The Brunswick times. [volume], April 04, 1897, Page 3, Image 3

About The Brunswick times. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 188?-1900

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THE COMING
COTTON CHOP
All Absorbing Topic of Conver
sation Among Farmers.
BHALL AREA BE LARGE OR SMALL?
A Question That Uach Individual Must
Settle For Himself—Commissioner of
Agriculture Nesbitt Suggests That the
* Matter lie Regulated by iiome supplies.
The Keoeut Heavy Kains.
i DEPARTMENT OB’ Agriculture,
Atlanta, April 1, 1897.
The cotton crop is now the all ab
sorbing question; the area to be planted;
the preparation of the land; the fertil
iser best suited to its needs; the best
seed to use; the most judicious manner
of planting and the after cultivation,
all come in for a share of attention.
Conventions have met and passed reso
lutions; addresses have, been made;
letters have been written, and at last,
each individual farmer must settle for
himself, according to his surroundings
and his ability to undertake a large or
whether he will plitn.t.JHijy..
a limited number of acres, or stretch
out the area over vast fields. Before he
makes up his mind he should consider
several points carefully. First, the
quality of laud in which the crop is
planted. As so often urged through
these columns, it does not pay to plant
cotton on poor land and depend on a
a little commercial fertilizer, as an ar
tificial stimulus to force the plants for
ward. It is far safer to concentrate the
labor, the fertilizer and other expenses
of preparing for planting and cultivat
ing the crop in a few acres in ‘ ‘good
condition,” than to handle four or five
times that number of acres, from which
the best part of the fertility has been
used up by previous crops. Again, the
cotton area should be regulated by our
home supplies. No man has the moral
right to risk the bread and meat of his
family on the most uncertain outcome
of an uncertain cotton market. It is
just as if he were to cast his other
home interests into the ever changing
whirlpool of the stock market, and trust
to luck to bring them out uninjured.
But having secured his home supplies,
I believe that every farmer has a
right to plant as many acres in cotton
as his best judgment dictates. But it
must be an enlightened judgment,
and to that end farmers should
lose no opportunity of informing them
selves on every point affecting this ques
tion. Just now the whole of Europe is
in an inflammable condition, and only
a small spark might cause a conflagra
tion which would set the eastern hemis
phere ablaze, and knock the very bot
tom out of the cotton market. Another
fact to be remembered, is the condition
of the cotton mills—they are, almost
without exception, crowded with goods
and spinners are not in condition to en
ter the market largely. Cotton goods
were never cheaper, but trade was never
duller. The financial affairs of the
country are in such a disjointed state,
that almost every branch of trade is in
an uncertain and unsatisfactory condi
tion. It is true that our finances should
be on a firm basis, but the fact remains
that they are not, and that we have as
yet failed to receive the promised resto
ration of confidence. What we may be
able to do in the future remains to be
seen, our duty just now is to “hedge”
against present difficulties. If the farm
ers, as a class, will do this, then if a
crash should oome—they of all classes,
will feel the shock less and will be able
to bear with comparative calmness dis
asters, which will drivethe general bus
iness of the country to the wall.
THE HEAVY RAINS AND THE DISASTERS IN
SOUHWEST GEORGIA
Since the above was written, the
wires have brought the news of the ter
rible storms, with loss of life and prop
erty, in Southwest Georgia. For a large
part of my life my home was among
these people, and the sorrows of that
stricken section seem almost my own.
To the parents and families, who have
lost their loved ones, I can only offer
my tenderest sympathy from a heart
which knows what this agony of suffer
ing means.
To the farmers who have suffered so
severely in their farming methods, I
would say don’t despair. Take courage
and begin afresh. It is better that this
disaster should have come now thau
later on, when, to repair the damage,
would be impossible.
