The Orangeburg democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1879-1881, 1879-08-15
Egt The Peavine Again.
Editor OranyeJury Democrat: :

Tell us, Mr.. Editor, why it is that
we farmers, having eyes yet sec not,
or seeing believe not, how others
make fine crops, and yet some Of us,
still seem blindly to plod along in tho
same old rut, fearing mishap or
sna5c Sudden jolt if VIC attempt to
break away from it. For year having
witnessed the beneficial effects Of
heavy crop Of peavincs on the sue
cccding crop, and i'll the rccupcration
Of worn soil wherever they were acci-
dentaily allowed to rot upon The
ground and not pulled up OF totally
fed away, and more recently having
observed the beautiful result where
they were sown and turned in the
past winter, in the more vigorous
growth Of cotton this year, l have
ventured to drop you this hasty pa
per hoping 1t may catch the eye OF
some lazily hcsitating or still doubt
ing Judas and stimulate him to put
into practice, what, others have tried
anu do heartily recommend, and un-
hcsltatinSly say, their crops are
greatly improved and their lands are
left in much finer condition for sue
cceding crops. Though almost too
late now 10 derive the full benefit
Of the plan usually adopted, it is not
too late for some time to get :, decitl-
cd improvement in the next crop.
1t is scarcely NECESSARY after so much
has been already said and written
about IT, to repeat the the process
practiced by those that have met
with success some may not know it
and l write it. 1t is simply this !:
Lay Off the land in cquidislanL rows
so that one and half or two bushels
of peas per acre can he sown evenly
brond cast and well plougllcd under,
(thc later the season the greater guam
tity Of peas should be sown,l and
about the middle of October when TIC
weather has grown cool, sow upon the
same. land one or more bushels of
oats per acre, and turn all under nice
ly together. If there are any ripe
peas on tho vincs-and there will be
if planted in time--they remain in
the ground the winter through and
come up the next spring and when
oats arc cut, which will no doubt be
improved 100 per cent. over the past
crop, they go vigorously to growing
to cover the ground again with both
vines and peas to make the farmers
heart jump with Joy at the prospect
ahead Of him for the next crop.
Now, now, whenever it is, is the ac-
ceptcd time, go right at it, or you
will lose the opportunity to increase
your crops and improve Your lands,
and the joyous emotions coming from
such u condition of things. !.
There can be no doubt that the
plan suggested is the simplest, surcst
and cheapest Of all that can he pra cli-
cally carried out. Whilst we have
known for years how liuc crop. Of
pea vines benefited the land yet We
hcsitatcd TO use them in this way be-
cause it looked like making and Civ
ing away one fine crop to make an
other, not estimating the great good
the land received from them, besides
the increased crop they caused 10 be
made. But upon practice, We find
this is not so, as we arc simply Civ
ing the succeeding crops better ma
nuring than we could do in any other
way, and most Of our lands should be
well manurod any how. That grca.
old patriot and farmer, Edmand Ruff
lin, Of Virginia, said years ago, that
the pea constituted the great remedy
for Southern agricultural exhaustion,
and that where the soil was totally
exhausted OF potash, phosphcric acid
and chlorine, that peas alone or cyen
combined with lime could not restore
these elements to the soil. Forum
atcly such is rarely so in our soils
in which case resort should be had TO
o'hcr means, such as bone dust and
gypsum, stable manure and guano;
either will help the pea amazingly in
providing more luxuriant vine which
is sure TO eliminate from q lateral
state enough Of these clements to en-