Orangeburg times. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1872-1875, 1875-02-11
! ssAGRICULTURE.

Ga Ih 4, a 4.
suaaEspoNs ABOUT SHALLOW FLOWING
GO ~ FOR CORN.
A correspondent Of the Country Gen.
tleman writes as follows: Tie belief
is becoming general that manure is most
profsahlE applied for the crop or for
the soil as top dressing. The fine
manure in the Efarm-yards in August is
almost invariably used for "a top.dress-
ing for wheat. But the coarser manure
is more generally drawn on ground in.
tended for .eorn in spring. and ploWed
under. Then if the season is dry Il
sometimes remains unchanged at the
bottom of the furroY,f and gives little
benefit to the crop, as the roots will not
reach it, especially where the ground
has been deeply plowed. A quick,
early start is what corn needs to make
vigorous growth. Top-dressing would
give this, if it were practicable, which,
however, is not always the case with
coarse unfermented manure. There are
two difficulties -one in drawing heavy
loads Of manure over newly.plowed
ground, often when the soil is filed with
water.''7T The second is in properly pre-
pairing and planting fields covered with
coarse, strawy manure.
There are several methods Of overcom-
ing these difficulties. Some OF the corn
ground may be plowed in fall, and
manure spread over it from sleds when
covered with snow. Unless on a hill
side, there will be little loss from wash
ing away the manure by this method.
The fall plowing will be excellent for
the crop. A second plan is to draw and
leave in heaps and spread these over the
plowed surface as the field is plowed.
The third'and altogether best plan is to
draw and spread as early in winter and
spring as possible, leaving snow and
spring rains to dissolve the soluble parts
of the manure and incorporate them
with the soil. When plowed in May,
most of the strength of the manure will
be found leaked out of it, and what is
left will operate as mulch to keep the
ground moist and light. The amelior-
atingjas well as enriching effect of q
good coating of manure, even if mostly
straw, will astonish any one who tries
it. Then plow the ground thus manured
very shallow. Four or i've inches is
sufficient on most soils. Using joint
or, very good seed-bed can often be
had by plowing only IL inches. The
shallower. the better, providing the sod
is well turned under, especially clover
sod. shallow.plowing for. corn keeps
the manure near the surface, thus giving
the advantage OF, top-dressing. The
manure is also nearly in contact with
the decaying cod. The fermentation
which speedily follows keeps the soil
warm and moist, and corn grows much
more vigorously than when three or
four inches of cold sub-soil are turned
to the surface for seed.bed. After the
manure and sod begin to rot, generally
at the second time cultivating, have a
narrow cultivator with long slanting
teeth which will tear up the soil, decay
ing sod and manure as deep as plowed.
Much Of the manure between The rove,
now mostly rotted, will be brought to
thelaurface, while that under the hills
will remain for the corn to strike into.
This plan secures all the advantages of
top-dressing with none of it's disad-
vantages. No ammonia is lost, for the
loose earth will absorb it, and the solu.
BILE elements of the manure are incor-
porated with the soil as they could pe
by no other plan.
THE DRESSED WEIGHT OF ANIMALS.
Farmers, who have had but little ex
perience in feeding animals for the
market, are often disappointed because
their beef and pork does not weigh as
much as they thought itwould. They
are likely to overlook certain points
which ought always to be taken into ac
count when estimating the dressed
weight of animals.
l. Age. An old animal Will not dress
as much in proportion to it's looks as q
young and growing one.
2. The degree Of fatness. A creature
which will weigh great deal more
han ono equally IS large, but which
has not been well-fattened.
8. Amount Of grain which has been
fed. An animal which had twenty or
thirty bushels of meal will dress much
heavier than one which was in equally
good order when the fattenipg was
commenced, and which NAV look