- THE HEAVY RAINS
throughout the state have greatly re
tarded all farm work, but the winds
during the latter part of March dried
off the land aud enabled the farmers to
get in some telling strokes during the
last sunshiny days of the mouth. The
planting of the different crops will be
necessarily much delayed, but I remem
ber that, one year during my residence
in Southwest Georgia, we were visited
by just such destructive spring floods,
and the prospects for success were c ark
indeed. But I also remember that we
plucked up courage and went to work,
and that in the fall we gathered about
as much cotton and corn and other
crops as in an average year, and our
troubles in the spring were then for
gotten.
GEORGIA’S EXHIBIT AT THE TENNESSEE
CENTENNIAL.
We would be greatly obliged to any
farmers, who have specimens of last
year’s grain crops in the sheaf, such as
oats, rye, barley, wheat, rice, the mil
lets. any variety of native or cultivated
grasses, if they would spare us, if only
a little, for the Georgia exhibit at the
Tennessee centennial. We would be
glad also to secure specimens of every
variety of corn raised in Georgia. All
specimens should be boxed and shipped
by freight to Dr. George F. Payne, care
Department of Agriculture, Oapitol, At
lanta. They should be sent before April
20, not later, as they are to be used in
decorating the great coat of arms of
Georgia, which will stand at the en
trance to the state exhibit, and which
must be ready by May 1.
R. T. Nesbitt,
Commissioner of Agriculture.
MISUSE OF BIG MONOPOLY.
The Section That Haines Practically All
the Kartli* Cotton Supply Fails to
Take advantage of Its Pow
era to Coutrol*
1 have here a few thoughts which I
would like to submit with only the wish
to fix attention on the fact that our mis
use of a monopoly, the most gigantic
and the most unrestricted ever known
in this world, has come very near ship
wrecking our agricultural fortunes.
Only in the last few years are we
learning to "tack with the wind,” and
it is only since we have commenced to
more seriously study the various influ
ences affecting our great commodity
that we are learning to steer clear of
the breakers, on which the "all cotton”
man is bound to meet disaster.
This is a subject which is old, yet al
ways new and full of interest. Since a
boy I can remember that this cotton
crop problem lias engaged a large part
of the attention of farmers, and has oc
cupied an important place in all agri
cultural discussions at the conventions,
in the towns, at the cross roads stores
and around the farm firesides. But di
rectly after the war this subject was
surrounded by false conditions. The
'ETTfPlT^TrfTTrrrtrr ini hand 1 wan reduced,
beyond all precedent and our better
judgment was obscured by the high
price of cotton—so cents in gold, equal
to $2.10 in greenbacks.
MISUSE OF OUR GREAT MONOPOLY.
The temptation to the impoverished
farmer to borrow money to invest in
highpriced mules, highpriced fertilizers
and highpriced provisions to raise high
priced cottMii was too allu-ing to be re
sisted. Money was plentiful and easy
to obtain, and many are today strug
gling under the burdens imposed by the
mistakes of those first days “after the
war,” followed by years of uncertainty
and doubt. Many have lost ail in the
eager race and have awakened too late
to the fact that a cotton crop, unsup
ported by other necessary crops, is a de
lusion and a snare. Others, more far
seeing and realiz'iig in time the mistake
of putting “all their eggs in one bas
ket,” have, by a system of diversified
farming and rotation of crops, been
able to gain a firmer foothold and today
have the promising prospect of a suc
cessful and remunerative business. They
have worked on the idea that a cotton
crop, although it does not eat like
mules, yet requires au abundant provis
ion crop to sustain it iu healthy condi
tion.
The greatest mistake that we farmers
at the south have made is that we have
presumed on the prestige which our
monopoly has given us in the markets
of the world, and have supposed that
our cotton was able, unsupported, to
lift us over all obstacles and out of all
difficulties.
WE HAVE A CORNER IN COTTON.
