The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1885-11-12
controfof a man of good executive
ability.-SoWthern Cunioator. '''
Ehr'chihB Land Oats and Cotton Alternate
| " 1y--CompostIng Leayes ~.

ability.-Southern CuHiCator.
--,-sss-.---1-L p, 4s
Enrlching Land Oats and Cotton Ai.ernato.
Iy--CompostIng Leaves,
|: have 100 acres of ordinary gray
land which | want to bring m Iro,n
c-thlrd bale to bale per acre If 7
can. L had thought to alternate viii
small grain and cotton so as to cnIt;
vato the same land only one vco,. md
thcn SOW down in order to get as much
vegetable matter in tho land rs possi-
pic. Considering the profits of farm-
ing, would you recommend such n
rotation, or would it be better to run
the land in cotton longer before SOW
ing2 ''"
2. Would you recommend compost-
ing oak or pine leaves withI ime now
TO be used under cotton next sprinU
II so, please give me an idea of t6c
proportion, and would these be i'm
proved by the addition of acid phos.
phate and cotton seed meal, and what
amount to tho acre on ordinary gray
land: l 90 not know much about
farming, but want to bring my land
INTO tirst-class condition, and desire
your advice, as l have very little CAPT
tai to spend in doubtful experiments
Subscriber anderson, s. c.
ANSWER.-1. 1t is better to SOW tho
land every other year in oats, than TO
sow it every third year. we must
not only supply.the land with humus,
but keep it supplied. Fresh lands
abound in humus, and yet how soon
arc they deprived of it under our ordi
nary rotations. The usual custom is,
when alternating cotton and oats, TO
manure the cotton but not the oats.
where one is dCsirous of improving
the land rapidly, it is better TO manure
both crops, a good broadcast applica-
ton being given the oats, and drill
manurlng given the cotton. Two hum
drcd pounds each of ac'd phosphate
and cotton seed meal might be plowcd
in with the oats, and two TO three
thousand pounds of compost, like
turH:an's, put in tho drill for cotton.
After the soil is decpcncd and the land
becomes filled with humus and has q
good supply of plant food, the above
quantities of manure may be doubled
to advantage.
=. TO get quick rcturns-and this is
always desirable in farming is bet
ter TO compost leaves than to apply
them as gathered from the woods. The
latter dccompoSc too slowly when put
IN the soil. TO CConomizc the labor OF
hauling, the compost pens should be
distributed conveniently about the
| llcld to which it is to be applied.
About ten bushels Of quick lime will
be required to every five or six two.
horse wagon loads of leaves, well
trampcd in Il body Of ordinary dimcn.
sions. The lime should be Stacked
with strong salt water, the Stacking
being done just as it is used, layer OF
leaves (wcttcd if dry) six inches deep
should be put in the pen and the fresh
~ Stacked lime sprinklcd over it, then
another similar layer Of leaves with
more lime, and so on till completed
Either oak or pine leaves may he used,
or mixture of the two. In place OF
lime, unlcachcd ashes may be used il
to be had; twelve to fifteen bushels OF
ashes in place of the ten bushels of
lime. 1t would be we'll to cut down
and rebuild the heap after it has stood
four or five weeks.
Such compost should form the basis
only of manure, an addition of acid
phosphate and cotton seed to be made
to 1t as it is about TO be applied to the
soil. The quantity of these 10 be added
should be such that each acre should
receive of the phosphate from 200 to
400 pounds, and of meal from 100 to
200 pounds. The quantities first men
toned on ordinary land, the last or
larger quantity on that in high condi-
tlOn.-SOutheTR CH}tiUutOr.