The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1886-09-15
THOUGHTS FOR TIE MONTH.
SOME SEhSONABLE SUGGESTIONS FROM
HIGH AUTHORITY.

Whnt Work the Good Farmers Should DO IN
the Month OF scptcmber--tn Interesting Aril.
Gle From an Intelligent Writer.
(W l.. Jones in the ,ptenlbcr "Cultivaror.'O
We have discussed, in former num-
bors, preparation for all crops. The time
has come for planting them. September
is the natural and best seeding time for
grasses, clover, luccrn, oats, rye and
barley. We say natural seeding time,
because the seeds of the various plants
enumerated arc maturcd in the summer
when it is hot and dry, and even if the
heads arc shattered and the seed scatter
cd on the ground, the latter do not find
proper conditions for terminating till
the later rains set in and cool NIGHTS
and heavy dcws prevail The earlier in
the month these conditions arc present
the better it is, because ample time is
furnished the young plants to establish
themselves well and firmly in tic soil
before the freezes of winter. In q wild
or uncultivatcd state these plants begin
their growth at time indicated; this is
natures appointment, therefore, and is
best suited to the wants of the plants.
In northern attitudes, where hardest
frcczcs prevail, snow protects the young
plants during winter; i'll the South long
or and stronger autumn growth must
take the place of the snow covering.
AS winter grasses abound more in
northern than i'll southern attitudes, the
conclusion seemed natural that the heat
OF southern climates was prcjudicial to
these plants; and one step further in the
same direction seemed reasonable, to
wit, that they needed shade III the
South. Hence the practice of seeding
grass and clover with small grains to get
the benefit of their shade. Doubtless
some shade is desirable during periods
of intense heat and drought, but can it
be procured i'll the manner spoken of,
without incurring other injury greater
than the good received when grass is
sown with grain? Our observation is
that moro is lost than gained. In the
first place the protecting shade is taken
away just when most needed; grain is
harvested i'll June and July when the
greatest heat and scvcrcst droughts pre-
vail. Plants accustomed to partial shade
arc then suddenly exposed to intcnscst
heat. But this is not ALL In the case of
grasses proper, the grain crops make de-
mand upon the soil for exactly the same
food the grasses need. Being larger and
more vigorous at the start, the former
ovcr-mastcr the grass at the beginning
and get the lions share of the food. At
harvest, therefore, the grass is suddenly
exposed to the iicrccst rays of the sun
when 1t Is comparatively starved and
weak from the unequal struggle. On
exceedingly rich soils where there is
ample food for both, this objection does
not hold SO strongly, but such soils arc
not generally found. This difficulty may
in part be obyiatcd by top-dressings in
the spring. But where land is so abund-
ant, amply enough for every crop
farmer could wish to cultivate, as n rule,
it is better to SOW the grasses by them
selves and not in conjunction with grain
crops. This gives them an opportunity
OF getting strong during the early stages
of growth, when they are naturally weak,
and puts them on vantage ground when
the struggle with heat and drought be-
gins. These remarks apply with greater
force to the annual winter grasses and
clovcrs which complete their growth in
carly spring. These of necessity must
be sown by themselves, or with some
crop which follows after thcm but does
not grow simultaneously with them.
we cannot urge too frequently upon
beginners the Importance of heavy seed
ing; be sure to SOW enough for the
plants to occupy all Of the land-lcave
no place for intruders. Sow enough to
al 70 1,f IL I
seed, and for the dying out of weak
plants After one has taken all the
trouble of thorough preparation and
heavy manuring such as grass requires
it Is folly to fail from insufficient seed
ing.
Very light covering OF the seed is of
the first Importance; deep covering will
certainly bring failure. But when light
ly covered, seeds will not gcrminatc well
if the weather is dry, unless they are
firmly pressed into the soil. Hence the
Importance of the roller. 1t is almost
indispensable in grass culture; it smooths
and levels ihe ground for the mower,
presses small rocks below the surface,
hastens the termination of seeds, and
imparts vigor to tie young plants.
Heavy, impacting rains may do some of
the work of the roller, but in their ab
scncc the surface soil is too loose and too
easily dried off TOR the little plant to cs-
tablish itself in it. Remember that Mt
first its roots start at or very near the
surface. 1t is not in the situation of a
plant springing from seed buried two
or three inches below the surface.
The oat crop has been so oftan, winter
kilied OF late that many are discouraged
and disposed to abandon the PRACTICE of
fal.sowing. We confess that' recent OK
But in Wow of tho great value of the
crop, when it does succeed we arc 10th
to abandon it. We havG saith in the
possibility of Developing by proper SC.
ilection and cultivation a winter oat capa-
bic OF resisting extreme cold. What is
known in Middle Georgia Gs "winter
grazing oat' does certainly resist cold
better than other varieties. In this
locality, tho past winter, the mercury
descended to zero and the cold was long
continued and ypt q e,no1 1ool oG tl,;O