Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1882-08-24
Jhr farm aua ftreside.
BETTING LAND IIE IDLE. !

| Farmers are beginning to see The advantage
of occupying their grain fields with some grow
ing crop after the grain is harvested. Land
in a state of nature is occupied the season
through. There is no "rest," as is held nee
essary by some, with cultivated soil, for the
reason that no effort is required for growth.
Practice has demonstrated this long ago,
where land has been titled annually for gener-
ations, bearing as good crops now rs at first,
and better where the land has been properly
taken care Of The practice of keeping the
ground uneceupied the latter part of the sea-
son from the time the grain crop is removed,
has nothing at all to recommend it, and much
to oppose. The land is not only idle, but there
| is chance for weeds and coarse grasses TO
grow and ripen their seeds especially in moist
weather, which sometimes occurs in the latter
part of the season. This, in large propor-
tion of land, is great source of evil, as our
fields abundantly attest. To have the ground
exposed during the heat and drouth of August
and September, is not likely. to benefit it. On
the other hand, to cultivate and harrow it
is benefit, no doubt more than paying for
the trifing expense of the work, which is soon
accomplished If the plow is needed on &C.
count of grass and weeds, all the greater will
| he the benefit.
Immediately after the ground is worked
when yet moist, SOW it to some crop so as to
get it started in case of drouth. During the
rest of the season the growth will be drawing
fertility from the atmosphere, and shading the
ground no doubt further favors fertility. This
crop turned down in the fall, rather lightly,
will afford an excellent seed bed in the spring,
with the certainty of an increased yield III the
crop, and the land will be cleaner and in bet
ter condition. This practice continued yearly
will he a constant benefit, requiring less ma
nure and the vegetable material thus added
will further favor fertility by retention and
the chemical effect upon the mineral matter OF
the soil. Clay soil will also be less tenacious
and hard. The effect is somewhat like yearly
turning down sod, with the advantage OF more
speedy decomposition, and benefit to the crop
that follows.
The advantage here over green manurlng
proper is that it does not interfere with the
regular cropping Of the season. The earlier
crops, like rye and wheat, being removed, a
large mass of vegetable material may be grown
and turned down in time for the fall sowing
of winter grain. For this purpose there is
probably nothing better than the pea, which
will readily rot and afford pabulum for good
growth of the grain by winter, the ground be-
coming sufficiently compact by spring for this
grain, especially in clay soils. One OF my
neighbors raised % bushels per acre of wheat
on sod turned down few weeks before SOW
ing. The season was favorable for wheat.
The next year wheat on the same ground, well
worked without manure, was failure.
have known stubble ground bearing coarse
grass and weeds turned down with success for
wheat, and this without manure, the soil not
over rich and for years cropped and reduced.
The point of Importance to he always kept
in view is the amount of vegetable matter in
the soil. In old worn out land it is always
more or less wanting, and here it has the great
est effect, and a comparatively small amount
doing much to increase the growth. have
seen this done in not a few cases, and it has
always been satisfactory. Rye and peas are
the plants mostly used, and millet where the
ground is not poor is recommended. ANY
quick growing rich plant will do. With rye
and peas no mistake can well be made, as they
are of quick growth and rich in fertilizing ma
terial The pea is best adapted to summer
growth, to follow after wheat or rye. AS it is
fast grower large amount of material is Sc
cured to be turned down in the fall or spring.
Another thing with this grain is OF special val
! ue it is adapted to poor or run down soil ;
with the aid of plaster which, where it has it's
| full effect, more than doubles the growth, and
hence should always he used for this purpose.
In such case nothing approaches it for fertiliz-
ing land cheaply in a short time, and no time
is better than after grain CROP to fill the idle
| gap.
Where the time Of growth is shorter, as af-
ter late crops, rye is the plant, growing OH Till
winter, and early and rapidly in the spring,
affording rich and abundant mass of matter
| to turn down on land not too much impover-
ished, otherwise manure must be used, and it
| is a paying operation where the time will al
low of it's application the manure, instead OF
being frittered away, is retained in the soil.
1t should he the study of the farmer how best
he may fill up this gap of the seasonal great
advantage long neglected. Much can be done,
and in various ways, and it should be made a
regular work on the farm. There is a wide
range of treatment, from simple narrowing the
land and sowing the seed, as on sandy soil, to
the more elaborate working and manuring
which clay requires. For experiment take
light soil, harrow well, weighting the harrow
if necessary SOW peas, using gypsum for ma
nure This is soon done with little cost.
Omit the experiment OH part of the fields so as
to see the difference in the effect if any. Let
the experiment cover several seasons in sue
cession.-F g., in Country Gentleman.
THE GRAPEVINE IN AUGUsT.-The most
active work of the vineyard is over, still the
vines will need some care. The lateralS may
still need pinching, and late shoots may push