That we have a monopoly is attested
today by the fact that we produce at
least three-fourths of the world’s cotton
crop. All the other cotton growing
countries, many of them with strong
government backing and encourage
ment, have so far been able to produce
only one-fourth of the general crop. By
using every means at tbeir command,
they have, in a period of 27 years, in
creased their crop only 10 per cent,
while our increase during the same pe
riod has been over 200 per cent. From
1867 to 1872 ouF average crop was 8,107,-
000 bales of 400 pounds each. During
the same period of five years the foreign
crop average was 2,887,000 bales. From
1891 to 1894 our average crop was 9.484,-
000 bales; foreign, 2,595.000. These fig
ures show for the years mentioned: In
crease in American cotton, 6,317,000;
increase in foreign, 258,000; increase in
American over foreign cotton, 6,059,000
bales.
Surely with such a monopoly as that,
we ought, to be able to coutrol the mar
kets of the world. Why is it, then,
that the cotton grower is at the mercy
of the buyer and must accept his ulti
matum, whether it barely pays him
back the cost of production or leaves
him in debt. Let us examine into the
subject a little. We find that Georgia
alone pays out annually over $8,000,000
for mules; that in the present year
Georgia farmers will use over 350,000
tons of commercial fertilizers; that the
importations of corn and meat, while
greatly reduced iu the last few years,
are still much too large in a section
where the facilities for producing these
items cannot be surpassed.
In 1879 Alabama, Mississippi, Lou
isiana. Texas aud Arkansas each raised
more cotton than Georgia. Now Geor
gia makes more cotton than any state,
except Texas, and more to the acre than
does Texas. We find that Georgia raised
iu the year
Cotton. Corn. Oats. Wheat.
Bales. Bushels. Bushels. Bushels
1870 478,000 17,000.000 1.000,P100 2.127 000
1890...1,191,000 29,000,000 4,700,000 1,096,000
The crops of hay, sweet potatoes
butter, etc., were all increased, but the
production is still short of what it
should be, while Georgia’s contribution
to the biggest cotton crop ever made is
second only to the largest. Here we
behold farmers struggling to force a cot
ton crop on the world, for which they
often accept less than cost price, because
they are compelled to have the money
to pay for provisions, which could have
been raised more cheaply at home.
Glancing over the tables we find that
Georgia had in
Milch cows. Other cattle. Sheep. Swine
1870 281,000 512,000 419,000 988,000
1890 296,000 537,000 440,000, 1,396,000
No material increase in any item ex
cept hogs, and yet we have a country
whose natural advantages for stock
raising, iu edmate and feeding crops,
green and dry, cannot be surpassed in
the world. Oottouseed hulls and meal,
the former for many years a waste pro
duct, furnish perhaps the cheapest stock
food known to man—and the south lias
it in almost unlimited quantity—l have
recently known of a large lot of cattle
shipped from North Georgia to England,
which were in fine condition, sieek and
fat, and which had been fed solely on
cottonseed meal and hulls.
I have iu mind several other lots
bought and fattened on cottonseed meal
aud hulls without any other feed, which
were sold at a profit, leaving the ma
nure, rich in fertilizing elements, to
the credit side of the account. My ob
ject iu referring to these facts and
figures is to emphasize the importance
of all these socalled by-products to the
enocess of our agriculture. Corn, oats,
THE TIMES: BRUNSWICK, GA., APRIL 4, 1896.
forage crops, cattle, sheep, hogs from
import adjuncts to the successful rais
ing of cotton, indeed, are the founda
tion on which it must rest iu order to
make it absolutely safe.
Dr. Charles W. Dabney, Jr., assistant
secretary of agriculture, in bis widely
circulated and widely read article on
‘The Possibilities of Cotton,’ states that
the value of the hulls aud meal from
the crop of 1896 ought to yield when
made into live weight of cattle $36,056,-
765; in oil, $41,750,000; in linters, $3,-
100,000; in mauui al value of hulls, sl3,
332 627, a grand total of $94,239.-
893, whereas we get only $58,000,-
000 for these products—a loss of
of $40,000,000 to the southern
era farmer. A big leak somewhere 1
These figuies ap'.ly illustrate the point
under discussion, namely, that the
southern farmer, iu reaching out to an
uncertain cottou market, actually
throws away a certain profit at home.
