The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-07-14
The FARMERS COLUMN.

SUMMER CROPS, THEIR CULTIVATION
AND VALUE FOR FORAGE.
Preparing Land for Turnips md
Grasses---LiSht or Surface CuItiva-
tion --- Peas, Corn, and MiIIct as
OF Farmers Clubs.
Southern Cuntrutor.
Summer crops still require dligent cultiva-
ton. Drought and heat are to be fought US
best we may; grass and weeds are to be kept
down, and the formation In the soil of availI-
blc plant food to be promoted tn the fullest cX-
tent. One Of the greatest antidotes against
drought is an abundance of humus Ill the soil.
y farmer cannot stop now to supply this in II
field where there Is Il growing crop; it must
bc looked after in his general plans, embrace
Ing proper rotations, and resting OF land, or
during winter, when leaves, pine and other
straw may be hauled out and scattered upon
IL. But q good growth of peavinCs supplies a
first quality humus for old land and peas may
be planted for such purpose during this and
next month. If seed are plenty, they may be
broadcast ut the rate Of one and a half hush
els per acre: II seed are scarce, plant in drills
two and half 10 three fcetarlrt, either SOW
ing peas thinly in furrOw or dropping five or
SIN III IlllS lllccI NpHTI.
will INDUCE so much more vigorous growth
that the drilled peas will make about as much
vines rs the broadcast. Where vines Is the
object a most any variety will answer, the
old-fashiOned COW or clay pea being one OF the
best. For this work, In mid-summrr, one has
to catch the seasons; start plough aftcra rain
az soon as practicable, and drop peas In every
third or fourth furrOw when one intends 70
drill break ing land and planting seed will
thus go on together. Our experience Is that
peas must not he planted deep tn come up
well; and narrow scootcrS are The best 0rdln;l-
ry plows for This work. Probably deep cut
ting harrow, like the disc, with a seeding at
tachment, might bc made to do this work
very rapidly on ground not too hard. Let lis
always keep an eye out for means OF accom-
plishing work rapidly; economy dcnhnds it,
and the rapid drying of the soil In summer
makes it q very great necessity. Time under
such circumstances is most valuable; an op-
portunity lost may never be recovered.
But let us 90 back to the Gu tivution OF crops.
Much OF the corn receives Is last working
this month. Let this be thorough, In the
sense Of stirring every inch OF the surface,
but let II he only the surface. Deep plowing
of corn after Jointing fairly begins, is un;
dOubtcdly injurious. Sometimes mcrcitul
rainfall in part wards off the damage, but on
ly in part; 1t cannot wholly counteract me
hurt; the hcel-scrape is the best single plow
for laying by corn properly set 1T leaves the
surface approximately level. \ wheel culti'
rator may be gaugcd to run shallow enough,
and will then answer very well. If the crop
has been judiciously cultivated up 10 this
time no hoe work will be required; If need
cd, however, give 1t. Let the land he lell per
fectly clean unless it is decided To SOW peas in
the corn, ln old und excellent practice. Peas
will interfere less with the corn than grass or
weeds, and the latter arc sure 10 como sooner
or later. But If the corn Is laid by pcriectiy
clean ii will be pretty thoroughly matured be-
fore grass and weed can get much fo0t-hold'
Last year We sOwcd sofa beans, or Japan peas,
as they used TO DC called, in bottom corn on
the 18th of July, and they matured before
r, Il 40
not run, it docs not Interfere with fodder pull
| ing. .., 49,,
especially during he first half OF the mouth, u
\ steady and rapid growth is now desirable 10
lay the foundation for frniting next inonlh
Get good weed by the first of August and thcn
let the plant take on fruit: frequent cilltiyit-
ton prOEloirs rapid growth; keep he ploughs
therefore, constantly moving. let no crust
! form, let 10 grass get Il fDot-holti, set heei
scrlpc run very shallow, and fiat; Keep thch>
sharp su as to cut of Mayp0pS, brlerS, etc.
