Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1854-08-17
farmers Department
What should be the Chief Crops of
the South,

CORN and cotton IN the cotton planting
States have, by common custom, become the
universal crops of extensive cultivation
How far this shift is correct, is not entirely
pr. we'd by its universaIity, nor 10y the pre-
iudices which sustain it in the minds Of plan.
ters. Indian corn, indigen Gus to the soil,
was perhaps the most convenient and protita-
BILE when the country was first settled, and
where an abundant and easily prepared crop,
to supply the wants of both man and 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, for it
luxuriates upon the vegetable matter abound
ing in new soil, and with little preparation
and Indifferent culture, yields large returns
for labor bestowed. Such, however, is not
the case in the older States, where the cream
of the land has been stolen away impercep.
tbly by the most exhauslng systems to
which titled 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 droughts Of
summer, except in extraordinary aud most
favorable seasons, cut it off 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 accustomed to interweave other
crops with the cultivation of cotton. On
improved and we'll prepared soil, barley and
wheat would yield more bushels of grain of
more value to the planter than Indian corn.
In fact, barley is the most valuable grain
which we cultivate at the South. If sown
at the proper season, it readily perfects itself
from the winter moisture in the earth, and
yields heavily. It's fine soiing for all kinds
of stock, and comes into harvest in May.
time when few days can be spared from
the cotton crop without detriment to its
growth Or production. Its grain is SO well
protected, that it is not liable TO he spuill
by exposure to the weather, and it may lie
any length of time in the straw, when dryy
housed, without being injured. A barley
crop sown with guano, cotton seed, or well
prepared compost manure, after the cotton
crop is gathered in December and January,
would come off sufficiently early to sow the
stubble down in peas to be turned under in
autumn, and the rotation of small grain with
this system pursued, would be the best aud
most efficient mode Of improving our lands.
| 1t would also he fitted to the economical
and easy cultivation Of the after cotton crop,
by the blowing under of the heritage in the
fall, which would be thoroughly decomposed
by the next spting.
Barley, ground and mixed with straw,
reduced to chaf by Il cutting machine, is
better food for horses and cattle than any
preparation of Indian corn, and those persons
who have not mills, simpy soaking the grain
in water is fine preparation for feeding to
horses. Swine latten and keep in condition
more easily on barley than on corn. As a
conclusive argument in its favor, more barley
can be cheaply grown on an acre of improv.
ed dry upland, than we can grow of corn
Wheat, sown with guano in like manner
after the cotton crops, would come in at a
season when the harvesting could be attend
ed to without detriment, and after the cotton
crop is laid by, and in the interval between
that time and the commencement of picking,
the threshing and preparing it for market
or the mill, could be attended to without
hindrance. The middiugs, shorts and bran
of large wheat crop, all mixed together
would 90 far to feed the plantation stuck
and negroes would relish wheaton bread as
a change for the corn bread usually allowed
to them.
We would, from these few reasons stated
and many more needless to mention, recon-
mend the reduction of the corn crop to such
degree as would throw all lanGs not natu.
rally producing Indian corn well, into wheat
barley, rye and oats. We could then cult
vate our tiled crops well and easily, and the
avenues the system would open for i'm.
proyement would soon repay for the ex.
pertinent. We know that these recon-.
mendations will be met with by all the OBJ
iectons which prejudice and the tyrrany of
custom engenders in those who cleave to
old practices and theories, but as they are
convictions of true policy, we have no hesi-
taton in making them.-Southern Agricul-
turist.