The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1849-05-30
Aacieultural.
Southern Pllnltilg-.sCOW Pca-.-
Cotton Seed, Etc.

SOUTHERN FlnnntiaS-.aC0WP Pca..-
Cotton Seed, Etc.
In your last number, Mr.. R,binscn,
l perceive, notices the fatal effects, in
Mississippi, of turning stock into pea
fields. Ihave myself been sufferer,
in the loss ofmany valuable cattle, from
tho same cause. The usual hazard of
feeding peas, however, may be much
iessened by proper PRECAUTIONS. In the
first place, | would recommend the red
aointer pea as least injurious; and
planting on the same ridge with corn,
to induce the vine to grow on the corn
stalk, to prevent as much as possible
the pods from coming in contact with
the ground. which, in wet seasons, oc-
casions them to rot very early, in which
state they are poison. Before stock of
any kind are turned into pea fields,
they should be liberally fed with corn,
lest they gorge themselves by too heavy
q meal. They should have access
to water at all times; and if the fields
contain none, they should be driven to
it thrice a.day. Salt freely twice a
week, and rigidly exclude horses and
cattle from pea fields in wet weather.
Better that they are kept on short COM
mons than feast Oh food so dangerous.
If they swclb and are not speedily re.
lievcd by moderate exercise, they
should be punctured with a sharp knife,
between the hip and back rib, sufficient,
ly deep to reach tho cavity, which,
nine cases in ten, will afford instant re.
lief.
Hogs should never have access to
pea fields, excepting those intended to
fatten for slaughter. TO stock hogs,
they are almost as injurious as cotton
seed, on both of which they will thrive
for time; but half that are thus fed,
will die rs warm weather approaches.
In no country that have ever seen, do
hogs thrive so we'll as i'll the valley of
the Mississippi; and nowhere that I
know, can they be raised cheaper
The woods abound in mast, and the
whole surface of the earth is filed with
worms; so that only sutIiciency ofcorn,
with little attention to keep them gen
tie, is oil that isrequired. + feed mine
IN the evening when they are penned,
and turn them out il wood pastures in
the day. I would prefer open, enclos-
Cd pastures, but for tho 5urs. These,
when they commence vcgetating in the
spring, hogs eat voraciously, and their
rough outer covering forms an indiges.
tible mass in the stomach, which de-
stroys most of the young ones.
My crop of corn, last season, in Mis-.
sisslppi, nearly equallcd that of the pre-.
ceding year, whilst the cotton crop fell
short about one fourth. Notwithstand-
ing the fertility of the soil there, 1 shall,
for the ensuing crop, manure every
hill of corn, and if tho result at all ea1-
ais my expectations, will give you the
product. have just closed the opera.
ton ofhauling out manure on nv fields
here. Of cotton-secd, cow-pen, and
stable manure, and ashes, I have taken
out $40 four-horsc wagon loads, and
2,S4O cart loads. The latter arc rail.
road carts, with bodies five feet long.
four wide, and one foot deep. The ash.
os were obtained by setting fire to RATS
deposited in my river low grounds.
formed by the drift wood brought down
by freshets. The supply is unlimited;
and an experiment made last year with
ashes, induces me to expect great re-
suits this season. w. HAMPTON.
Malwood, S. O., MarcA 10Th,
l840.--Agviculualist.
APPLICATION OF PLASTER AND
ASHES TO MEADows.---If a meadow
DC manured only with plaster of Paris,
the crops ofgrass WILDE at first great.
~ increased, but will afterwards dimin.
ish; for the silicate Of potash which the
soil contained, is soon exhausted by the
rapid growth Of the grass, and its fur.
ther increase is checked. But if the
meadow be strewed from time to time
with wood ashes, which contain potash
the grass will thrive as luxuriantly as
before.