Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1855-08-08
THE PLAN TION.

litha, or the 1hard -mlld-month.
TnEpLAN ALTON.
Coton.-Where this crop is backward,
keep your plows, cultivators and sweeps 60
ing briskly, to destroy the weeds, encourage
late growth, and prevent the falling of the
FORMS, Towards the latter part of the month
begin your preparations for picking, and as
soon as the bolls begin TO open freely, set
the hands at work gathering. Have all seed
cotton hauled in wagons from distant fields
to the Clubhouse, and do not require your
negroes to waste their time and strength in
carrying heavy baskets. If you wish to
weigh the picking of each hand, it can be
done by the overseer before it is put into the
wagons, or each hand" can mark his bas.
kets and have it weighed at noon and night,
at the Clubhouse.
Corn.-All early planted Corn is already
laid by, in most sections; but very late fields
may yet receive another careful working,
and be finished with the surface open, mel.
low and free from weeds.
Curing up Corn Stalks for Foddcr.-In
our last number, (page 220) we furnished
some objections to the very common prac.
tice of pulling fodder, and advised the sub.
stitution of drilled corn, which we have long
found to be an excellent and economical ar.
ticle both for "soling," Tor feeding green,)
and winter hay. 1t is so hard to break up
old habits, however, that we scarcel y expect
many of our readers to test this matter fair
lv: and lest. with all their fodder pulling,
many may fall short of "roughness" before
next season, we will offer another hint for
their consideration. 1t is, to cut up their
corn stalks at the ground, as soon as the ears
begin to glaze or get hard set up in shocks
every 20 or 30 hills thus cut, and when the
whole is perfectly dry, haul under cover, or
carefully stack up; strip off the ears at your
leisure, and save all the stalks, blades and
and shucks for the winter feeding Of stock.
This hint is especially intended for small
planters-those who aim only to raise suai.
cient corn for their own use, and who de.
sire to make the most Of it, and to save all
that is worth saving. Our objections against
fodder pulling, las before stated) are that it
is a slow and laborious process, and that the
yield and weight Of the grain is lessened, by
prematurely depriving the plant ofits leaves.
If fodder is pulled before the grain becomes
glazed, you certainly injure the latter, and if
you do not pull until the ears are fully ripe,
the fodder is nearly worthless. The "gol.
den mean" is to cut up your corn as directed,
just when the grain is passing from the mil.
ky or doughy state to tie hard kernel. At
this period of its growth, the plant has ella.
borated sufficient sap to mature the grain
perfectly after it is cut, and the surplus starch,
gum and saccharine matter which it contains
will be preserved in the stalk and leaves, in.
stead of being changed to hard and worth.
less woody fibre, as when the plant is al.
lowed to become perfectly dead ripe. An.
other advantage in thus cutting up corn is,
that as soon as it is hauled off, the ground
is ready for the plow, and after it has recei-
we'd good manuring, you can proceed i'm.
mediately, with the sowing of your Winter
Oats, Rye, Barley, Clover, &c. Let those
who have scanty crops try il, even on small
scale, and report results.
Feeding Corn Stalk Fodder.-In order to
use corn with proper economy, every farmer
and planter should have Scott's "Little
Giant" or similar mill for grinding both
corn and cob. To this should also be added
Feed Cutter, suitable for cutting hay,
sheaf oats, corn stalks, &C., &c. With this
latter implement, the corn stalk fodder,
shucks, oats, hay and other "roughness' >
may be finely cut up, and when mixed with
proper portion Of corn and cob meal,
slightly moistened, with an occasional sprp.
kle of salt and ashes,) you have an excellent
and cheap provender for all kinds of farm
stoek, Roots, suoh as 1Hrnips, Street Po-
tataes, &c, when plenty, may be added to
the foregoing from time to time, and they
will be found to give increased relish and
I, improved health to animals, The "merci.
full man is merciful to his beast" and humani'
rty as we'll as self.interest dictates the best