The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1885-09-09

in condition to lose fertility through
teaching. How can this be preventedp
None of Il ordinary crops can be
ON land destined for corn and
cotton the following year, and be har-
vested in time to be out of tho way.
We must select then either u forage to
grazing crop, OF ono for blowing under
to tcrtili2e the land. The best combi-
nation crop for all of these purposes is
rye. Sown in September it will fur
nish fair grazing even ON poor land.
On that which is rich, it will be ready
to cut in time to give way either to
corn or cotton. Having served the
purpose of holding the nitrates through
the winter, whatever oft Is now mixed
with the soil in blowing the land for
succeeding crops carries. to it a most
excellent article of humus supplying
matter. There is II objection, aud
only one which occurs to us, to the
plan ~dclineated, viz: the roots and
stubblc for the early stages of cotton
culture; 10 roughor, however, than a
coat of dead crab grass would make it.
Three pecks of seed to an acre would
be sufficient, and as there is little
danger of winter-killing, they could be
put i'll very rapidly and cheaply with
a harrow. An ordinary V shaped one
horse harrow run once in each cotton
row would do the work. The seed,
tho sowing and %gathcrin. would not
cost more than $l.10 to $1.l5 an acre,
if the seed were bought in open market;
raised on the farm the cost would be
very much less. Certainly the expense
would be no greater than that of SOW
ing land in peas for r%cnovatin@ pur-
poses, and farmers are continually
doing that. They recognize its value
and feel satisfied that it pays, and it is
to he horcd that they will soon realize
that sowing rye or other crops, on
bare land, will pay as much or moro.
There is another crop which would
do well in this connection, viz; burr
clover. Sown in September it com.
pletcs its growth by the following May,
maturing seed and dying. 1t could be
grazcd in February and March and
plowcd under by the first of April; or
if not grazcd might be moved in April.
1t is IL very hardy, thrifty piant, and
once set upon land is very apt to per-
pctuatc itself. If land upon which it
is growing, be partially bcddcd-that
IS u narrow strip left in the center of
the balk, 10 be plowcd out the latter
part of M~ay-cnough seed would be
formed on this strip to rcsccd the land
thoroughly the ensuing fall. They
would be scattered in subsequent
plowings of the crop and come up in
the fall after tho crops are laid by.
Once fairly started this would be n
cheaper arrangements than seeding
dow in rye.
~ the present time the prospect is
promising for good crops everywhere.
The cotton yield is likely to be large,
and this, coupled with the general
stagnation in business, points to low
prices. Our readers have doubtless
observed that when prices ARE high
buyers lay less stress ON the grades of
cotton than when they ARE low. a
large low priced crop therefore calls
for careful handling; clean picking
and good ginning acquire additional
Importance. Picking by the hundred
and steam gins are neither Of them fav-
watchtnlncss and personal supervision
arc the only available means of coun.
teracting the difficulty. The farmer
should inspect each cotton.pickcr's
basket several times during the duv
and make him feel that his eye is upon
the ann in which the work is done.
If a hand persists in picking trashy
cotton turn him of. In like mannea
he shonld inspect the gin-if it be a
public Sin--and discover the velocity
of the saws; the less velocity the
better the sample ofcotton. Whatever
regulations the trade calls for rs &C.
CARDS size of bale, of bale, kind End
weight of bagging aud mode of pack
ing, had better be followed. These
are small matters, and ii they will help
the sale Of cotton, let us get the benefit
of them.
While the gathering and housing of
crops will engage most of attention this
month, ON other matters should not
be overlooked. Bushes which were
grubbed up last month and have sent
up sprouts since should be grubbed
again. If this is thoroughly done they
will almost certainly die. One should
never lose an opportunity to do things
like this which add SO much to the
value OF the farm. Whenever regular
work is stopped by the weather or
other cause all the old times should be
employed in b%etterments Of the farm.
1t is well to keep n list OF the various
things of this nature where it will be
daily seen; whenever anything is sug-
sested rs necdful or desirable, put it
on this list. 1t will grow to be quite a
long one, and n glance at it will never
leave one at II loss to know what to do
with tho labor OF the farm when reg
nlar work is interrupted. This Is n
fitting time before corn Is gathered to
make the crib rat-proof. All that Is
necessary Is to have it entirely isolated
away from other buildings, trees.
fences, etc., and raised on pillars two
and q half feet high, capped with a
piece of tin or sheet iron about two
feet square. Wooden pillars, sloping
towards the top so as to be smaller
there Gust the size of the silly than at
the bottom, answer every purpose.
This is q matter that car be easily and
cheaply done, and will save many q
bushel of corn. Have no steps to the
crib, but use a short ladder in place of
them, taking ARE to lay it down when
ever the door is locked.
If wheat is 10 be sown on other than
corn or cotton land, preparation for IT
should be DELAYED no LONGER. Rreok