Get only those scrapcs That arc bent in the
middle, so a, 10 form u cu1r tu tit on the ploW
foot and ALLOW the wings To run HAT. A mar
row bar Of steel simply bent in Il curve, VIII
Il hole In the middle to receive the neei pol
Is wholly unfit for the work now i'll hand; II
! throws too much dirt, and leaves DvdS LOG
| high for billy land. 1t may suit very well iol
! the lcv"l, SANDY lands toward the coast. lut
the scrapr on the back of the plow i0ot, not III
front Of it, as long as the cpttun VIII bear II
f, without having its limbs or boilS broken OH
run two furrUws to c;lclI ro". y twenty inrI
Scr;le VIII clean out middle thoroughly
with two furrowS. Later in the season Il WIZ
cr one may he run once in each middle. j
hoe work has been properly done up TO TINS
time little more OF 1t Will bc needed but Il bad
IL work ell crop ut the start VIII call lor Il Srca
deal of work at The END.
! On former occasions we have pointcd 0u1
! the beneficial results from frequent surlac(
STRINGS of the soil ; we briefly recall them
again. \ thin layer of pulvcriZcd soil is ono
! ~, N
only one practicable on Il large scale, 1t pre-
vents tue escape Of moisture, dries of rapidly
itself after being stirred, but elicclua;ly cuts
| through itself into the air. Deep stirring nI
! tho soil makes it dry Off rapidly. Hence tho
practice Cf plDwing bottom lands in the spring
10 get them dry enough to plant, Molstnr.
! from below cunnot ascend rapidly through
( puvrriZcu earth whilst the free circulation ol
air in such earth causes the water In 1t to &c
Off into the atmosphere very T'pia,
: ly, with Il thin layer OF pulrcrizcd SOIL at tho
surface, the moisture supply comes UP IRON
below al the roots OF plants, those near tho
surface as well as those deeper down.
| y surface layer of pulvcrlzed eHrth not only
serves as cOnScrralor or moisture III IIiiles
! Of drought but prevents the soil below 1rOlr
/ hrcoming excessively heated 1t Keeps out tht
heal, as n wall filled with sawdust excludes II
! from an ice house; the mode of action Is ln'
same in both. Excessive heating Of tile sol
! Is not only injurious to the roofs or plants
! but Il high temperature cvaporatcs the moist
/ urc In il rapidly. Any excess OF tempefaturt
above that which plants need Is uou1ly ii1ur,
0us To them, directly by impairlnS their vital
! lty, and Indirectly by dcpriving them OF need
eli moisture. One need never fear krcpin1
! the soil too cool in July and there is equally
! litllc danger of its being too wet.
/ The last beneficial result from stirring tn(
! surface which vii! br mentioned now, In tht
admission OF air into the soil. The presence
Of air Is Indispensable TO the health OF rool'
and their proper working. Plants langui>h IL
" wpt
their roots. y tight, hard crust at inc surface
StlOcS the same thing TO considerable degree
. In addition 10 promoting the health ana pro
per work ing of roots, the presence Of air II
: the soil IS essential to nitrllica:ioD, the pro
cess by which the unavallthlc nitrogen oi tht
soil IS changed into that which is avalabIe
: Also 10 those changes in the minerals IN th'
foil hy which their valuable contents are
! brought within the reach of plants. From
very many points of view. therefore. irequcn
surface STRINGS Of the soil are shown TO b'
benetcaI TO S;y nothins of ro,rn the 6I.inE Ecr,
. The plUwS moving with all diligence,
| IN addition to peas. already considered Il
n humus supplying crop, late forage crops o.
cd corn may still be sowm. Taking it all il
all, this is perhaps the best forage crop W.
! have. The later sowingS OF II should nol u
altogether us thick as the carrier, as the coo
weather Of autumn is not so favorable fOr ma
turing and developing starch and sugar as th'
| warm weather OF Inid.summcr; the lat'
grown plants should have more light ana AR
Make drills at least three feet APART ana SOW
seed so that there shall be a stalk every fuul
10 six inches In the row. Cultivate wei ahI
cut when ears begin tn form Corn does mo-
dcvclup its full nutrtivc value before tll;lt pc
/ riul, From desire to miniIy The Stalk, tnt
| mjSinkris made sometimes Of sowing toe
+ thickly and the result is imperfect develop
ment and forage not rtlished hy stock DtGiuS:
it is not really nutritious. All have uouolie's
/ noticed that stock urc not fond uG young corn
,In,, TNri N II