The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-06-07
Thoughts or the. Month.
SIDE cnops-cow-pEAs AND OATS.

SIDE CROPS-COW-PEAs AND OATS.
Whilst the main summer. crops are all
fairly under way, there are some, which
on Southern farms are usually regarded
as secondary or side crops, that may still
be started with very great advantage.
Foremost among these, is the, cou-pea,
which may be planted now in the stubble
fields from which grain has been har-
vested! If the soil is strong and hay is
desired, sow broadcast, Ii bushels,seed
per acre. If the soil is poor or seed the
object, sow in drills, dropping 6 to 10
seeds in a hill. Care must be taken not
to cover very deep, as the: pea cannot
force its way up through much thickness
of earth. One hoeing, and one, or per-
haps two ploughings, may be required to
make the crop-ample return for which
is made in the improvement of the land,
even in cases where no part of the crop
is gathered or. consumed on the ground
by stock. For years past we have been
laboring to get the oat crop of the South
enlarged, pressing it upon the attention
of our readers in season and out of season
we are anxious to do the same for the
pea crop. Most farmers are satisfied if
they plant peas in their corn-felds, and
let their stock gather them.: So far very
good, but the pea cropis entitled to more
than that-it should take rank along
with oats as relief to the corn Grid, partly
taking the place of corn as feed for soork
stock. Animals, like men, are greatly
benefited by variety of diet, and when at
hard work partial ration of peas will be
found rs valuable to them as beans to
the laboring man. We write not from
theoretical considerations merely, but
from actual trials, having seen horses
and mules kept in most excellent condi-
ton on peas as their principal food. It
is moreover very cheap crop-the cost
of cultivation much less than that of
corn, and by cutting the vines with; now
ing blades Instead Of picking the pods,
the harvesting becomes very light. Like
oats it furnishes both long forage, and
grain, and the unconsumed parts of the
stems passing into the litter of the stables,
make most admirable manure. A pea
and oat crop could follow each other for
"a along period in the same field, and with
decided benefit to the land.' The pea
may be planted after the oats are har-
vested, and the next crop ofoats ,sown at
the,last ploughing Of the peas, &c. Old
jsedge fields planted now in peas will
make fair crops, which can be followed
advantageously by oats, as suggested
above. 1t will be, observed that in this
arrangement, the ploughing in of the
oats is entirely saved, and that crop costs
nothing but the seed, the sowing of the
same and: the harvesting. The peas will
pay for their own cultivation, ,inr the
forage they produce, at the same time
that they enrich the land, and when fol
lowed by oats, the cultivation of the pea
virtually makes the oat crop. Is there
any, excuse for, farmer who is short OF
stock feed? The above crops are recon-,
imended for restoring the poor, thrown
out' spots on the farm, which are too
poor to pay for the cultivstiontof corn
and cotton-start nowsand d-run them for
a number of years in peasiand oats, fol-
lowing each other. y4tG}
GERMAN MILLET.
Another side crop, which it is not yet
too late to plant, is German" or as it
is sometimes called Golden miAet.f IT
is growing rapidly in favor with all who
have tried it. A gentleman recently in:
formed us that, being short Of corn last
summer, he fed his mules on this 'millet
had been cut when the seed
were.i in "milk"-- without giving them
grain or other feed of any kind, and they
worked as we'll and kept in as good order;
as when fed with the usual ration Of corn
and fodder. AS droughts may soon
occur, it would be well to select for the
millet, spot of ground rather disposed
T to be damp-not aoet bottoms, however
they are not suited to it-bring it by re-
peated ploughings and harrowings5 into
the finest .tiIth, just as. you would a tur-
nip patch, manure heayily-killed cotton
seed, or the meal are ellent-and SOW
the seed in shallow drills 81 to 8 feet
apart bushel is enough for aniacre.
When up cultivate with sweep, and cut
and cure when the seed are in "milk." ~
ii ( g SOnE EOO0A1Ass' .-yNt.s
Paintings for Corn Fodder may still be
made, but to guard against drought, the
land should be very deeply broken and
brought Il into very fine condition; and
about two bushels of seed per acre. sown
in drills feet apart. Good cultivation
is essential to a good crop, and 80 is
heavy manuring ell-rotted stable ma
nure mot fresh) killed or crushed cotton
seed, or cotton seed meal are suited to it.
Cut when the ears are forming-it does
not acquire its full sweetness and "body"
till that stage ofgrowth. ss1 - -
- Peas and Sorgham.-Another very ex-
cellent forage combination crop; is peas
and sorghum, sown broadcast together.
Al half bushel of sorghum seed, and one
bushel peas per acre, on good land, will
make a; very large amount of most ex-
cellent forage. The upright stems 9 OF
sorghum hold the peas up and renders
the cutting easy. .,aa
SWEET POTATOES. -,
80 Sweet potato slips may be. put out
during the whole Of this. month The
early varieties through July also. To
wards the end of June paintings may be
made of the vinesIo those first put, out i
they have made growth. Have the land
bedded, run shallow furrow on top OF
bed, place two or three vines side by side
all along the furrow, and with I hoe
cover at such intervals as to leave a
small portion of the vines uncovered as
far from each other as hills of potatoes
usually are. If the weather is not too
dry, they will soon take root and grow,
and the potatoes produced from themsare
the best. to keep through the agi,lter.
Stubble fields are well suited to these late
potatoes. Potatoes need little working
Just sufficient to keep out grass and weeds
and so much ,loosening ofsthe middles
with the plough as to render q drawing
up or hilling of the plants easy. It is
important that in doing this, the vines
be not covered, as they strike root very
easily, and will expend their energies in
developing small potatoes through the
middles. For the same reason the vines
shou1d he 1oosened mn from the pround,