The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1885-11-26
AGRIcULTURALD IMPAIRMENT.
sEAsoNAnLE euaensrIoNs.


How the Farmer May Probably use the
N, Present Time of the Year.
4 1t is hardly necessary to urge the
prompt gathering and housing of all
manured crops still remaining in the
field. The days will get shorter and
shorter, and the weather increasingly
cold and unpleasant; corn will waste
and cotton will drop on the ground
and become stained and trashy. Every
consideration prompts to energy and
diligence. a month hence the days
) will be an hour shorter, and one-tcnth
less work can be gotten ont ofa laborer
than at present Indeed, with our
present labor, it is becoming unprofta-
BILE to employ any more Of it than
one can help during the winter months.
The negro is so averse to wet and
cold during that period it is hard to
get work out of him. But for this,
there is much about q farm which
could be done, and most conveniently
too during the winter. Almos; every
thing In the way of bctterments can be
attended TO with more advantage then
than during the busy crop season.
Dltchlng, removing stumps and stones,
clearing and cleaning up, terracing,
nlllng gullies, making levees across
bottoms, making farm roads, hauling
leaves for litter, making composts,
and other like things, can receive at
tentlon without detriment to growing
crops. Such matters are generally
put Oft until spring, and then thcrc
is hurrying, and rushing, and half
doing, to get thcm done and out Of the
way, that preparations may be made
: TOR summer crops. Very much of this
KIND OF work may be advantageously
done III November, if labor can be held
steadily to it; end where hands are
nired for the year, it ought to Ec done.
Inc farmer can give his whole at
tentlon to these matters-studv and
plan and supervise closely. We find
that cur presence is moro imperatively
called for by this kind of work than
any other on the farm. In routine
operations, trained hands can do prct-
ty we'll, but in bettermcnts repeated
exercise ofjudgmont is called for at
almost every step.
We talk much Of improving our
lands by deep blowing, sowing peas,
heaVy manuring, but what availeth
these If land is rolling, and the soil is
washed away as fast as it is decpcncd
or enriched. In all efforts to improve
the soil, the first step must be to hold
t-attention, study, ingenuity, must
all be directed to this point. Since
terracing has acquired notoretv, hill
side ditching has been almost entirely
discarded. This may be well after
terraces have become firmly establish
cd, but anterior to this, whilst the ter
races are being made, and the loose
earth thrown up by the plow is easily
washed away, bitches will be decided
~ advantageous, especially if washes
nave already begun. In heavy rains,
water acquires terrible momentum
down slopes that are long and steep,
II allowed 10 traverse the whole dis
tance; catch it in q ditch before it has
had timo to acquire volume and vcloc-
lty. Make the ditch large and deep
enough to hold the water in the heav-
lost rains; don t bel timid about this,
tearing your ditch will become a Gull
ley. With the greatest fall given hill
side bitches, it is an easy matter to
get them filled up after they have
served their purpose. Every one who
has had much experience with hill
side bitches knows that the trouble is
to keep them open. Briars, weeds,
etc., falling into them arc constantly
catching earth and making soil in
their bottoms, upon which spring up
grasses and weeds; these catch more
soil and soon the ditch breaks over,
unless ofton cleaned ont. In CROSSING
them with the plow dirt and trash fall
In to such degree that it is next to
impossible to keep them open when
the plOWman does not turn at the
ultcn. Where rows arc run on q level
one years breaking and cultivation of
the land will completely obliterate o.
ditch that is crossed.
a poorly made, inadequate ditch is
worse than no ditch, but a properly
made, large ditch has one decided
drawback: especially on steep slopes
the water falling into it from above
tends to start little gullies on the upper
edge of the ditch; and these if not
checked tend to clen9atc up the Hill
IN other words bitches tend to gcner-
ate gullies. Fortunately this can be
obViated by leaving an unplowcd strip
along the upper edge of the ditch.
weeds and grass growing upon this
strip binds its soil so that water will
not cut through it, but checked, in its
now, deposits its burden Of soil on
said strip and quietly percolates through
This strip should be not less than three
feet in width. Where this precaution
has not been taken, and gulies have
started along the upper edge of bitches,
1t would be we'll to put trash of some
Kind i'll every one Of these, weighing
1t down with rocks. a perfect edgg
to the ditch can thus be soon cstab-
iished, and the unplowed strip will
take care Of it afterwards. Don't
defer looking after these apparently
little things; a stitch in time will save
more than afterwards.
Where moderate gullies have al
ready formed haul leaves, straw or
trash of any kind and pnt in thcm-a
little brush at intervals, or n row of
stobs placed across them will serve to
Keep the leaves from being washed
out OF them. If this is done, and
Plowmen made to lift theirplows ovcrin
crossing these washes, they will vcrv
soon fill up. More are less dirt and
trash will drop into them from the
ploWs as thep are lifted over, and this
VIII help to Till them. If washes are