The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1884-11-06


low, with logs or rocks. I'm floino
this, make the centre. of the da,Y, n Iit.
tie lower than the other parts, so thot
the water will deep in the Centre ot
the hollow and not rise up and wash
the sides. We bring up this matte,
now because, in addition to the leisure
work which enables the farmer to at.
tend to such work, the smooth stubble
fields not yet plowcd offer great facil.
ity in doing the work. Where land Is
ridgcd or rough, from recent blowing,
1t is quite hard to get correct lines OF
level; and it is most important, under
this system of terracng, to have the
lines run as perfectly rs possible.
These lines oflevel, once established,
serve as guides in laying off rows on q
level. Writers usually direct that the
rows between two lines of level should
be run off one half by tho lower ana
the other half by the upper line of levc
meeting in the middle and throwing
short rows, if any, in the middle
Where the slope is very uniform, and
there arc no sudden abrupt changes
no ridges anb hollows starting on tho
general slope and running down it, the
above rule is u good one. But if there
are sudden changes in the slope the
farmer must exercise his Judgment
about the matter. Sometimes It will
be found necessary to run only few
rows by one line of level, and nearly
all by the other. A practiccd eve will
guide pretty correctly. Lines Of level
run III stubble land may be left undis-
turbed; the weeds ETC., on them will
answer as brcak-watcrs and filters.
Or, If preferred, they may be sown in
small grain or grass. Where the lines
arc run in plowcd land tho strips had
better be sown at once in grain, to
furnish filters for the winter and spring
| rains.
The old style Of grnbbing sprouts,
viz: cutting them off just below the
surface of the ground never kills them.
The work has to be repeated year after
year, and finally quite big root is de-
volopcd although the top may be small.
Consider the amount of work done in
digging sprouts in above manner for |
ten or fifteen years, and ask yoursclfif|
it would not save labor to dig them up
ten or twelve inches deep at once and |
etlcctually Kill them. This is the con-
clusion we have reached after many
years trial of the deep sprouting. 1t is
the only effective method we have ever
seen of killing pcrsimmon, sassafras,
swectgum and other troublesome
plants. 1t succeeds best if the work
is done from the middle Of August to
the middle of September, but generally
proves effective if done in fall or win
ter. Moreover, when the work is thus
done, these underground stumps
which breaks plows and shock the
shoulders of plow animals and cause
loss of time by stoppage Of plow, are
permanently removed. The same
economy of time and labor results
from the removal Of rocks which stop
the plow and also of smaller ones
| which cause mi-licks Of the hoe and
lation: suppose a hand has to make
two licks in tho rocks where he would
make only ono in smooth land; he
could hoo twice as mnch in the latter
| as he could in the former. Run this
through several years and SEQ if the
labor OF removing rocks would not be
less than that of making double licks
with the hoe year after year.
AS p rule little attention is paid and
little judgment displaycdin in the location
of farm roads; and yet, when the
large amount Of hauling which is done
over them and the saving of time in
having them run so as to be convenient
to the fields from which produce has
to be hauled, it becomes matter OF
very great Importance. The barn il
the starting point for the road or roads
which may be deemed necessary. Tic
localities from which fire. wood and
the bulk of farm produce is TO be
brought, arc the objective poins. The
first thing to be studied is how these
points may be reached most directly
and with the slightest grades. On
| hilly farms the grades arc all important
one steep place in a road may spoil it
for the stccpcst grade determine the
| size of tho load which can be hauled
| over 1t, just as the weakest link decides
the strength of achain. 1t may be
necessary to wind road around hi lis
and thus make il longer, to secure
easy grades, but even i'm such cases
there may be no loss. Suppose OH {
road of easy grade an ordinary farm
team can pull Ia load of I, 500 pounds
but on a more direct road with stcoI
grade can Epull 1900 only; four loads
on tho first would be equal to five OF
the second, and quite as much or mort
work might be done in day OH thu
long as on tho short road. 1t is impor
tant, however, to have roads rs shor
as is consistent with moderate grades
because half the time the teams arc
pulling empty wagons. Max the roat
beds wide. If it is necessary to plac,
bitches on each side of them TO contro
water, there is a tendency for tn,
ditchos to widen and cncroach on tn,
road beds and if not wide they ma,
become inconveniontly narrow. |
roads have to cross bottom lands 10
cato them, other things being equal, s,
that they may cross the bottoms at
point where they are narrow. Tw,
advantages will result: less of valua
bic land will be taken up by tho roa,
and less Of soft, yielding earth will
make part Of the road-bcd. If rock
are convenient, it will pay to Nc
, Adamizc road where it crosses q bot
tom.
, Sufficient shelter, not only far a
tho stock but for all the vehicles an
implements on the farm is q matter b
no means as well appreciated as
:. should be. Vehicles and implement
not only last longer when under she