Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1871-11-04
Glover and Rotation of crops"

The article in the May number OF
the Rtrdl CarOitidU, reminds me OF
the good oil times" when ! was a
~farmer-and, l may add, a successful
Jne-in Western North Carolina.
l adopted there a rotation which
succeeded admirably. l commenced
with corn, piowed deep, spread all the
manure | could gather on the surface,
narrowed thoroughly and opened my
drills with 4 narrow long bull-tOngue
pillow, running deep. The pillow being
narrow, and land in good order, the
seed when planted was not more than
two inches below the surface, bat
quite deep enough. l cultivated level,
first running deeply and very close to
the corn With a small subsoil, fol-
lowed soon after with 4 c~ultivator.
Second blowing, suhsoil again, deep
but n little of, lsay six or eight iuchCs
from the corn. | then used the cu!-
tivator as often rs practicable until the
corn was between three and four feet
high when | put the subsoil deep as
possible intothe centre tween the corn
rows. followed up with the cultiva-
tor and passed the hoe through chop
ping out any wecdsor grass and leaving
everything }trti and in splendid order.
This was towards the middle or end Of
July, in hat climate.
The laying by OF the corn was i'm
mediatcly followed by the sowing of
my grass seed-cl"yer, timothy, red
top Or any other-scattered evenly
alrng the corn rows. If we had o rain
within q day or two after sowing the
seeds, the work was accomplished. II
no rain, then a light brush was dragged
through each row by a mule or horse,
with q small boy to ride and guide. A
good walking around would brush in
ten or twelve Scres per day. / never
failed to get q good stand of grass,
planting AS described above. You
must know, Mr.. Editor, that at the
laying by OF the corn crop the soil is
In the very best condition, if the corn
has received proper attention, and
work done as it should be, grass seed
put in soil that has been well worked
up for several months, will soon mike
lss appearance and grow finely, if not
killed out by the hot sun. Now the
corn offers all the protection nom the
sun that ia needed for the grass when
1t is young. By the time the blades
are fiji for fodder, the grass is strong
enough to take are of itself.
After the corn was gathered, lat any
time before April l cut the corn
stalks close to the surface, with a
mower OF a sharp hoe. II the grass is
to be converted into hay the first sea-
son, the stalks must be hauled OIL; but
il to be gre2ed, the stalks after chop
ping may remain. After the corn
stalks have been removed, and after
n rain, when the soil is sufficiently
soft to admit the pressing in of the
orr stump5, the meadow must be
rolled. This may be done late in spring
when the grass is up several inches
high. The rolling will allow the
mower to shave very close.
BY sowing clover on grass seed as
above, a full crop Of hay may be Sc
cured the following summer-ten or
twelve mouths after seeding. TO put
in grass seed with small grain, the
young grass will be smothered out if
your oats or wheat is Of thick and
luxurisnt growth. The corn protects
from the SUI, but does not in the least
smother the young grass.
Now for my rotation. | have ses
cured a good stand of clover after my
corn. The clover is cut or grazed off
in cRrly summer; a second crop is al
lowed to grow for seed. When the
most advanced 6mS (say'about One-
third turn brown, then put in the
ploW and turn everything under deep
~. In fall or spring, plant wheat or
oats. After your small grain is taken
of you will have quite a sprinkling Of
to turn under i'll the early fall.
Plant corn again in spring, anu give
yourself no farther concern about
your stand Of clover. Work your cora
well and lay it by in nice condition;
your clover will appear in due time.
With the abOyerotation, my farm i'm
ptoNeu SeaIIy IIeyOHu my DluSI SAIL
suine expectation),
If the farmer will give TO the soil
the second crop Of clover, (the second
crop Of the season. he will never
to re-seed his field. But il he
persists in grazing of every thing and
nothing, his rotation will end
in disappointment, and the old cry OF
'' the clover has run out.n
Clover seed should not be planted
more than a fourth of an inch deep.
If buried deep it will remain in the soil,
however, for years without vegetation
until brought near the surface under the
influence Of atmosphere. I have seen
All old pasture, which has been close
" grazed for many years in succes-
plowed in winter, and a coed
Of red clover appeared in the
w. j, in RUyuI Cdyolini-