The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1877-02-09
VOL. vff1.-NEw SsRIEs.
THOUGHTS FOR THE MONTH.

ly the present year, must be ready to push
work vigorously now. The blacksmitb's
motto is, strike when the iron is hot-the
farmers should be, plough whenever the
ground is dry-and only then. IF land has
not been broken heretofore, lay off rows and
bed up now, with view to reversing beds
before planting time, IF this provisional
bedding in advance was universally adopted,
1T would prevent the formation of many a
gully. Defects in laying off rows could
readily be discovered and remedied whilst re-
bedding. But if rows are permanently laid
of at first aud manure put in. defects are
never corrected again that year, and, by the
end Of the season, permanent wash is es-
( tablished. The proper time fcr rebedding
is determined by the nature of soilAif very
q light and sandy, it is best to do the work
some time in advance of planting, to allow
20 settling" and compaotiug of the soil
ptherwise the surface dries off so rapidly,
sit becomes very difficult to obtain "stand,"
particularly of cotton. Ifthe land is ''stia, ,"
it is better to delay the operation longer. '
vi PUTTING IN MANURE. - 4
s This, of course, ought to. be done whilst
/ rebedding. BY plowiug out the water fnr-
row of the first bed!gery deep, the manure
Nay be put in very deep also, if desiredf
Nthe proper depth is to be deterininnd by
circumstances. In clay lands, where both
the soil and climate are unfavorable to early
maturity of cotton, it is best to put manure
in rather shallow, say 8 or inches below
the surface. Butswhere there is no difficult
ty about the crop maturing. if the land is
broken deep, it is we'll to put the fertilizer
in still deeper, as the crop is then less liable
to be "burned up" by it. sWhere it islput
in deep, however, a small portion ought to
be deposited With the seed when planted, to
push the crop forward at once. It is an ex-
cellcnt plan to Distribute manure, cover with
t,0o burrows, and finish bed just before
planting This gives q eleqp bed every
where, unless it be a marrow strippn the top
and that is clesased ID ths aoto planting, J,
) SacA pIoesdAss sises SleaE stsrtoe wesaS3
I II IS .Ss I
aysrds and cotnpe ses 6ould bcS lied ffst,
ito allow tfmeI for ttcis setti6g thoroughly |
wetted, and for theffrmore soluble portions
to diffuse themselves through the adjacent
soil. Commercial ertiliiaerss may be put in
last, their small -Sslk requiring little water
to wet them thoroughly. There is not
much danger of leaching sexcept in casepf
very light sandy lands, aud where masSfc |
applied is a nitrate-7this should never be
applied long in adyan ce 6f the crop witch
is to be fed on it. The same remark applies |
also to highly ammoniated manures, for tha
ammonia is constantly disposed to chaDgd}
into n;trates. ~ ~ 3 s z ST
PREPARATION FOR CORN.
Inasmuch as fertilizers adapted to corn
are highly ammopinted, it is not good po-
licy to apply tho larger portion of them in
advance ofthe planting A little put in'the
drill and bedded onS probably answers good
purpose in making the young corn strong
and vigorous, but an abundance of food, in
the early stages of growth, encourages the
formation of too much stals--a tendency
already too strong in our hot climate and
long summers. The larger portion Of the
manure applied the second working, or
when the corn is half leg to,knee high,
seems to produce the heaviest caring. At
that stage, the corn may be sided very closes
ly without material damage, the spur or
brace roots, which form soon after, repair
ing any injury done, Sand taking up, as
needed, the manure last applied. We
should be very glad to have reports Of
the big crops of corn made last year-mode
of manuring, cultivating, &c. -
SPRING OATS.
If fall sewn oats have been killed out by
cold, SOW over again or, if you did not SOW
enough then, ut in more now. Don't SOW
spring oats on poor land-unless you arc
willing to manure them we'll. A good ap-
plication of stable manure, or cotton seed
meal, or the crushed seed, $500 Tbs. per
acre) nitrate soda, applied as top-drcssing
the latter part OF March. If any of the
phosphates are used, the most highly am
moniated will be best--but none of them
are as highly ammoniuted-as- they ought to
be for grain crop-thcy are arranged to
suit the wants of cotton, not grain. Peru
vrnn guano and cotton seed are much better