SPECIAL FARM TOPICS 199 



cash revenue besides the necessary hay and grain for maintaining 

 the work stock and a small herd of cattle and hogs. 



(4) The feeding of cattle and hogs for the purpose of con- 

 verting a part of the grain and roughage of the farm into animal 

 products for sale and into manure for the maintenance of soil fer- 

 tility. 



(5) The maintenance of and the increase in the supply of 

 humus in the soil by the use of barnyard manure and the plowing 

 in of vegetable material for the control of moisture, plant food, 

 ventilation, and germ life, most important factors of soil fertility. 



(6) The application of barnyard manure to the cotton land 

 in a rotted and moist condition, covering it immediately two or 

 three months before planting, and the thorough mixing of the 

 manure with the soil before putting in the crop, thereby diminish- 

 ing, if not entirely eliminating, the tendency of the crop to burn, 

 which often occurs in dry seasons when the crop is planted on re- 

 cently applied coarse manure. 



(7) The greater space given each individual cotton plant as 

 the soil became more fertile and the plants grew larger, thus giving 

 room for large, well-branched, heavily fruited plants. 



(8) The closer planting of the more slender growing corn as 

 the soil became more fertile, thus insuring a greater number of 

 stalks to the acre and increasing the possibility of securing larger 

 yields. (F. B. 364). 



While the system of managing this farm could be carried out 

 in detail on comparatively few other farms, one or more of the 

 main features of the system are applicable to nearly every farm in 

 the cotton belt. 



Crop rotation can be introduced with advantage on every farm 

 not already practicing it. On nearly every farm it would be eco- 

 nomical to grow the grain and forage necessary for home con- 

 sumption, and it would be profitable to grow some for market also. 

 Some form of stock raising, dairying, mule raising, or cattle feed- 

 ing could foe made at least self-sustaining and indirectly profitable 

 through its influence on soil fertility. (F. B. 364.) 



Necessary Intensive Requirements. Intensive farming pre- 

 supposes that all the coordinating factors incident to the production 

 of a paying crop shall receive their proper share of attention. In 

 order that deep plowing, thorough preparation, and careful culti- 

 vation may pay, the field must be made fertile, a good stand must 

 be secured, and the crop must be planted at the most favorable 

 season; conversely, in order that liberal fertilizing may pay, the 

 field must be so prepared and cultivated that the growing crop can 

 best utilize large amounts of available plant food; and, above all, 

 strenuous efforts should be made to secure a good and uniform 

 stand. The crop should also be planted as close as it can be with- 

 out injuring its quality. 'Such experimental data as are available 

 indicate that the yield of tobacco is increased by closer planting 

 up to a certain point, and that the texture of the leaves is finer. 

 Closer planting may thus be taken advantage of to prevent the in- 



