Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1855-10-31
BLACK BLAST In OATS.


THE Oat crop is one Of great value to the
farmer, and as all oat-crops are more or less
injured by the blast, it may be interesting to
our readers, to learn how this disease may
be prevented. As to the cause and origin
of the blast we know nothing but what we
have learned from the various speculations
of those men, who give to their brethren the
benefit of their experience and researches
in agricultural science. Such is the ingrati.
tude of the human heart, that such men are
too often sneered at for their benevolent in.
tentions and their humble efforts to enlighten
and benefit their brother farmers,-are ridi.
culed as the humbuggery Of book farming.
Whatever may be the cause Of blast, we all
know that the injury, sustained by the oat
crop from its pernicious effects, amounts to
large proportion Of the yield of grain, and
great injury to the straw as rough food for
stock. If the oat crop is SO. materially in.
jured by blast, its prevention is very i'm
portant matter, and should engage the atten.
tion of farmers. We were informed a few
days since, by very successful farmer, of
simple remedy for the blast, and as it has
been tried and experimental upon, and
proved effectual, we recommend it to our
readers as valuable recipe.
Soak for twenty.four hours your oat seed
in solution Of Blue Stone, the same as for
smut in wheat "Try all things and hold
fast to that which is good.
"HOG.RANGES."
"WMEN in the course of human events
farmers are compelled to give fifteen cents
for bacon, or starve, we will not find it diff.
cult to direct their attention to any article
or essay. which holds out the slightest pros.
pect for information upon the absorbing
topic-BAcoN.
Many, we doubt not, who are now paying
the fleeing price for bacon, are already look
ing ahead with fixed determinations never
to be caught in the same folly; while they
are casting "long, lingering looks behind"
at what they might have done in the way of
making their own bacon, in years gone by.
Experience is a good teacher, but alas how
many forget to improve or practice their
lessons until chasteued by necessity. TO
those. who repent their past folly and wish
to reform for the future, we recommend the
following, which we clip from the Central
Georgian.
HOG RANGES.
When you speak to acotton planter about
raising his own meat, and enough to supply
his doctor, merchant, blacksmith, &C., he
will, without hesitation tell you that it will
not pay. He can make more by planting
cotton, even if he has to buy his own meat,
or the greater part Of it. This we admit is
true, when cotton ranges at better prices
than at present, provided he has to feed his
hogs exclusively on corn and peas. But we
do not admit the necessity Of this process of
making bacon. There is much cheaper
process than this opened to all the planters
of this country, and q better one than to
make cotton, and pay freight to Savannah,
and then pay freight on hogs from Tennes.
see. Some of our cotton planters have long
since got partial insight into this plan, and
the result has been that they are much bet
ter off than those who buy their owu bacon.
The most thrifty planters in Hancock, are
those who raise their own -four and pork, at
the risk Of raising less cotton, and yet there
is plan by which they can raise it much
cheaper than they do.
Every farmer should have hog range
attached to his farm. 1t should have good
stream of running water, and might embrace
from ten to one hundred acres, according to
the amount of pork to be raised. The major
part should be forest which would answer
the double purpose of raising timber for
wood and acorns for yonr hogs. All the
underground should be cut out and burned
The dead trees cut down and split for wood
and rails, as we'll as all the thick growth of
saplngs, pines, gums, dogwoods, and in
fact all but oak, hickories, walnuts, mulber.
ries, persimmons, &c. The oaks should
not stand thick, but let in plenty of air and
sun, and they will bear much better. One
oak standing thus isolated will bear as much
as a half dozen crowded. Particular at.
tention should be paid to persimmon trees,
in saving all that might bear. They will
prove of immense value.
Now for the orchard part. As many as
you please. Plant plum trees that will ripen
in May, June and July and some even later,
in squares six feet each way, and they will
soon cover the ground. Set:out peach trees
,tenfeet each way, ofsuch kinds as will rpen
from June to October, and try and plow
them twice year if possible, and you will
have fruit that will gladden. the heart of a
porker. Farmers who will begin this fall
by transplanting all the volunteer peach trees
about their premises will, in three years, have
a fine orchard for their hogs.
With such hog range, the farmer would
have but little need to make drafts upon hs
crib, only inquantities to keep his hogs tame.
The acoTns; hickory nuts, &C., woulk keep
them during the winter and spring, and
peaches, with the cleaning of the oat and
wheat fields, would keep them till fall Then
the pea crop and the persimmons would
bring them up to acorn time again. Pota.
toes, ground peas, turnips, mulberries, black
berries, muscsdines, &C., would help, and
the result would be, instead of sending off
hundreds annually to Kentucky and Ten. !