COTTON IS CASH.
It is true that cotton represents cash,
and the farmer can aiways sell his cot
tou, whereas he often finds it difficult
to market his other crops. But where
is the advantage of a cash market for
cotton if, by reason of injudicious man
agement, he is compelled to accept less
than it cost him to raise it?
Mr. Dabney also estimates that in
the year 1920, the world will need 20,-
000,000 bales of cotton. That is a long
glance into the future, but I trust that
when .that demand comes the south
will be able to supply, as today, the
ugruUci pm.t.pf'tfea —n
always provided that the demand is
backed by a price which will justify
the large outlay of capital aud labor
necessary to make that crop. Just now
our chief concern should be to make
our present cotton production a clear
profit—and this cannot be done by de
pending on other markets for home
supplies, and putting all our available
laud, our money and time aud labor in
such an uncertain investment as cotton
has heretofore proved.
OUR CHIEF DUTY NOW.
Thv re is 5 per cent of our land in cot
ton. If we would expand the crop to
meet the increasing demand, let us not
reach out to increase the area, but
rather by judicious methods of prepa
ration ana fertilization aud regular ro
tation of crops, endeavor to increase
the production of the present area. I,
for one, am iu favor of each man’s
making all the cotton he can, after he
has taken care that his position is se
cured by ample provision supplies at
home. Cotton is undoubtedly our
money crop, but, like any other monop
oly, requires forethought and judicious
management. Suppose the Standard
Oil company, or any other giant mo
nopoly, was so shortsighted as to over
stock the market to a point where it
would be compelled to sell at a loss, in
order to pay running expenses, would
not such a course be condemned as
wanting in the first principles of a
sound business policy? Aud yet that is
exactly what the farmer is doing when
he loads himself with a cottou crop for
which he cannot fully pay.
If he has allowed himself sufficient
margin to be secure of a clear profit on
his cottou, be it one bale or hundreds of
bales, he is in no danger. lam con
vinced that this question of the cotton
area is one which each farmer must
solve for himself, aud onoe the great
body of farmers, each man according
to his surroundings and conditions, has
decided on the number of acres which
he, as au individual, can safely afford
to put in, the great question of how
much cotton to plant each year will be
forever settled. To better enable farm
ers to arrive at correct conclusions, aud
to throw more light on all subjects con
nected with our farm management,
farmers’ institutes, farmers’ chautau
quas, experiment work and every other
means of diffusing information should
be systematically used.
What we need is a more thorough
knowledge of the conditions surround
ing us. R. T. Nesbitt,
State Agricultural Commissioner.
Enlargement of the Bone.
Question. —I have a fine horse with
enlargement of the bone on the left
hind leg, between the hoof aud fetlock
joiut. It extends almost around the
leg. Very lame when starting off, but
shows less iaiueuess when warmed up.
Caused from tailing through a car two
years ago. Some call it “ring-bone,”
and say that it can be cut or knocked
off with a chisel. What do you think
it is, and how can I cure it?
Answer. —Your auimal is doubtless
suffering from what is called bone
spavin, which is an enlargement of the
hock joints, caused by a growth of bony
matter. Strains at hard work will
sometimes produce it, or anything that
causes the weight to be thrown prin
cipally upon the inner splint bone, pro
ducing inflammation of the cartile’ges,
and thus inducing a bony deposit. There
is always some lameness and pain while
spavin is forming, while both are some
times diminished after the bony process
is completed. When treated properly
in the first stages, this, the most serious
spavin with which a horse can be
affected, is frequently cured, but no
cure is possible after much bony forma
tion has taken place. In the case of
your animal no treatment will avail
anything, the case being of too long
standing. Should you have another
case treat as follows: Turn the animal
on grass if possible and keep the bowels
from becoming constipated. Take of
mercurial ointment, 4 ounces; powdered
rantharides. ounce; oil of rosemary,
2 drachms. Mix well together and ap
ply to the spavin dai.y, first bathing in
cold water until the inflammation is re
duced. If too much irritation is pro
duced, stop the treatment for a while
and renew it again if necessary. Rub
bing with oleate of mercury daily for
several days is also recommended. Still
another counter-irritant or blister may
be made by mixing i ounce of pulver
ized cantharides with 4 ounces of lard.
