The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1854-06-28
AGRICULTURAL
What should be the Chief Crop of the
South.


What should be the Chief Crop of the
South.
Corn and cotton in the planting States
have by common custom become the uni.
versal C: ops ofextensive cultivation. How
far this shift is correct, is nolentirely prov, d
by. its universally, nor by the prejudi.
ces which sustain it in tie minds Of plan.
tiers. Indian corn, indigenous to the soil
was perhaps the most convenient and
profitable when the country, was first set
tied, and when an abundant and easily
prepared crop, to supply the wants of both
man an beast, was requirement Of the
times. In this relative value, it still is the
most valuable crop grown On the virgin soils
OF the Middle and Southern Of the Western
States, forft luxuriates upon the vegetable
matter abounding IN new soils, and will
little preparation and Indifferent culture.
yields large retu MS for labor bestowed.
Such, however, is not the case in the older
States, where the cream of the land he's
been stolen away ilnperceptibly by the
most exhausting systems to which TILED
soil has ever been subjected and, taking
ten years cropping together, the Indian
corn crop Is the most uncertain we can
plant. 1t is difficult to grow on any but
virgin or alluvial soil, and the dronphts
-of summer, except in extraordinary and
most favorable seasons, cut it of to
ruinous extent. The corn crib is called the
store house Of the planter in the South,
and indeed it is his main dependence.
But this is only because he is not accus-
toned to Intervene other crops with the
cultivation ofcotton. On improved and
well prepared soil, barley and wheat would
yield more bushels Of grain of more value
to the planter than Indian corn. In fact,
birley is tho most valuable grain which
we cultivate at the South. II sown at
the proper season, il readily perfects itself
from the winter moisture in the earth, and
yields heavily, II is fine soilinp for all
kinds OF sock, and comes into harvest in
May, a time when few days can be
spared from the cotton crop without Diet.
riment to its growth or production. Its
grain is so well protected, that il is not
liable to bespoilt by exposure to the wealth
er, and itmay lie any length of time in
the straw, when dryly housed, without be.
ing injured. A barley crop sown with
guano, cotton seed, or well prepared com
post manure, afcr the cotton crop is gath
cred in December and January, would
come Oft sufficiently early to SOW the stub
Die down in peas to be turned under in
autumn, and the rotation Of small grain
with this system pursued, would be the
best and most efficient mode of improyino
our lands. It would also be fitted to the
economical and easy cultivation of the
after cotton crop, by the blowing under
OF the herbage in the fall, which would be
thoroughly decomposed by the next spring.
Barley, ground, and mixed with the
straw, reduced To cbaff by a cutting
machine. is better food for horses and cal,
tie than any preparation of Indian corn.
and TO those persons who have not milk
simply soaking the grain in water Il 4
nne preparation for feeding 10 horses.
Swine fatten and keep in condition more
easily on barley than on corn. Asa con.
elusive argument in its faycr, more barley
can be cheaply grown on an acre of inn
proved dry upland, than we can grow of
corn. Wheatsown with guano ip like man
ner after the cotton crop, woald come in At
Q season when tho harvesting could be at.
tended to without detriment, and after the
cotton crop is laid by, and in the inter
val between that time and the commence.
ment Of picking, the threshing and pre-
paring it for market or the mill. could
be attended to without hindrance. The
middlings, shorts and bran OF a Iaroe
wheat crop, all mixed together, would 90 90
FAR to feed the plantation stock, and ne
Rfocs would relish wheaton bread as n
change for the corn bread usually allowed
TO them.
We would, from these few reasons sta
ted, and many more needless 10 mention,
recommend the reduction Of the corn crop
to such q degree as would throw all Iands
not naturally producing Indian corn well,
mo wheat barley, rye and oats. We
could ihon cultivate our titled crop. well
and easily, and The avenues the system
would open forimpF0semelt would soon
repay tor the experiment. We know tbat
these Recommendations viii lie met w;lb
by all the objections which preiadics and
he tyranny Of custom engenders In tsose
who cleaye 70 old practices, bat as thev
'se convictions oftfue policy, we have 10
hesitation in making them.
M