The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-07-04
Hints for the Month.

So backward was the spring, and SO
slow was the growth Of Vegetation during
the dry, cool month Of May, that the far
mer scarcely thought he had q crop to
cultivate until the wet spell in June,
when the crops grew apacc, and grass
grew hydra-headed, and partook Of the
negotiating qualities Of Jonah's gourd.
These causes greatly retarded the cultiva-
ton of the crop, and hence most farmers
will have the work Of June to do in Ju-
ly; but before the end of the month, il
the work is we'll done, both corn and cot
ton should be laid by clean and healthy.
Whatever plOnghing is done in either ol
these crops must now be done as q worry
shallow cultivation, for the plants are too
near the time of maturing to have their
roots cut by deep p%loughing. The sweep,
made to run rs shallow as possible, is the
only plough now to be used in either
crop. Keep the hoes going also, and hev-
or stop hoeing a crop as long as any grass
can he found in it. Spears Of grass left
this early will become tufts before the
crop is harvested, and tufts of old grass
have a very draining effect upon all sum
mer crop.
The small grain has been harvested,
and much Of it perhaps throshed out and
housed. If so, it is safe. If not prOba-
bly, most Of the oats and wheat hava Been
frequently drenched since cut and s,,,ock-
ed: In this "asc the :s:ein may be as val
""ie as eve, Du the straw is not 80 good,
ana. possibly, scarcely worth the saving,
and therefore q substitute for that much
lost forage should be Mt once sought for.
For cattle this will easily be found in the
turnip crop, about which we have moro
to say next week. For horses the Ger
man millet should now be planted, sown
broadcast on rich land, and harvested
when the heads are just filled out with
seed. If this grain cannot be had the
best spot Of stubble land should be &C.
lectcd, ploughed and narrowed until as
smoothe as a floor, and then let alone. 1t
will produce more per acre than will
have been lost in the grain straw in ex-
cclIent crab grass hay. Besides this, the
stubble land can yet be planted in peas
for winter forage and make an abundant
yield.
Oats to be fed economically should be
run through the cutting knife. The next
best method Is to thresh, feed the grain
by measurement, and throw the straw
into the rack. The ~improvidcnt farmer
will fill tho rack full of bundles, so the
horse or mule may have the pleasure OF
pulling out and trampling the half of it
under his feet. If negroes orc left to
themselves they prefer the last method OF
feeding.
Flour is an item Of expense in family
supplies nowadays and perhaps will
continue high for some time all the
wheat you have, therefore, should be Ia
ken the best care of. One misfortune is,
we have but very few Touring mills in
the South, and hence cannot be guaran-
iced q good quality of -four or q large
turn OUT when w send our wheat to
mill. This d~iscouragcs the growth of
wheat in the Cotton States. We have al
wheat rs we sent it to mill. Washed
wheat has always given US better flour
than unwashed. This should not neces-
sarily be 80, but it has always proven so
in our experience. Wash we'll, dry in the
sun and send to mill. Washed or not,
should be thoroughly summed on a
sheet between the hours Of 10 and4, some
day during July, and again abolt a
month after. This Is the best preventive
woovil, il returned to the bin hot
and dry. The vegetable garden should
be thoroughly worked this month to pre-
vent it looking like = we'll set meadow
about the lst October, and all garden
beds that have grown a crop of vegetables
should be broken up, MANFRED and own
in turnips. This will keep them in eX-
plight for a n early start next
and the turnip crop will be q
help all the fall in making
both man and beast feel comfortable.
If a good season can be had, Irish pota-
toes may be planted any time this month
for a second crop. Tho rains in August
will generally make q crop that yields
we'll until midwinter. The almanac men
recommend the planting in July of crops
Of almost any kind of vegetables. Ex-
o~eriencc has taught us that early spring
do not thrive as well as q fall
,roD.=CoI. 1iken IN Mems and Courier.