The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1886-05-20

clover make a better quality of hay if
cut rather early; the quantity, however,
will be rather less. When a fourth of
the heads turn brown lis probably the
best time to cut clover; when in full
bloom the time to cut grass AS soon as
the mown clover begins new growth
topdress it with hundred pounds of
plaster to the acre
Every one who raises hogs ought to
plant largely of the ST. Domingo type Of
sweet potatoes for fattening them in the
fall. Considering quantity and quality,
we know OF no other food so easily and
cheaply raised for the purpose. If the
potato and corn are dried at the temper
ature OF boiling water, three bushels of
potatoes will contain as much dry matter
as one of corn; not as much fat or
albumlnous matter i'll proportion as corn
but more of the starch group than corn.
Peas would make up The deficiency in
the potato admirably; the two would fit
we'll together and make an almost per
feet ration for fattcning hogs. Have a
potato and pea patch in the same en-
closure, so that the hogs may eat of each
at will, and you have the foundation for
cheap pork. If the Spanish ground pea
succeeds as well generally as it seems to
have done in some localities, it might
take the place of the COW pea, especially
on lands containing lime. Glover for
spring, Bermuda grass for summer, peas,
groundpeas and potatoes for fall and
early winter, make provision for nearly
the whole year. Let us strike for indc
pendcnce in this and every other depart
ment of farming
Bear in mind that grain harvest will
soon be at hand and arrange work ahead
with reference to it. Get crops clean
and well worked now, so that they NAV
bear short neglect during harvest.
Some entcrprising man in every neigh
borhood ought to be encouraged to buy
reaper and cut all the grain just as
parties now do the threshing. In other
words, travelling reaper ought to be a
regular institution. Farmers can i'll spare
the time from their crops to harvest
grain, and Graders arc getting more cx-
acting and eXorbitant III their demands.
The practice is becoming quite general
to cut oats when the grain is in the
"dough," " and cure it like hay. Cut, and
allowed to take the sun day without
being tied up in bundles, it becomes
sufficiently cured to be tied up and
shocked in the usual manner. Or it may
be cured like hay and stored away in
bulk III stacks or barns It makes an
excellent feed.
Fall oats were quite generally killed
by the severe weather in January, but
where the land has not been plowcd
since, an occasional stalk of oats may be
found which has survived the cold. 1t
would be we'll to take care of these and
gather them carefully when ripe. Their
survival indicates hardness of consti-
tuition which will stand extreme cold
and very desirable strain of winter oats
might be propagated from them. The
matter IS worthy of trial With us the
mercury fell to zero; the red rust-proof
oats was entirely killed, with the very
limited exceptions noted above; the win
ter grazing oats was also very badly
killed, possibly II tenth escaping. If a
variety of oats that can stand the cold of
zero is not to be had, what grain can be
substituted for fall oats? Rye will stand
any degree of cold; can it be utilized as
stock feed when mature and ripe? Would
it be practicable to thresh and grind the
grain, and chatf the straw forage? Or
could barley be utilized in place of oats?
We think the latter is used largely as
stock feed in California-how is it man
aged? Can any one tell us?