Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1881-06-30
Tugaloo Home Dots.

June ~, 1881.
MEssRs. EDITORS: Since my last effuson for
your columns many important changes have
taken place, and but for the press Of business
incident to wheat harvest should have reported
moro in due season.
TWO weeks ago VIC sang "Dearest Mal--'Way
Down in do Mead, or Moving Of de Hay" &c.,
while Tho brcezes werc freighted aud made redo.
lent with the scent Of new mown hay. Inst
week "liarvest Home was more suggestive,
While tho garnering hand with his Sickle has
been gathering tho golden sheaves from the
waving fields Of wheat and oats.
Day laborers arc very scarce and whilo i'm
proved farming and the development Of the
resources of our county is utilized, emigration
becomes moro and more suggestive. While tho
regular labor has been diverted in harvesting,
Gen. Green has arrayed formidable forco and
one would suppose if TO nuke two spears of
grass to grow where but ono grew before, was
public benefactor, We have plenty of such
characters in tho highest acceptation of tho
term. But up to this time the weather has
been rather dry, impeding somewhat to rapid
growth, but giving ample time for proper ouli-
walton and assure you the turner's have made
good use of the favorable opportunity and the
crop has been we'll worked and cotton blooms
and corn silks made their appearance earlier
than usual and the general outlook of the
growing crop is certainly Hattcring.
This week the shrill whistles of The "traveline
threshers" are heard and the plump precious
small grain crop that forms the staff of life Is
being rapidly stored away for future use, and
how thankful we should be to our kind preseryer
and giver OF every perfect gift to know that we
are abundantly supplied with such choice bless
ings. The wheat and oat crop have fallen a
little short Of The expectation in quantity, but
the quality Of The grain is good
My experiment has been made that promised
to the readers of The COURIER. From observa-
tion have been impressed with the idea that
seasons following such winters rs last winter
wheat would do we'll sown iu February. Last
winter acted on tho suggestion and sowed in
February in addition to what sowed in Decem.
Der and my spring sown wheat was the best
wheat l made, though I do not attribute its
being better by being sown late. but have
arrived at the following conclusion, that would
not give my February wheat, sown after these
extreme cold winters, for wheat sown in ''due
season." warm winters. Ours is not really
wheat growing country and should not bo relied
on as staple production, and is only adapted,
like all other productions, TO certain climates
and we cannot raiso wheat South successfully no
more than we con raise cotton North. Blue
Vitriol Is an infallible preventative of smut in
wheat, because it is on injured grain that pro-
duces smut and the injured germ being deyital-
lied perishes from tho poisonous effect of blue
stone But that man is not living nor never
Will be that can prevent rust ia wheat without
the aid OF climatic influence believe that arti-
ficiai congelation would not as preventative,
but this would be about equal to hot house in
cotton culture. Then my plan is to prepnre a
small area and SOW early and il il fails the loss
Is small. and If 1t hits you make enough for
homo consumption, aud SOW largely in February
after these occasionally cold winters, which
always cast their shadows before sufficiently to
enable us to raise wheat in abundance once Ia
every four or five years. by doubling my De-
eember sown wheat, by sowing in February
made double the quantity and by proper sun
ming have kept wheat over three years. This
Is my experiment in wheat culture and if tho
plan Ia not new to others perhaps IL will be i'm
pressive and give it for what IL is worth.
We are having fine rains now and the prospec.
Is We will have several days Of showers.
tI Cotton Is taking on forms very fast.
Corn Is unusually luxuriant aud is being
laid by in good condition Ad.i aiai7
Hf Gardens and clover, and especially tile latter,
Eate sufered from dry weather e ai.@ asua
Mtssrd. YIN. and RoBett faBoil, Who i've iii