The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1885-09-10

portion OF our cultivated neluS are /
in condition to lose fertility through |
teaching. How can this be prevented?
] o 10 of our ordinary crops can be |
grown Oh land destined for corn and |
co on the following year, and be har-l
| vested in time to be out of the way. !
| We must select then either forage to |
| grazing crop, or one for plowing under |
to fcrtili2e 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 nitratcs through
the winter, whatever oft is now mixed
with tho soil in plowing the land for
| succeeding crops carries to it q most
excellent article Of humus supplying
matter. There is one objection, and
only one which occurs to us, to the
plan delmeated, viz: the roots and
stubblc for tho early stages of cotton
culture; no rougher, however, than
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 III very rapidly and cheaply with
harrow. AN ordinary V shaped one
horse harrow run once in each cotton
row would do the work. The seed,
the sowing and gathering would not
cost more than $l.1O to $1.15 an acre,
II 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 renovating pur-
poses, and farmers are continually
doing that. They recognize its value
and teel.Satisficd that it pays, and it is
to he hoped that they will soon realize
that sowing rye or other crops, on
bare land, Will pay MS much or more.
There Is another crop which would
do-well in this connection, viz; burr
; clover. Sown in September il co IN.
pletcs its growth by the following May,
maturing seed and dying. 1t could be
grazcd in February and March aud
plowed under by the first of April; or
If not grazed might be moved i'm April.
1t is very hardy, thrifty plant, and
once set upon land is very apt to per-
pctuatc itself. Ii land upon which it
is growing, be partially bcdded-that
ls narrow strip left in the center of
the balk, to be plowed out the latter
part of May-enough seed would be
formed on this strip to resced the land
thoroughly the ensuing fall. They
would be scattered in subsequent
plowings of the crop and come up in
le fall after the crops arc laid by.
'ncc fairly started this would be a
reaper arrangements than seeding
own i'll rye.
at the present time the prospect is
romising for good crops everywhere.
he cotton yield is likely to be large,
ld this, coupled with the general
agnation in business, points to low
rlccS. Our readers have doubtless
)serVed that when prices are high
uycrs lay less stress on the grades of
'tton than when they arc low. A
rge low-pricod crop therefore calls
~ careful handling; clean picking
ld good ginning acquire additional
nportancc. Picking by the hundred
ld steam gins arc neithoH of them fay
raOle to such resultS. Constant
aichfulncss and personal supervision
&c the only available means of coun.
racing the difficulty. The farmer
lQuid inspect each cotton-picker's
askct several times during the dav
nd make him feel that his eye is upon
to uuuncr in Which tiic work is done.
a hand persists in picking trashy
shonld inspect the gin-if it be a
ublic sin-and discover the velocity
the saws; the less velocity the
ctter the sample ofcotton. Whatever
equations the trade calls for as re-
ards size of bale, of bale, kind and
eight of bagging and mode of pack
ng, had better be followed. These
re small matters, and If they will help
he sale of cotton, let lis get the benefit
them.
While the gathering and housing of
rops will engage most of attention this
, ,nonth, some other matters should not
be overlooked. Bushcs which were
SfuDDed up last month and have sent
up sprouts since should be grubbed
F again. If this is thoroughly done thcy
will almost certainly die. One should
never lose all opportunity to do things
like this which add 80 much to tie
value Of the farm. Whenever regular
work is stopped by the weather or
other cause all the old times should be
employed III betterments of the. farm,
1t IS well to keep list of the various
tllngs or this nature where it will be
F daily seen; whenever anything is sug-
gested as needful or desirable, put il
on this list. 1t will grow to be quite a
io"S oho, anu Siance at II VIII never
leave one at loss to know what to do
with the labor on the farm when reg
ular work is interrupted. This ia a
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 a half feet high, capped with q
piece of tin or sheet iron about two
feet square. Wooden pillars, slopine
towards the top SO as to be smaller
there Gust the size of the silD than at
the bottom, answer every purpose.
This is matter that can be easily and
cheaply done, and will save many a
bushcl of corn. Have no steps to the
crib, but use n short ladder in place Of
them, taking care to lay it down when
ever the door is locked.
If wheat is 20 be sown on other than