The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1886-10-13

ness.
N sections where grains and grasse:
constitute the prevailing crops these
difficulties do not confront farmers. We
scarcely ever see an allusion to the wash
inG away cf soils in Northern or Western
agricultural journals. At the South, the
trouble lies at the door of cotton and
to5acco-lard-destroying, labor-demand,
ing crorS-how they have cursed and
how they still curse our agriculture
Strange paradoxes; where the labor
problem is most difficult and embarrass-
inc, we raise crops which call for most
labor; where summer droughts are most
disastrous, We rely chiefly on summer
crops; where winter rains are most
copious and destructive, we keep our
! lands bare through the winter that they
may be washed away and their fertility
destroyed by teaching; in climate ad-
mitting the greatest variety OF produc-
ton, our crops are few in number and
we are buyers Of almost everything,
when We ought to purchase almost moth
ing.
Recently we have taken advantage OF
the comparative leisure on the farm to
90 something towards stopping washes.
In many places We found little washes
started on the upper side OF bitches. Our
practice for some years has been to leave
an unplowed strip three or four feet
wide along the upper margin of bitches
| to stop washes and filter out the dirt
coming down from above. 1t works ad-
mirablJ, but sometimes, Notwithstanding
this prccaution, little washes have start
! ed. We had hand with a wagon load
of leaves follow each ditch on stubble
land and throw leaves IN each wash, and
wlere rocks were convenient, put some
of them at lower end of wash to hold the
leaves in place. In the absence OF rocks
few stobs may be driven across the
mouth. Leaves rot only catch and hold
dirt, but enrich the spot, and next year
grass and weeds viii spring up in the
wash and filter out the dirt passing
through them. A very little work Of
this kind every summer Will keep farm
in excellent condition. It should be
done in summer or autumn SO as to be
, ready for the winter rains; not IN spr1pg
after those rains have done their de-
structive work.
We have also been constructing some
barricades across branch bottom, hay
ing considerable fall, to prevent the
securing effects of heavy freshets. The
narrowest points between converging
hills We're selected for their sites. At
one point where wagon road was de-
sired broad dam OF rocks was built
across from two points Of equal altitude
on each side Of the branch and a high
bridge butt across the latter. At other
points two rows OF stakes, some three
feet apart, were firmly driven in the
ground, and the space between them
filed with brush and logs. Our purpose
is, next spring, to drive willow stobs
along the line Of these barrlcades, and
let them grow UP to trees, and thus form
f! living and permanent barricades to catch
and hold trash and dirt. Work of this
kind must be well done; the power OF
water is very great, and unless the stakes
are strong and driven deeply in the
ground, the whole is liable to be swept
away. 1t is well to have small crow
bar and prepare deep holes to receive
the stakes, which is easily done By job
bing the bar down, shakingit backwards
and forwards, and repeating this a few
times. In connection with this matter
OF preserving the soil, we venture to re-
peat suggestion made in the Cultivator
several years ago: That fields be laid OF
in strips (horizontaD from twenty to
fifty yards in width, and these alternate
ly sown down and cultivated. Washes
started in cultivated strip would be
promptly arrested by the uncultivated
strip below it. a vast deal could be ac-
conpished by this simple arrangement
toward the preservation of the soil, and
now that the pasturing of grain fields is
being largely abandoned, there is no OBJ
lection to adopting it. We cannot too
often or too emphatically stress the
point, that clean culture is the main
cause Of the red, quilted hills south Of
the Potomac.
VIII our readers pardon US for again
urging the great importance of seeding
down our bare fields? If they have nc
faith in their ability to raise grass, Oh
have no special use for that crop, they
can SOW rye, and it is not yet too late *
do that. On average land and for the
purpose now in view, a half bushel O.
seed to the acre will suffice, and The
small outlay will be returned manifold
in the Improvement of the land. Witt
peas as summer renovating crop, ant
rye as winter one, We have the best G
facilities for bringing up our worn ant
wasted soils.
Towards the last Of the month whea
sowing viii be in order in the northern
sections OF the cotton belt It is well K
realize the fact that our climate is no
the best for wheat, and that it shoul(
not therefore be made leading crop
But while this is true, by iudicious Sc
lection of varieties, and of suitable soils
with proper preparation and manuring
enough wheat for home supply can b
, raised. First as to varieties. We mus
discard the handsome but tender whit
wheats, and take those Of the MeGite1
ranean type-red, bearded kinds, whicl
, seem at home in warm climates. Th
good housewife viii have to yield lii
tie on the score Of white -four; it will b
! none the less nutritious or palatable. /
the next place, the highest and dryes
knobs and knobs should be selected
, No matter If poor; make up for that b
manure. There IS very little land ric
: enough to bring wheat without manur
q anyway. II it has been sown in peas, S
= much the better; there is no better GRO