Cheraw gazette and Pee Dee farmer. [volume] (Cheraw S.C.) 1838-1839, 1839-09-27

those three original earths 7 2dly. What
vegetable matter have nigh me, or if none,
or not in sufficient quantities, how shall !
procure it?
To the first inquiry, after he is answered,
he will then say--that soil which absor6s
most moisture from the atmosphere, and
readily gives it out, is the best for cultiva.
ton and that due admixlure ofclay, sand,
and mari, presents the soil desired and it
there is no mari at hand,-Cay, mixed with
sand, and gravel or sand, mixed with clay,
he may use as next in value. Now, to make
these combinations Of soils, either OF two
plans may be selected. The first and most
ef;.ctual would b., to cart into the field. that
one, or more of sthe original earths" re-
CURED and plough them in /: the second
would be 10 mix them in the cow-pen and
stable with the manure, % be- carted ont. -
Having ID this way created soil suscePti'
bic Of being improved by manure, the plan.
ter should then look to tine second question !;
which because of lis importance, | shall
dwell on somewhat at large.
To the second question. Iflhe planter
has an abundance of dry leaves ut hand, he
may use them; il not, he may plant rye or
wheat; which, being winter growths, can
be turned under, for the spring crop. And
as am satisfied thai the planters OF shorf
cotton in the middle and upper country will
sooner or later have to use dry or green
vegetable matter as manure, to the rela.
tive value of each, let me call your a,ten-
ton. must also request YOU to bear in
mind, that | intend my remarks 20 be ap.
piled chiefly 10 the middle country, the dry
vegetable matter of whose high lands is
less decomposable than that of the sea-
board and, therefore, must be used with
more preparation for instant crops.
| have used dry leaves both for corn and
cotton benefcially on sandy lands: how
much more so then would they be on cold,
stiff moist soils, you may easily conceive
| have noticed that those leaves which pro-
duced the most potash or the most gum, are
best. Not because Of the greater propor-
ton of the ligneous matter in them. but, be-
cause such leaves are more readily decom.
posable than others, and their nutritious
particles more soluble in water, in which
form, the roots of plants consume them.-
The gum leaf, for present crop. is the first,
then the hickory, then the oak; and, lastly,
pine trash. The leaves of the yellow pine
cannot be used for present crop, for they
are resinous. and for nearly year 'nsoiu6le
in aoaler, or in othor- words, mdecomPosa.
ID. leuves yield one. seventh Of them
selves in manure warm the earth in their
act of decomposition and. by opening fis-
sures in it, admit air TO the roofs of plan :
yet, they are by no means so valuable, as
the turning under ofgrcen vegetable matter ;
because, they cost more and do not afford
the same nourishment.
Iselected the best hand on my place, the
driver himself and ordered him to see how
many loads Of gum or oak leaves he could
rake and cart in one day and though the
leaves were close at hand. the result ~ns
but FIVE loads. He might have carted
more, but the difficulty was in the filing OF
the cart. We have no utensll, and, indeed
II would be difficult TO invent one with which
to load so in I" my parts" we have to use
basket, and trample the leaves in it, and
then in the cart. With pine trash, We might
Sc the ordinary fork, but the oak leaves
fall through its prongs. allow then that
the driver, horse and cart are worth fifty
cents day | would no, hire the same un-
der one dollar. Now ! am satisfied by ex.
pertinent, that not less than one hundred
cart loads of leaves to the acre will benefit
cotton land, so as to make an impression on
It and 10 cart there, it would lake twenty
days, and therefore cost ten dollars.
Now, let US plant rye in September. % be
turned under in June or July, sOhile in fuaoer,
with broadcast ofpeas and then TO be
ploughed 10 before hard frost, for the,spring
culture.
One single plough. planting an
acre or more per day, is y 379
Half bushel Of rye to the acre,
or less, oo
One single plough, TO plant peas
broadcast, 313
One bushel peas, or less, l w
One double plough to tuIn ur,.
der pea stuble, 622
g. s7a
Two 81 dollars deducted from ten