Cut off the hair and rub In well for 10
or 15 minutes. One application will
generally be sufficient to produce the
counter-irritation. Two days after this
application apply sweet oil to heal and
soften the skin. Although bone spavin
is usually caused by strains or over
work, yet it is also hereditary, aud
horses so affected should never be used
for breeding purposes.—State Agricult
ural Departmeut.
REPLIES TO
QUESTIONS
Mr. Nesbitt Gives Information
on Many Subjects.
HOW TO MAKE GRAFTING WAX
Planting; and Cultivating: Onions, Celery
and Sweat Potatoes—Methods For Keep
ing Eggs During the Fall—Corn Raising
In Georgia—Bone SpaViu—lnsects In Ap.
pie Trees, Etc.
Question. —Please give me some idea
about planting and cultivating onions,
celery and sweet potatoes.
Answer. —Onions do best on a light
loamy soil, which must be deeply
broken, thoroughly pulverized and
highly manured. They thrive on land
filled with humus, and therefore reten
tive of moisture. Lime is needed for
full development and most soils con
tain enough of this element of plant
food. They should aso be pitceded by
a crop which required clean cultivation,
such as cotton or pototoes, as the soil
will then be, in a measure, free from
weed and grass seeds. Commercial fer
tilizers are better than animal manures,
as they contain no hurtful seeds! ’ Use"
2,000 pounds per acre of a fertilizer run
ning about 6 per cent available phos
phoric acid, 7 per cent potash, and 4 per
cent nitrogen. Broadcast 1,500 pounds
of this and apply 500 pounds in the
drill. Plant Hie sets as early as possi
ble in the spring iu rows 18 inches to 2
feet wide, aud 6 to 8 Indies in the row.
Sets do best—growing larger aud reach
ing maturity much sooner—if planted
about the middle of September iu this
state. A moist low laud suits celery
best, though it can be grown success
fully wherever it oan be watered when
necessary. Manure the ground very
heavily iu the spring for onions, cab
bages, beets or any other early crop;
and as soon as the first crop is taken off,
plow or spade the ground deeply, pul
verizing it thoroughly to receive the
celery plants. The seed should be sown
towards the last of March in good soil, in
drills 12 inches apart. When the plants
are about 3 inches high clip off the tops,
and repeat this later on, to get a stocky
growth and make the plants more uni
form in size. When the first crops have
been removed, a liberal quantity of
commercial fertilizer applied and the
land well prepared you are ready to set
out the celery plants. Lay off rows 3>£
feet wide and place a plant every 6
inches iu the row. Before setting out
trim the roots to 3% inches in length,
and cut off the leaves even with the top
of the bud. Set out if possible in cloudy
weather, and should it be very hot and
dry just after setting out, some protec
tion must be given the young plants.
After the plants begin to grow the
ground should be frequently stirred and
kept free from grass and weeds. When
the leaves get 15 to 18 inches long the
earth on each side of the row should be
loosened to the depth of 2 or 3 inches,
then taking the leaves of each plant in
one hand, press the loosened earth
around the stalk with the other, follow
ing with the hoe and drawing np more
earth about the plants. As fast as the
plants grow continue drawing the earth
to them until the time comes for bleach
ing, from first to middle of October.
To do this, commence about a foot from
the plants, and with a spade throw up
a bank or earth, covering all the celery
except a few inches of the longest leaves.
