Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1874-06-13
NUMBER 80
AGRICULTURAL.

/ THOUGHTS FOR JUNE-Ihere Is no
place now for hesitation, halting, de-
lay. Grass and weeds must be- 'stran-
! gled in the birth, F" and the surface of
the ground kept stirred, TO insure
| healthy, continuous growth of the
crops. Every one with the least a
] mount of farming experience, VIII ad-
NIT the general propositions laid
/ down, but IN practice there is great
room for judgment, and one man viii
accomplish the results with much less
labor and much more perfectly than
another.
One great drawback in Southern
farming is the imperfect training OF
pillow animals. The negro has seldom
either the patience or the requisite
interest in the matter, to render an
animal so tractable that he can place
the plOw Just where it ought to run;
or If the animal is tractable, viii HIM
self take the trouble to shift the plOw
about according to the eIigencies Of
the case. A good animal, a skillful
plowman and a judiciOusly selected
plOw, ought almost to banish the hoe
from our fields, and with large part
of the crpensiUe labor we are now
called upon to pay for. The selection
of plow hands is a most important
matter. In old times with small plOws
to run round and others 10 break ont
middles, ''chaps" might be employed
to do the latter-but with the sweep
or cultivatOr or harrow, the running
round does all the work, and the very
best hands should be chosen for the
business. A strong hand, TO hold and
guide the plow in. the presence of
rocks, crooks IN the drill, or deVia-
tions OF the horse=a reasonable one,
who viii not lose his patience and
get angry because the horse does rot
understand every word he speaks TO
him, and does not obey him to the
letter-a careful one, who, by nature,
dislikes to do anything in a careless,
slovenly manner. Such a haud will
soon train a horse well, and if pre-
vious preparation has left the bed in
good shape (highest in the middle)
and an implement having the part
running next to the plants properly
arranged-to throw little or mnch /
dirt, as the case may require, is used |
viii pass over a field leaving almost !
nothing for hoe and hands to do. |
Especially will this be true If the /
plOwings are repeated at short inter
walls, and before weeds and grass have /
time to acquire size.
Cotton should be brought to stand
at once. Whilst on some variety of 1
soils, crowding seems to produce best
think, as a general rule,
good distance Is advantageous. One
to two feet IN the drill on uplands
and still greater distances on bottom
Iands-and one stalk TO the hill. In
dry seasons, distance is a matter of
to cotton, as well as 10
corn and other plants.
Most of the corn crop is laid by
his month. 1t should receive n shall
ow but a very thorough plowing, so
Is to be perfectly elean-nOthing
should be allowed to grow with the
corn but peas; a bushel to a bushel
and a half of which ought, for the
and's sake to be sOwn Broadcast at
his plowing.
The main crop Of peas should be
put in during this month. In addition
70 that planted with corn, it is well
Stubble or rested land viii answer,
rows p to 5 feet apart; one bushei
viii plant to acres; one plow-
ng and one hOeing will make the \
,rop; and a while before frost a grass
blade and rake viii soon put them IN
stack or barn. We do not think such
/ crop is appreciated at any thing
ike its true value. Easily made,
EASILY harvested, and 50 excellent as
eed for stock, it ought TO hold q
prominent place on every farm
southern Cultivator.