The Bulletin 53 



If we expect to get the work done at the right time we must liave the 

 necessary implements, viz.: a disc plow, in order that we may plow our 

 land in extremely dry seasons; a disc harrow, a section harrow, roller (that 

 we may pulverize the clods), and a wheat drill. 



Second. We must rotate our crops. We cannot maintain the fertility, of 

 our soil and keep up the humus supply without a system of rotation; neither 

 can we increase our yields without a strict rotation. I shall not attempt to 

 offer any fixed rotation, for every man should work this out for himself. He 

 should be governed by local conditions and the crops he grows, but I will 

 say that any system that does not include a legume is not a good system. 



A rotation of grain crops is but little better than no rotation. A neighbor 

 of mine sowed the same piece of land in wheat four years in succession. I 

 will give you the result of each year's crop: First year's yield, 33 bushels; 

 second, 22 bushels; third, 12 bushels, and fourth, 7 bushels. Each crop had 

 the same treatment and same fertilization, and the decrease in yield was 

 due solely to continuous cropping with the same thing. 



Third. By intelligent use of plant food. I believe we can use fertilizer 

 and make a profit by its use, but we should buy it for the analysis it con- 

 tains and not the brand on the sack. There is no fixed formula that we can 

 recommend for wheat on all kinds of soil. We must be governed by the 

 previous crop, kind of soil, etc. We should also know how much of the dif- 

 ferent plant foods a given number of bushels of wheat takes from the soil, 

 say 50 or 100 bushels, and supply the plant food in the same proportion. 

 Phosphorus is the principal plant food needed in most of our red soils. If you 

 have been growing peas and clover, you will not likely need any nitrogen. On 

 sandy soil you would need to use some potash also. 



Fourth. By sowing good seed, that is, seed that has been well graded and 

 is free from filth. By the use of a grader you can in a few years eliminate 

 all filth. There are several different graders on the market the price of 

 which is within reach of the average farmer. Five or six farmers if con- 

 veniently located can cooperate in buying a grader, also drills, etc. 



As to time of sowing, it is best to have a killing frost before we begin. 

 Usually it is safe to begin after the 15th of October. The amount of grain 

 to sow per acre will depend on the land, say from 1 to 1 1-2 bushels. 



Fifth. Be sure to eradicate all smut, as this will decrease your yield and 

 render the wheat less valuable. You can do this by the formalin treatment. 

 You can get instructions as to its use from the State and United States 

 Bulletins. 



Silage Crops for the South. 



R. S. Curtis. 



Ordinarily any crop placed in the silo would be enhanced in value for live 

 stock either through the succulence which it would retain or the saving 

 through the silo of the finer and more palatable parts of the feed. It is usu- 

 ally either necessary or desirable, however, to supplement silage with dry 

 roughages. Owing to this fact the uncertainty of siloing certain crops, and 

 the adaptability of these crops for supplementary purposes, a better balanced 

 and more palatable ration can usually be obtained than were all converted 

 into silage. 



Experience has shown that corn, sorghum, kafir corn, and the grass crops 

 make better silage than the legumes, although cowpeas make a very good 

 quality of silage, especially when mixed with corn. The cowpea should not 

 be siloed alone. Most legumes when siloed alone undergo a change which 

 makes a bad discoloration and usually an inferior, unpalatable silage. Clover 

 and alfalfa are especially undesirable for the purpose because of these 

 changes. 



Generally speaking the legumes and hollow stemmed crops such as oats, 

 rye or timothy are not adapted to silage production owing to the difficulty of 

 excluding the air. While these crops are not entirely barred for silage uses, 

 it is seldom that they are so used. If finely cut and mixed with the crops 

 better adapted to silage purposes, they may be used at times advantageously. 



