IN THE SOUTH 37 



profitable the production of horses and mules. Pastures 

 are available almost the entire year and crops of forage can 

 be raised following grain or cotton crops, so that the income 

 from horses or mules can, on many farms, be made almost 

 clear profit. 



Poultry. Probably no more important and profit- 

 able extension of farm products in the South can be made 

 than through the raising of more poultry. The feed re- 

 quired can be grown very cheaply, while the shelter may 

 also be inexpensive. Southern farmers could add many 

 millions of dollars to the income of their farms every year 

 by raising more chickens, as well as turkeys, ducks, geese 

 and squabs. 



4. Soil Management in the South 



The management of the soil in the southern states needs 

 careful study with reference to the long growing season, 

 the open winters, lack of winter rest periods, and the thin 

 and rather depleted condition of a great deal of southern 

 soil. 



Use of fertilizers. There are two important methods 

 of fertilizing the soil. First f and most important, is to en- 

 rich the soil by deep tillage, the growing of legumes, fol- 

 lowing a carefully planned system of crop rotation, and the 

 adding of natural barnyard manures. Second, these meth- 

 ods should be supplemented by adding commercial fertili- 

 zer such as experience and experimental investigation 

 prove practical. 



Fall plowing. Most of the southern land should be 

 given fall plowing from 8 to 14 inches in depth. This will 

 enable the soil to "breathe," taking the place of the freezing 

 of the soil in the North. It also permits the seed bed to 

 absorb the rains of the fall and winter and conserve them 

 for the next season's crop. On deep fall-plowed land 



