Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1868-01-15
farmers 9tparia1ert,
From the Southern Cultivator for January.
Work for the Month,

Work for the Month.
The work for 1867, we suppose to be
finished, cotton all picked, ginned and
packed, and, perhaps, sold. If so, how
does the account between DR.. and Cr.
stand? We are afraid that, in many in
stances, the answer would be too painful
to tell. Adverse circumstances have
worked nightly against US, that is true,
but let US not be discouraged. Let US
find out how much of our failures are
due to causes beyond our control and
how much to ourselves. The latter we
can guard against hereafter. If we have
cultivated poor land without manure-if
we have used plcws which loosened the
soil only two or three inches deep-if we
have planted too much cotton and too
little grain-if we have made losing con-
tracts with negroes-we can surely avoid
the same things in future. Let US begin
the new years work with a hopeful,
trusting, if not cheerful, heart-and, per-
haps he, "who tempers the wind to the
shorn lamb" may yet scatter his smiles
upon US in the form of rich and refnuner
ating harvests. We may, in the first
place, show ourselves not unworthy of
mercy, by manitesting the same to the
animals about US, providing them wiki
shelter from the cold rains Of winter and
supplying them literally with food.
Sound economy also, urges the same
course Upon us. Let fencing now be
looked after, gates repaired, and all the
implements of the farm put in first rate
order. Time cannot be spared to look
after these things in spring or summer.
Start the plows as soon as possible. DO
not burn off the yeeds on your land, but
turn them under. A good Briuly plow
can do it if properly managed-and you
cannot afford to lose the manure nature
has thus kindly prepared for you. Scat
ter all the long manure you have, before
turning under. 1t will be better for the
crops if done nov, and it will save valua-
BILE time in the busy months of spring.
Do not forget to lay in . supply of seed
oats-the time for sowing will soon be at
hand, and this crop is q very valuable
one now, because so little labor is required
for it. Make just as much manure as
forget that. The only
trouble about stable manure is, that we
never can get enough. If you have any
money to spare make arrangements at
once, to obtain genuine Peruvian Guano
and some good Superphosphate, to be
ready for spring use.
The KITCHEN GARDES.-Many of our
readers are unable now to incur the same
expense in spading and trenching their
Z ,riens US they used to do. We beg
them, however, if they lay aside the spade
and substitute the plow, not to adopt the |
practice of shallow blowing, so common
in the South Depth of soil is absolute
ly essential to having good vegetables in
our dry, hot climate. If not already
done, scatter manure literally on the sur
face; turn it under with 4 turn-plow, and
follow in the same furrow with he best
plow You have for breaking up ground
and you may thus loosen the soil ten
inches or fnot deep Have walks around
the edges only-shis facilitates Flowing
and plant vegetables in rows running
clear across, from one side to the other.
The piow can then he used largely in
their subsequent cultivation. But if any
of our readers are so fortunate as to have
a plenty Of money, our advice is, not to
abandon the spade. Use it freely; don't
stop short of two feet Of soil, we'll broken
up, and literally supplied with vegetable
matter and manure.
AspARAeUs.-The asparagus bed, i'll
not already looked after, should be at
tended to at once. If by cultivation or
the soil has been removed from
the bed, it should be replaced to the depth
of five or six inches over the crowns of
the roots. If the soil is at all hard, it
should be carefully forked over; and
whatever else is omitted, do not fail to
scatter over this surface, a plenty of good
manure, we'll rotted. The winter rains
will carry much of it down to the roots,
and in return, tender and delicious shoots
will come up in the spring. In connec-
ton with Asparagus, we would call the
attention of our readers to another plant,
not much cultivated at the South, but
which is desirable, on account Of its be-
ing ready for the table as soon or sooner
than Asparagus-we alludc to the Sea
Kale. 1t is perennial, with large root,
Ikea Horse Rsdish, from which long,
arge and delicate leaf stalks shoot up in
the spriag. These leaf stalks, blanched
by sand piled above the crown of the
,ant are boiled and dressed like Aspara
,us; and we much prefer them to the
after. It is propagated by dividing the
root or from seed. Seeding plants are
liable to be killed by the sun at the
South; but after the first year, appear to
10 remarkably well.
n