In a few weeks it will be bleached aud
ready for use. Should the ground be
come dry at any time during the growth
of the plants they must be well watered.
Sweet potatoes do best in a soil some
what sandy. Break the laud thoroughly
and moderately deep. Lay off rows 3}£
feet apart and apply in the opehing
furrow 500 pounds to the acre of a fer
tilizer containing 7 per cent available
phosphoric acid, 9 per cent potash and
4 per cent nitrogen. Then run a scooter
in bottom of furrow to mix the manure
with the dirt, after which bed and
plant, placing the slips 15 inches apart
iu the row. Cultivate on a level, stir-
Ing the ground frequently.—State Ag
-innUnenl I \rtnovt mmi f
itUUiVVttMA A/UJ/Ul* vuiwUVa
Watermelon and Sweet Potato Culture.
Question. —Will watermelons make
on laud after sweet potatoes, or potatoes
after watermelons? Is cottonseed meal
and acid phosphate a good fertilizer for
cotton, and if so in what proportions?
Answer. Watermelons and sweet
potatoes are both large consumers of
potash, and for that reason only they
do not follow each other well, unless a
fertilizer is used containing a large per
centage of potash. Therefore, in fol
lowing either of these crops with the
other, you should use a fertilizer carry
ing 6 to 8 per cent phosphoric acid, 2 to
8 per cent ammonia and 8 to 10 por
cent potash.
The vineless yam produces well, is a
good potato for eating, matures early,
but is not a good keeper. Iu the contest
for the one hundred dollar premium,
offered by the Atlanta Weekly Consti
tution for the largest yield of sweet po
tatoes from one acre of land, a farmer
In South Carolina won the prize by rais
ing over 500 bushels to the acre. He
planted the vineless yam. Cottonseed
meal and acid phosphate do not consti
tute a complete fertilizer for cotton.
There is lacking the very essential in
gredient, potash. A good fertilizer for
cotton should contain from 8 to 10 per
cent available phosphoric acid, 2 to 3
per cent ammonia and 2 to 4 per cent of
potash. To get such a fertilizer mix
1,000 pounds high grade acid phosphate,
800 pounds cottonseed meal and 400
pounds kainit.—State Agricultural De
partment.
The “Oyster Shell Bark Louse.”
Question. —l have an apple orchard of
over 2,000 trees and I find a number of
them affected with some injurious in
sect, The ends of the smaller branches
die and the trees have a general look of
uuhealthfuluess. I send you some twigs
covered with the insects, and would be
glad to know how to get rid of them.
Had I uot better cat down my infected
trees ?
Answer. —The twigs are well cov
ered with the “Oyster Shell Bark
Louse.” one of the worst enemies of
the apple grower. You need not, how
ever, cut down your trees on their ac
count, for with proper care they can be
successfully fought. During the winter
the trees should be carefully examined,
and if these or any other scale insects
are found they should be scraped off as
thoroughly as possible. This means,
however, will not entirely exterminate
the lice, as many wili be on the smaller
twigs, which cannot be scraped, there
fore other means must also be used.
Watch out daily for the hatching of
the young lice, which in Middle Geor
gia Will norur-eai-lv in Ami). or sooner,
if the weather is warm. A close' ex
amination will show them moving
about on the bark, hunting for a good
place to settle and insert their beaks,
which once done, they remain station
ary for the balance of their lives, suck
ing the juices of the tree and doing it
great damage. While running about,
aud for a short time after they become
stationary, they are easily destroyed,
being then very tender and delicate.
Three remedies are recommended, and
doubtless they are ail good. First,
when you find the young lice running
about the limbs, wash or paint the en
tire bark with a strong solution of soft
soap and washing soda. To make this,
dissolve % pound of washing soda iu
2Ua or 3 gallons of water, aud with this
dilute soft soap to the consistency of a
thick paste. Second remedy: When
the lice are observed, syringe thoroughly
with a solution of washing soda, made
by dissolving % pound of soda in 2
gallons of water. Third remedy: Spray
with kerosene emulsion, made as fol
lows: Kerosene, 2 gallons; whale oil
soap, % pound (or 1 quart of soft soap);
water, 1 gallon. Dissolve the soap in
boiling water and add the hot solution
(away from the fire) to the kerosene.
