Pointe Coupee Democrat. [volume] (False River [i.e. New Roads], Parish of Pointe Coupee [La.]) 1858-1862, 1858-07-10
HINTS FOR THE MONTH.

/ THE PLANTATIoS.-Worky your cotton
|crop steadily to encourage the develop
|ment and retention of forms and bolls
shallow, surface culture with light
sweeps, followed by the hoe, will be
found the best method, in all cases. Do
not allow the grass or weeds to get foot.
hold either in the row or middles-wage
a steady and relentless warfare upon
them during the month, after which
they will not give you much trouble.
Where Corn is not laid by" it will
be well to give it a constant sur face aoork-
ing until prevented by the spreading of
the blades across the rows. Allow no
weed to appear in yonr corn feld-both
weeds and corn cannot flourish on the
same ground. Do not use the turning
Iplow among your corn after the first two
workings. 1t breaks and tears up the
young rootlets, and does far more injury
than good. At the last working, sow
Cow Peas broadcast, and cover with a
sweep, cultivator or harrow. Plant
Pumkins, in every second or third hill,
and when well up, thin to one plant in a
hill, and work carefully.
Cow Peas should now be sown broad
cast for hay, at the rate of bushel or
six pecks to the acre. Scatter over the
surface evenly, and cover lightly with
turning plow; or, first plow your ground
deeply, sow your seed, and drag it-with
a harrow Cow Peas intended for seed
may be sown in drills, three feet apart.
Pulnkins may be planted as seperate
crop. Prepare the ground as for water
melons; hills 10 feet apart. When
we'll up, thin to one or two strong plants
IN hill, give these sprinkling Of Plas-
ter or Gypsum "a small handful to each
billy when the dew is on; loosen the
earth, carefully breaking the crust, with
out disturbing the plant, and then let
them run. The after-work consists in
shallow surface culture, and the destruc-
ton Of weeds, until the vines cover the
entire ground.
Pulling Fodder, we have often condemn
ed heretofore, and considered it behind
the agen in all respects. It should be
discontinued by all enlightened and econ
omical planters. We confidently offer
the following substitute:
Corn Fodder.-Break up very deeply,
a piece Of rich land, harrow it finely, and
with broad shovel plow lay it off in
drills three feet apart. In these drills
scatter corn at the rate Of 40 or SO
grains to the foot, and cover with hoe,
rake, board or harrow, drawn length
wise along the drill. When well up run
around it pretty close with a long rooter,
and repeat after 10 or Is days. In the
course of 10 or Is days more break out |
the entire middles with the rooter, and
finally lay by with the shovel plow, rum
ming up and down in the same farrow,
midway between the drills. On good
land, prepared and worked in this way,
the yield will be from to tons lsome-
times even 10) of excellent fodder per
acre. This is as much as can be pulled |
from 90 to 80 acres, in the common way,
at one tenth Of the labor. Pound forI
pound, it is as good, if not better than /
pulled fodder, as it contains the entire
juice and strength Of the plant. which.
IN the other case, has gone to the forma-
ton of the year or grain. The loss OF
and injury 10 the grain, by deprlving
corn stalks of their leaves before all
gr-wth has ceased, is fully equal to the
value of the fodder pulled We. there
fore, desire that our readers should aban-