The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1885-11-25

ncwgrOunds or excessively rocky
land. 1t probably would not pay to
spend the requisite labor on these.
But there is an abundance of open
land in the country with very few
stulnps or rocks upon it, and this
should DO cultivated and improved,
if badly worn, i'm preference to
any other. On all such land the rocks
and stumps should be removed; the
cost will not be great, and will soon
be paid back in the saving of labor
from the use Of implements which
economiZc labor. The smoothing
harrow, with its broad sweep of ten
or twelve feet, in the early stages of
cultivation, and the straddling cult
tors, carrying a row at n go, ut a later
stage of the crop, will soo pay back
with large interest the expense of dig
ging up Il few stnmps and hauling off
II few rocks. Perhaps these srumps
are needed close by to build obstruc-
tons across gullics or ravines, or
levces across branch bottoms, to check
the flow of water during floods and
gather deposits of sediment upon the
soil. The building of lcvees across
valley lands is worthy of attention.
Branch bottoms are in some respects
our very best lands, but they are often
badly washed or secured by heavy
rains. Levees built across at narrow
points, where the hills project into the
bottoms, would not only stop the dam
age from water, but make the over
flows a positive blessing through the
rich sediments deposited. Where the
levecs cross the main ditch, abutments
of heavy rocks or of large timbers
should be built or willows planted on
edge of ditch. Where rocks cannot
be had to build n levee, a double row
of willows planted across the bottom,
with brush and logs between and
above them, will soon make a good
dam; n willow dam would ccst almost
nothing; green willow stalks driven
in along the line is all that is necessary
as these take root and grow readily.
A little work of this kind, not done
because not thought of, would often
double the value of bottom lands.
Some time ago we discussed at
some length the subject of farm roads,
and will not repeat. These should be
looked after nov and put in good
order. Roads can kept in good condi,
ton much easier by a little work oft
repeated than by much work at inter
vols. AS soon as a wash or hole
begins to form fill them at once; n
few well broken rocks or spadeflls of
dirt will do it then; a wagon load may
be required if neglected long. Our
public roads would be kept in much
better order is small squads Of hands
were kept working on them all the
time, in place of many hands upon
them twice in the year. This is very
cmphatically II of the cases in which
a stitch in time savet nine. Rocks
should always be broken fine when
used upon roads; no piece should be
more than one and n half inches
through. Small rocks will pack into
a compact mass, large ones will not;
the latter will continually work out
of their beds, and a loose rock in a
! shmoEed is as Objectionable as n S'i5ross
roau.Id, be better. In this Htump.
A rock hammer will be found a very
convenient thing on a farm, where
rocks arc found. A road he'd of clay
is much improved by the addition Of
sand. This may sometimes be very
CONVENIENTLY obtained by placing OBJ
structions at intervals in the adjacent
bitches to catch tho Sand which washes
into them. On the contrary, n sandy
road-bcd is improved by the addition
VI CltN aiNt tllo al SollCtlilCS DC
cheaply obtained where there is an
underlying clay subsoil by digging
bitches, on each side of the road, deep
enough to get clay and throw il on
the road. bed Farmers are more di.
rectly interested in good roads than
any other class i'm the community, and
it bchoovcs them to look carefully
into these matters. They iced good
roads on their farms over which to
heul their crops to their barns, and
good public roads to facilitate trans
port of produce TO market.
A large supply of barnyard manure,
with which to make compost, is every
year regarded as more and more essen
tial on the farm. Commercial fcrtil-
iZcrs give so much better results in
conjunction with stall manure, than
when used alone, that every farmer is
anxious to have a full supply of the
latter. He wants enough to go over
all the land he cultivatcs. This can
only be had by the use of ample guam
titles of litter. During the busy crop
season, he did not feel perhaps that he
had time to stop his teams and hands
to haul leaves; but for some months
now he will have ample time. A rude
shelter under which litter could be
stored and kept dry is very desirable.
Thus arranged a limited quantity could
be put in the stalls at short intervals,
and become thoroughly incorporated
with the droppings of the animals.
Wet leaves hauled directly from the
woods and put in the stalls, not only
brings discomfort TO the stock, but
adds SIS much water as dead weight
TO be handled and hauled out. Where