Agitate the mixture violently with a
force pump or other meaus for 5 min
utes, or until the liquid becomes of the
consistency of cream. If well made,
this emulsion will keep for a long time,
to be used as wanted. For this insect,
dilute the emulsion with eight or ten
times its bulk of cold water. In apply
ing any of these remedies the work
must be done very thoroughly, so that
every portion of the bark may be
reached, otherwise some of the lice will
escape aud Avill quickly “increase and
multiply.” Before the protecting, scaly
shields cover these lice they are quite
helpless from attacks from other quart
ers, and are preyed on by several para
sites and by one or two species of the
ladybug. Insect enemies to the vari
ous fruits are very common now in
Georgia, where but a few years ago
they were unheard of, and only by care
and watchfulness and the use of the
washes and sprays of various kinds can
we now hope for the finest fruits. —State
Agricultural Department.
Corn Raining In Georgia.
Question. —I have made corn for 20
years on the prairie iauds of lowa,
using no fertilizers, and leaving two to
four stalks in the hill. I know nothing
about raisiug corn iu Georgia and I aud
several of my friends would like some
instructions from you. Tell us also
what “side crops” to plant, both for
hay aud for feeding green.
Answer. The climatic conditions
and the soil of Georgia are so entirely
different from what you have been ac
customed to in lowa, that you will have
to get rid of your fixed ideas about corn
raising and adopt those in vogne here,
or make a failure. The soil of the lowa
prairies is deep, full of humus, and
tt - I- A " J Am e r% -3 Al. mamma . M
Wttll auapicu ukj uuiu, uuu tuu ooueuu vi
growth being short, nature beneficently
provides that all cereals rush rapidly to
maturity. Iu this state we have a thin
soil on our uplands, denuded of humns
to a great extent by long cultivation in
cottou and a long season of summer,
during which our corn crop leisurely
reaches maturity. On account of these
differences in soil andclimate, you must
in Georgia make your rows wider, drop
the coru farther apart and leave fewer
stalks in the hill thin you would in
lowa. On our river bottoms and in
the rich valleys of the Cherokee coun
try you can plant corn much closer aud
make good crops, but it wont do on our
ordinary uplands. In preparing the
land break up flush, or bed out in 5
foot rows, plowing as deep as possible,
but not bringing the subsoil to the sur
face. I prefer bedding out the laud in
6 foot rows, and planting in the water
furrow (except in very sandy soil), as
in that case you get your corn deeper in
the ground and can work it with more
ease afterwards, as well as putting it
where it can best withstand drouth.
When ready to plant, from first to
last of March, according to locality,
strew in the water furrow (the plant
ing furrow) 300 pouuds of a fertilizer
carrying 7 per cent phosphoric acid,
1.50 per cent potash and 4 per cent am
monia. Rnn a scooter plow back and
forth to mix the fertilizer with the soil,
then drop yenr corn 4 feet apart, two
grains to the hill, and cover with a
double-foot plow. When the coru, gets
the fourth leaf, thin to one stalk m the
hilL Taking for granted that the land
has beeu deeply broken before planting,
let the cultivation from beginning to
end be shallow, either with sweeps or
cultivators, throwing a little dirt to the
corn at each plowing. Plow the crop
every 15 or 18 days, “laying it by” jnat
before the tassels appear. If carefully
plowed there will be no need of hoeing,
bat should any weeds or grass escape
the plow, cut out with the hoe. As
you “lay by,” sow a half bushel of cow
peas to the acre, ahead of the plows.
