Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1855-02-14
FOR THE ADVERTISER.

What has become of GARNER and has
he told all he knew!" was duly received.
Yes, gentlemen, GARNER" has about told
all he knows; but he wants to learn, and is
open to instruction at all times, especially in
the business of Farming. He rejoices to
see that a "Farmers' Department" is, at
last, apparently, firmly established in the
columns of the /" AduertiSer;" and hopes
therein to derive much instruction from the
model farmers of Edgefed.
The object of my present writing, Messrs.
Ep1ToRs, is to learn how to raise Irish pota.
toes have tried as many as six different
plans, within the past few years, recommend
ed by as many different individuals, but
| can't succeed with them as others say they
do. The best that | can do, is to raise bare.
ly enough meager little things for Spring and
Summer use although follow Instructions
to the very letter. The plan that | have sue.
ceed best with, is the pine straw plan, re.
commended by Col. SIMKINs, some years
ago. But the difficulty with me, in this PLAN
is to get good stand. The straw must be
put Oh pretty thick-from IL to Is inches
else it won't do any good; but, then, the po'
tatoes won't come up well-fol me- How
do you manage to get them up'
also want to learn how 10 raise water
melons. All, who would refuse to partake OF
nice sweet watermelon on Il hot summer
day? 1t would be hard to find such a per
son. Mr.. BAD LUCK" has told US how he
didn't raise them last year; but that failure
was an experiment, | presume. dare say
he can tell us how he did raise them the
year before. can do that much-that is,
can tell how raised some very fines ones
in 1853.
The spot was very poor-as poor, be-
lieve, as land ever gets to he-and very small
too, being only large enough for twelve hills.
l dug large deep holes, and in the bottom of
each put double handful Of hogs hair
gathered up from where the hogs were
cleaned; then filled up the holes with rich
dirt from the woods, packing it down gently
and covering it over with light coating Of
sand. In this latter item, had the idea Of
Mr. 6" BAD LUCK" for | thought the sand
would keep the hills from baking. Every
body knows that first years new ground
is a good place for waer.melons. That fact
induced me to put in the dirt from the woods.
could tell you what induced me to put in
the hair, but am afraid you would laugh at
the idea, and therefore, will leave it for
you to guess. If there was any benefit in
it, you can explain it better than | can.
But assure, (whatever may have been the
cause,) the seeds came up unusually quick,
and the vines fourished amazingly, and bore
abundanly Of as fine, sweet melons, as |
ever saw anywhere. Not a bug or other
enemy of melon vines was ever seen about
them, They continued to bear throug hout
the whole Summer, and supplied US with
plenty of fruit. Last year was too lazy
to take any pains with my melons, and the
consequence was, | had none fit to be eaten.
FARMER.
REMARKs.-We have also been much
troubled with bad stands Of Irish Potatoes,
in all our experiments; but wtil lately have
we learned how to obviate the difficulty
about getting good stand. Plant your
potatoes with manure to your own taste, and
let them stand with light covering Of earth,
until they are fairly up, then give them
good working and mulch them with straw
or leaves to the depth Of ten or twelve ill.,
ches, and we doubt not entire success. 1t
requires the warmth of the sun to bring up
the sets, and when mulched in planting the
sun cannot reach the set with heavy coat
ing of straw over it. A great many of the
sets thus perish or rot, and all are retarded.