasure on the
part of farmers as a whole must
come through increased soil fer
tility.
The source whence greater suc
cess must come is plain and cer
tain. There is no question or
doubt about it and this of itself
is cause of much encouragement.
But still more encouraging is the
fact that, since the remedy is
known, its application is easy and
may be made quickly and won
derfully effective.
The average acre in the South
produces about 200 pounds of
-- UU9UCI9 U1 UUJ 11. ' ----
There is not a practical farmer of average intelligence in this whole
Southland who does not know that one crop of legumes grown on such
hind and plowed under, or that one good application of stable manure
"ill increase the yield on such an acre 50 per cent or to 300 pounds of
lint cotton or 27 bushels of corn. Every practical farmer who has tried
h also knows that two crops of legumes plowed into the soil of this
acre, that produces 200 pounds of lint cotton or 18 bushels of corn,
'luring the next three or four years along with deeper and better
Plowing will increase the yield of such an acre to 400 pounds of lint
cotton or 36 bushels of corn, if the money now spent for complete fer
hlizers be all spent for phosphoric acid.
In what other business will so little expense and labor increase the
Production so quickly or so easily? No extra capital is required,
a'"el\ the growing of such crops and in such way as to obtain two or
! crops of legumes during the next four or five years. It is simply
olh of the most stupid sort for any man to continue growing the
a'erage crops when they may be increased 50 or even 100 per cent with
'Ust a I'ttle more intelligent effort on his part.
-Sometimes men give as an excuse for continuing to farm unpro
Uyti\e land that they have not the means to improve it. No greater
rr"stake was ever made. It does not require increased means to im
Pr°'e the fertility’ of average soils. Anv man can do it and make
looney while doing it
. =
Courtesy G G Gibbs.
DUTCH BEI.TED CATTLE.
This is one of the most economical ways of increasing farm fertility
and farm profits.
When the only thing that stands between a man and greatly in
creased and cheapened production is his own lack of intelligent effort
what more encouraging prospect is possible? Southern soils are not
111 mr Our (I wirtlfTO
yields prove that, but our climatic
and other conditions make their
improvement easier and cheaper
than in any other section. This
is our glorious heritage, and
what could be more to the en
couragement or liking of any
real man than an opportunity to
improve matters and the cer
tainty ot success? Truly the up- f
portunities of Southern agricul
ture are marvellously attractive.
No other section with equal cap
ital or effort can accomplish half
as much. Will we live up to our
splendid opportunities? A few $
are doing so, enough to prove t
how easy it is, and many more
will follow their example in the
next ten years. |
In fact, every farmer who real
iy loves his business and wishes fj
to make a success of it will set to jj
work at once to improve his soil.
A proper pi ide in their work and
a proper regard for the welfare
of their families and their conn
try will alike forbid a contin
nance of soil robbery by South
prn farmers.
FEATURES OF THIS ISSUE.
\ |*.\GE <)K FERTILIZER INFORMATION—Answer* to Questions
and Practical Suggestions. id
HE A LEADER OK MEN—A Stirring Appeal to the Farmer Roy
by A. L. French. 1 *
CO-OPERATION THAT COUNTS—Not the Willy-Nilly Kind, but
the Business Brand. ’***
FERTILIZER MIXTURES FOR COTTON—Some Favorite Formu
las and How to Make Them.. d
HOW A STOCK-LAW WOULD HELP—The Reforestation of the
Long-Leaf Pine Section Depends Upon Such a Law. -<>
HOW READERS HAVE IMPROVED THEIR SOILS—A Batch of
Valuable Experience Letters. b
HOW TO MAKE THE MANGUM TERRACE — The Best Terrace
for Most Lands Because It Can Be Worked Over. 5
PLANT MORE LEGUMES THIS YEAR — What Your failure to
Do This Last Year is Costing You Now. I
SUBSTITUTE CROPS FOR COTTTON—Some Suggestions for Mis
sissippi Delta Farmers.. I —
SW EET POTATO GROWING—Plain Directions, by A. M. Latlium -1
THE GOOD FARMER LOVES HIS LAND—And He is Not a Good
Farmer Who Does Not. Id
WHAT IT TAKES TO MAKE A FERTILE SOIL — The Use of
Fertilizers Alone Will Never Do It. •!
WOMEN MUST FIGHT PATENT MEDICINE FRAUDS—Do You
Know That Farm Women Buy Most of These Nostrums?. 10
J