Orangeburg times. [volume] (Orangeburg Court House [S.C.]) 1877-1881, 1878-02-23
Orangeburg Agricultural Society.

A regular meeting of this Society
was he'd at the Fair Building on
Saturday 10Th instant, DR.. w. +.
Barton in the chair; after reading
and confirming the minutes of the
last meeting, The names OF several
farmers were proposed and elected to
full membership. The proper time
having arrived, the Secretary an
nounccd the following question for
discussion: Can our lands be made
to produce five times their natural
yield?
DIR. j. G. Holman opened the dis
cussion with what was said to be an
analysis of the Charleston phos-
phatcs and their adaptability to our
soils. He advocated the sowing and
Flowing under Of pea vines rs good
preparation for cotton, because the
roots ofihat plant welc said to poss, SIS
an acid capable of dissolving the
mincral matter in the soil and con-
vcrting it into plant food.
Prof. Bibkov gave q scicn-
tifc account of the different clement S
composing the several fertilizers, and
the causes why they failed to give
satisfactory results OH certain crops.
Dir. Cooke recommended tn c
use of mari and lime
as the mGsL practical way
Of improving lands, and gave de-
scrirtion of the improved soils in the
Southern portion of New Jersey and
other sections Of the North.
The chufn was the next subject.
Mr.. W m. Maokcy was inclined to
think hogs, iattened on the chufa,
yielded more lard and swee ter meat
than those fed OH any other food. The
top was good food for stock and cutting
the top oil improved both the yield
and the size Of the nut. He is Il
strong chuta man and thinks every
{; rmcr should plant them.
Nlr. Irwin Dukes said the meat an d
lard were as firm as if the hogs had
been fed on corn Ills field, after
supplying his hogs with ample food
during the winter, sec lei itself aud
yieE,t, &. 6; -t+.- : : = 49,. j,
Mr.. }. j. sailcy thought, by plapt-
ing small grain in addition to the
chufa, hogs could he raised and kept
fat every month i'll the year without
corn except perhaps the month OF
April. The chuta differed from M
grass in the fact, that tnc form cr grew
on the roofs at the surface of the
ground, while the latter went deep
into the sub soil. I he chut;. could be
easily destroyed for this reason.
DIR. Holman said the chuta was IN
indigenous plant, grew well on sandy
soil and needed little moisture.
Sorgum and sugar cane were next
discussed. Mr.. SalIcy advocated rails
lug these plauts TO save buying
syrup iii tie market. lie thought
they could be raised in abundance
and perhaps become money yield
ing crop.
Mr.. Mackcy raised then as con
vcniencc to hire labor, in this way he
thought them profitable.
Mir. Dukes made an cxpcrimen
during the last year with cotton, which
proved conclusively that the phos-
pilates did not pay.
Mr.. Mackey said it was not the
policy Of the farmer to purchase phos.
pilates at the present exorbitant
prices.
MIR. Riggs believed that pea vines
were the best fertilizer and were as
valuable with the grain oil rs on.
DR.. w. S. Barton asked il the con
tinucd use orcotton seed us II manure,
did not prevent the growth of peas.
He instanced a field Of his which had
been thus treated and which wou III
not now make n crop ofpcas.
Prof. Bibikov said it was
owing to the want of lime in the soil.