The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1856-05-08

I
ono of the most important. The crops
grow finely. and so does the grass, and if
| the farmer is not industrious, the latter will
out grow the former. 1t is tho May grass
that is most troublesome; if that is extir-
pated, the crop can be kept clean till it is
laid by. Watch closely, therefore, that no
hand sights his work. The tender sprigs
left around the roots Of the corn and cot
ton, will become large punches by the next
working.
THE CORN CROP
receives its second working this month";
| Our columns have been so well filled with
communications from our correspondents
OH the subject of corn culture, that we need
say but little on this head. This working
is generally done entirely with the plow.
The hoes are constantly engaged in the cot
ton, and if the first working of corn was
faithfully done, they are not necJc;l now.
The plowing which the corn Should receive
at this time, depends, in n great measure,
upon the manner in which it was plowed
at the previous working. If the land is
light, and the baulks have been previously
well broken, the sweep will do all that is
required now. If a heavier plowing is de-
mandcd, we use the turn plow, throwing
the earth to the corn. We do not advo-
cate the policy, however, Of heopiny the
earth around the roots Of the corn, either
at this or any other working. Corn cult
waited i'll that manner is more apt to fire
stands Il drought worse, than when the
level culture is adopted. Run the plow at
just that distance from the corn which will
slightly lap the dirt, in the row; and we
adopt this mode, not because we have any
idea that the earth thus thrown to the corn
improves it. but because we thereby destroy
any young grass which may have sprung
up since the last working. At this plow-
ing, if the land is too old or thin to make
peas broadcast, they should be planted in
rows between the corn. We are decided
advocates of the peas. We prefer to have
every corntield covered with them. They
feed more largely upon the atmosphere than
any other crop which we raise, and there
fore impoverish tho soil less; they shade
the earth, thus protecting 1t from the hot
suns of our summers, and keeping down
the crab grass, thereby leaving the soil in
better condition for the next years cultiva-
ton; they afford an excellent pasturage for
every description Of stock; and they are
undoubtedly renovator of the soil.
| TIE POTATO CROP.
Make as heavy planting of potato slips
this month as possible; the earlier they can
be started off the better. We prefer the
ridge culture. We have never tried the
level culture which is SO strongly recon-
mendcd, because, in the first place, We think
we can make moro potatoes on the old plan,
and in the next place, they are much more
easily cultivated in ridges. We make
good bed +; not very high one, but a large
one, thrown up with turn plow in rows
about four feet apart, and set out the slips
after rain, about eighteen inches apart in
the rows. We know this mode viH make
good potatoes, and an abundance of them,
if they are properly attended to. The mis-
fortune on most cotton plantations is, that
potatoes arc not regarded as part of the
crop to he worked regularly like other
things, but an incidental appendage, to be
attended to when time can be spared out of
tho cotton field.
SMALL GRAIN AND STOCK.
Tho GA: fields which are no, designed to
be cut, are in prime condition, tue latter
part Of this month, to have hos turned
upon them. Where the pla:i,ter has plenty
Of open land to sow for this purpose, it is
ono of the cheapest means in his power,
for fattening hogs. Tho wheat harvest
comes on about the middle Of this month.
We have never been wheat grower
Concluding, whether wisely or not, we can
not say, that it is chcapes fox cotton plaai
Ter to buy his -four, than TO make it,) and
cannot therefore cay much experimcntalIy
on this subject We know it is an opinion
among wheat growers here, however, that
tue grain should be shresAed out as
soon as possible, after it is harvested. Last,
but by no means least, in tl,s estimation of
our readers, we come to
| =.
| TIE COTTON CROP.
We embraced the first working Of cotton
in. our remarks under this head for last
month, but the seasons have been so back-
ward, and the crop was planted SO late, that
we suspect we were in advance Of the work
on most plantations in this latitude. This
year, we commenced planting cotton about
the time. we ordinarily get through. and we
think we were about even with OR neigh
bora. WesshaIl not, however, repeat now,