The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1871-05-13
Farm Work for the Month.

Planting is now over or nearly so.
Cultivation of the crops is now our bu-
siness, demanding all our care and all
our energy for its due and timely per-
| Torrance. Hitherto our labOrS have
been expended in making Il start; now
we are we'll under way, with much to
encourage and cheer in the prospect be-
fore us. This is a very important
month of the agricultural year. 1t is
the time for toll, close industry, and
unremitting vigilance, if we would do
our full duty in the business of crop
| culture
If we have done as we ought the corn
crop has been well plowed, thinned to
a stand and hoed, leaving the soil
around the young plants loose and fria-
BILE, free from weeds and grass, and
the middles also deeply broken, so that
the tender rootlets can easily penetrate
the earth to search for and find food to
nourish and invigorate the crop. The
next blowing should be done with a
sweep or cultivator, running shallow,
throwing fine earth to the plants, COW
ering up the obtrusive grass, saving
much labor to the hoe hands, and af-
fording protection against the increas-
ing heat of the season. When this
blowing is complete, let the hoe hands
follow Immediately, to remove all
surplus stalks overlooked in the first
thinning, setting up those that may be
bent, pulling off suckers, and destroy
ing every blade Of grass and every
weed which the pillow has failed to
reach. This being well done, the corn
crop will need no further attention for
three weeks.
COTTON.
The first thing in the cultivation of
the cotton crop is to s'side" it with
pillow or sweep, then chop it into
punches, leaving the width of an orli-
binary Scovill hoe between the punches,
and then thin to stand. Where the
soil has been well prepared-deeply
broken and pulverized before planting
1.-THE siding may be effectually done
with twenty or twenty-five inch sweep,
as Mr.. David Dickson, of Hancock
county, recommends, going as close to
the plant as possible, and running very
shallow-not more than half an inch
deep. But where this previous work
has not been carefully done, or where
the soil is stiff and tenacious, we be-
lieve that deep siding with a plow run
ming the bar to the cotton, and running
very close, is not only judicious but
necessary. Where the stand is album
dant, the cropping into punches can be
done very rapidly, care being taken
that it is done evenly, leaving as near
as can be the same distance between
the punches. In thinning to stand
the utmost caro- should be taken. This
is the most delicate and important
work in the cultivation of the crop, land
none but the steadiest and most cOnpe-
tent hands should be employed to per-
form it, and even these should be con-
pp.,Jl nfob ,%>
of cotton has been lost by being skin
ned and bruised when being thinned to
a stand in a hurry or by careless work.
Doctors differ as to whether one or
more stalks should he left in Il hill. |
Dickson leaves two or three, and al |
lows only the width of hoe between
tho hills. He leaves Il wide space
four feet-between the rows, and be-
lieves that if distance is given ono way
between the rows-the plants may be |
| crowded in the drill. Others insist |
that distance be given both ways, and
that one stalk in the hill, hills one foot |
apart at least, and four feet between |
the rows, is the best way to plant The
character of the soil and probable size
Of the weed must to n great extent reg I
ulate this. We have tried both modes |
of culture on land naturally poor but
| made rich artificially, and are inclined |
| to approve Mr.. DickSon'S plan. Wei
| believe that one stalk in a Hill will |
| bear more fruit than either OF two
stalks in IL hill, but the two stalks to-
gether will bear 4 greater number of
| hollis than the one alone. When the |
cotton has been thinncu to Il stand. not |
Il particle OF foreign growth in the shape
Of weeds or grass should be left undo |
stroyed. The dream by night and |
thought by day of the cotton planter
should be to keep oft Of the grass.
COW PEAS, FORAGE CORN AND MILI4ET
This is the time to SOW coW-peas |
broadcast to mako hay Drilled corn |
for forage should also be sown now on |
rich, well-preparcd ground. Sow three
bushels of seed to the acre in drills |
three feet apart, and cut when tho t;,s-
sells appear. Sow millet in the same |
way. We advise our readers to SOW rs
largely as they can of these forage crops |
Forage is scarce in the country, (whcn |
was it otherwise: p money to buy it is |
terribly scarce, and Northern hay
bought with money borrowed at y per |
cent a month and secured by Il lien on
the crop and stock, never fattencd a |
mule, horse, or cow, within the range |
of our observation.
SWEET POTATOES.
Keep on setting out slips wherever
you can as long as you have any to set
out. Nothing will pay better. If tho
weather is dry and hot set out the