The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1877-09-14

straw and rich surface earth, until all our
wants are supplied.
But there is another branch of the sub
ject to which must refer. There are car.
tain plants possessed of great value for fer
tilizing purposes. Those now used among
us are, first, the cotton plant of which we
use the seed and stalks, secondly tho pea
plant, and thirdly the weed which naturally
succeeds cultivation. As to the first we
need not descant upon its value; it is alreadv
appreciated. Nor is it necessary to urge its
production for the purposes of manure
we supply ourselves with che seed in our
efforts to produce the staple. l will only
say that every good farmer husbands his
cotton seed' 'as he does his corn, and uses
az ha Sa9 get TOR manure: But IS to pea
have here crop unsurpassed by any other.
Very rich in Nitrogen and Potash and Phos
pilates, tap rooted plant, deriving large
portion Of its nourishment from the air, il
is admirably adapted to gathering and stor
ing away the elements of fertility which are
wanting in the soil We have thought
we'll OF this crop as food crop, but have
not appreciated it as q means of restoring
fertility to the land. 1 cannot too stronelv
press upon you the importance in this re-
spect. Plant it; resist the entreaties of
those who advocate green manuring, and lei
it fully mature; then consign it to the soil,
burying it we'll and you have applied what
Is more valuable than FIVE hundred pounds
OF the best commercial fertilizer with which
We are familiar.
But II you cannot spare so large and so
valuable crop for manure, feed it off to
hogs and even BY a steady rotation of cotton,
corn, small grain and peas, with the use Of
both homemade and commercial fertilizers.
We may rapidly improve our lands.
Aud now as to the weed crop, it is for
those who are willing, or perhaps arc una
bic to undertake tho expense and labor of
planting and oultivating a crop solely for
manure.
Rest portion Of the land, and you will
get valuable crop sown by natures hand
and grown without mans labor.
You perceive that I have tried to be
practical in this essay. I might have told
you OF many new theories for manure ma
king at home, of many now plants highly
recommended for improving land, but am
firm in the opinion that no plants have as
yet been found adapted to this locality,
EhieA ss aye s Ss@SsFab!s @ for @annsins s1Qps
suggestions are such that our farmers may
adopt them without any violent changes in
their arrangements. They need not tear
up their stakes and begin anew. do not
believe all our former practices arc to be
condemned. 1t is now quite tho fashion to
denounce the Southern farmer He is
called slothful improvident, unmethodical
He is told that if Northern man were
in his position, he would show him how to
bo enterprising and successful. The South
erner is said to be all wrong in his meth
DDS and his opinions, and is exhorted to i'm
itate the Northerner, or the Englishman or
even the Chinese. Have you noticed wheth-
or or not these monitors, often Southern
men, and farmers, are themselves eminently
successful with the plans they commend to
.os Ms Pisisa Mrmsfs ~ 1UnSm TnSm we He
know. We believe tho Southern farmer
has done as we'll as any others could have
done under similar circumstances. Do our
dttixsas appear to disadvantage beside any
others when they occupy the same ground.
Do they in business circles in our great cit
issY Do they in our armies as soldiers 2
Do they in our halls Of Legislation As states
men Do they in the colleges Of the land
al students Z If not let US stop this self.
depreciation, and with confidence in our
selves and in our God who made us tho equals
ofany others, let US copy after none, but work
out our own methods and 60 on bravely to
success.
''Is THIs SEAT OCCUPIED p-An old
but vigorous-looking gentleman, seemingly
from tho rural districts, got into car and
walked its full length without receiving an
invitation to ait down. Approaching ono
/ gentleman, who had whole bench to him
seH, be asked "ls shis scat occupied Pr
"Yes, dr, i T." impsrtinsntly replied the
oeher. "Well," replied the broad. shoulder
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