By following these directions, you
should make from 12 to 20 bushels of
corn on any laud in Georgia that is
worth cultivating. As ‘‘side crops,”
plant German millet, sorghum, cat-tail
millet, or drilled corn. All of these
should be planted on rich, deeply broken
land to yield well. Iu sandy or very
poor soil you had better plant your corn
in rows 6 feet wide, with a row of field
peas in the middle.—State Agricultural
Department
—ttootlu e-lYax. :
Question. Please tell me how to
make grafting wax. And give me a
good recipe for making whitewash that
will stick.
Answer. —A cheap and good grafting
wax can be made by melting together
two parts of beeswax, one part of tallow
and four parts of rosin. Stir until cool
enough to handle aud then pull like mo
lasses candy. After applying cover with
cloth or paper, to protect from a very
hot sun. If you want a harder wax,
use five parts of rosin instead of four.
Another grafting wax much used is
made by melting together three parts of
rosin, three parts of beeswax and two
parts of tallow.
To make good whitewash, take
bushel unslaked lime, freshly burned if
possible. Slake with hot water, keep
ing covered iu the process. Add to this
1 peck of salt, dissolved in soft or rain
water. Then add 5 gallons hot water,
stirring well. Cover up and let stand
two or three days before using. When
using apply hot and you will find it
very satisfactory. Whitewash should
be used more freely on our farm build
ings and fences, as it is conducive to
health, preserves the wood and renders
attractive in appearance many buildings
that would otherwise be unsightly. A
cream color may be given the above
wash by the addition of yellow ochre,
or a good pearl by adding lamp black.—
State Agricultural Department.
Remedy For Inflamed Eyes.
Question. —I have several cows that
appear to be going blind with inflamed
eyes; appetite good all the time. Can
you tell me what to do for them?
Answer. —Ophthalmia, or infl
tion of the eyes, is a disease tn
cattle are uot very subject,
common cause being exposur.
From the number of cows
troubled with this disease, I infer that
the inflamed eyes are a symptom only
of some other disease. If lam correct
your description is too meager to diag
nose the cause of the trouble.
If there is nothing wrong with the
cows inflammation of the eyes, I
would advise that you bathe the eyes
carefully morning and night with the
following mixture: Sulphate of zinc,
20 grains; acetate of lead, 1 drachm;
tincture of opium, % ounce; fluid ex
tract of belladonna, 2 drachms; rain
water, or water that has been boiled, 1
pint. Mix thoroughly. Should a white
film form over the ball of the eye apply
directly to it morning and night, with a
soft feather, the following: Ten grains
of nitrate of silver, thoroughly di am
solved in 1 ounce of water that has bee*
boiled. Continue this until the film
disappears.—State Agricultural Depart
ment.
Method of Keeping Sfgs.
Question.— Can you give me some re
ceipt by which I can keep eggs from
March until the following winter?
Answer. —There are a number of
methods that are recommended for
keeping eggs, but I doubt very mnoh
whether any of them would preserve
the eggs in eatable condition for the
length of time you desire. I would sug
gest that you put up the eggs in Sep
tember and October, when they are
usually very cheap, aud yon oan then
keep then uutil Xmas, and sell at a good
profit. Either of the following meth
ods aro said to be good, bat in every
case the eggs must be perfectly fresh,
or they will certainly spoil. First
Method —Slafck quick lime in water suf
ficiently for your purpose, and when it
has settled, draw off the water. To
each gallon of water add 1 pound of
salt. Immerse the eggs in this solution,
and be careful to always keep them be
low the surface of the water? Tjie fol
lowing method, tried by the Agrinult.
ural Department at Washington, w? Jf
found to keep the eggs in good oonif
tion for six months iu 000 l weather, jE
Rub or rather auoint the eggs all '
with linseed oil, and plaoe them
the small ends downward in dry
Still another plan is to dissolve 4 c
of beeswax in 7 ounces of warm
oil, anoint the eggs all over with
preparation, and ir< ©
place. This will pr
months, it is said
Department.
3