The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1853-04-05
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From the Southern Agriculturist.

~ luck OF green IoOu IS one OF the
evils Of Southern husbandry. It
causes miserable looking stock to
!. abound from one end of tho coun-
: try to another. It is true, the sea-
sons here are not adapted to the con-
tinuous production of an abundant
supply Of such desirable food, bnt
where can we find the country iu
which the products of o virgin soil
forever continue9 Man NEST set his
hands to work, to supply these
wants, and if care and proper fore.
thought be bestowed, the remedies
are always to be found to supply these
and similar defects. Grazing, for
sheep and neat cattle, is practicable
on those soils which produce grass
well; but with our hot sunshine and
arid hills, there are few spots in the
planting portion of the South, which
furnish sufficient quantity of her
bage for such purposes. 1t is new
or practicable, nor should it be, un.
der any circumstances, to Craze hor-
ses and mules which are daily en-
gagged in the cultivation Of the
crop. as they should have an abun-
dance of such food as their natures
require, placed before them where
they could eat to safety, without
toiling to gather it themselves. In
point of economy, there have been
many arguments upon the relative
profit Of the two systems; but when
r*e look at the value Of manure, the
paucity Of our grazing grounds plain
~ point out to the planter that soil
ing is the cheapest, because it is the
most productive Of those ingredients
which keep up and increase the fer
tility of his cultivated fields. Rest
and quiet, conducting to the rapid &C.
cumulation of muscle and fat, in most
domestic animals, add esasr argu-
sments On this score IN the ecalo oif
the latter. Sheep, however, are an
exception to this rule. and in our eli
mate cannot be kept in healthy con-
dition, unless they have a wide range
and plenty of exercise. This is ow-
ing more to a requirement of the eli.
mate than to anything else. AS not
one planter in one hundred has the
proper means of furnishing good pas
turage for his cattle, a general re-
commendation in favor of soiling,
would not be amiss; and as we be-
lieve it to be the true policy to be
pursued, from more reasons than the
limits Of this article would permit
us to set down, We shall proceed to
enumerate such plants as we believe
adapted to soiling, and which are
generally not cultivated and apprcci-
ated in the South:
Barley is a crop highly produc.
tive of green forage, if properly ma
nured. The common winter, or
four rowed barley, has long been
sown and appreciated in many parts
of the country, and being fully accli
mated, should form the basis of
the body of it. There are, however,
other varieties which may yet sup.
plant this kind in the estimation of
our planters. 1t is safe rule with
any crop, to hold fast to that which
has always proved itself good.
We are now experimenting with
Aresrew varieties of barley, viz: the
Barley Bigge, the Chevalier, and
the Black Cheltenham. With one
years trial, we have found the Bar.
ley Bigge very productivc-the
Chevalier being O spring variety, was
improperly sown in the fall, and had
to undergo the extreme freezing Of
1851-52, and did not therefore do
as we'll as it might have done un-
der more favorable culture. The
Black Cheltenham ia a singular and,
we believe, o valuable grain. with.
standing the most severe cold and
being highly productive. It grows
fully four inches taller than the 9th.
er kinds Of barley, tillers we'll, and
the leaves are broad and succulent,
furnishing more green food to the
acre than any other variety. The
kernel of this variety is very large, Of
a deep blue.blaok color, and of
heavy weight. We are not disposed
to oyerrate novel products, but must
say that we have high expectations
respecting this variety of barley. An
acre Of barley, made very rich, will
furnish several mowings Of green fod-
der for soiling q large lot of ami
mails, and it is not only botter relish
ed than any other green food availa-
BILE for ono stock, but is extremely nu-
tritive. It can be fed to horses and
cattle until the beard begins to har-
den, when it's use must DO discontin-
ned. TO hogs it can be fed during