The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1886-06-10


man cannot stand natural competition /;
they would be destroyed by worthless
competitors but for his timely interfer-
cnco and aid. Mr.. Lawcs left crop of
wheat unharvested to see if the plant
could rcsccd and perpetuate itself with
out assistance. 1t failed utterly; in one
year wheat would become extinct but for
the intervention of man. Under like treat
ment the turnip lost its bulb and formed
only long, contracted taproot, as it
docs i'll its wild state. On the other
hand, wheat on carefully prepared land,
Kept perfectly clean so as to remove all
competition, made an average Yield of
l3 bushels per acre for thirty years with
out manure; highly manured, under the
same conditions otherwise, the average
yield per acre for thirty years was 3G
bushels per acre. With cultivation and
without manure, 13 bushels per acre;
with cultivation and manure, 36 bushels
pcracrc; without cultivation and manure,
nothing. There is q lesson for us.
Every one with the slightest farming
experience appreciates the importance of
lighting crab grass, bnt the fight is often
made too late, and after irreparable mis-
chief has been done. Plants never fully
recover their vigor after this grass has
once matted itself about them. Bv all
means kill it before it has had time to
rob the crop of its plant-food; when the
seed have we'll sproutcd or have lust
come up is the time to destroy it. The
only safe rule, therefore, is to run the
ploWS or cllltlvatOrs ut short Intervals
say once week. Later in the season
such frequent workings will not be de-
manded; but during tho month of June,
never stop the plows; rs soon as the crop
is gone over, go right over again. Espc-
clally is this demanded by cotton. Give
1t every advantage now. Let it make
weed and be ready to take on fruit.
Growing and fmiting arc somewhat
antaSonistic. Encourage the growing
now by frequent workings, and let it
give place to fruiting later III the season.
Constant stirring Of the soil is the best
growth-prOmotcr. But, says one, growth
IS naturally excessive on my lands; my
cotton makes too much weed and does
not mature its fruit Perhaps on sucl
soils it might be well to work the crop al
longer intcrvals-only so often as may
be needed to keep down grass 1t seems
TO be pretty well established that com.
mon salt tends to check an ovcrprowth
of straw in small grains; it may possibly
have similar effect on tho production
Of excessive weed III cotton. The mat
ter is worthy Of experimental trial. MI.
Dickson, whose intentions were very re-
markablc, and whose insight into manur-
ing was very extraordinary, always put
salt in his compound.
But rapid tillage not only promotes
immediate growth, it contributes also to
trmtlng by increasing the supply of
plant-food in the soil. We have repeat
cdly called attention to the necessity of
air in the soil for nitrifcation to 90 on.
Nltrlfication increases the supply of
available nitrogen in the soil; plowine
opens the soil, admits the air, and thus
promotes nitriiication. Not only SO, the
admission OF air generates carbonic acid
IN the soil, and carbonic acid is the great
solvent of mineral plant-food also. The
saying, therefore, that "tillagG is ma
nurc" has considerable foundation to
rest on. 1t certainly unloclls the store
houses Of nature. Well. worked croDS
seldom fail to yield fairly, however adj
verse the seasons may be. Let it De
borne III mind also, that light, surface
cultivation is the great conScrvator of
moisture iii the soil, and one of the best
antidotcs to drought. a deeply broken,
humuS abOnding soil, with thin LAYER
Of pulvcrizcd earth upon its surface, is
almost proof against drought.
What arc the best implements for this
light summer cultivation? The Dickson
sweep fifteen OF twenty years ago WIS
esteemed the best. 1t certainly was a
great Improvement over the shovel, both
as regards quantity and quality Of work.
Mr.. Dickson insisted that they should
be heavy, to keep them steady to their
work. The long extended cutting edge
caused them to strike moro distractions
and rendered it difficult to hold them
steadily to their place. This is II great
defect of the sweep. On the other hand.
this lcng cutting edge makes it almost
impossible for may-pop or brior to
escape. This is decidedly in it's favor
or late years the heolscrapc has LARGELY
supplantcd the sweep on. account of it's
greater simplicity and less cost. It does
about the same kind of work-somo
think better work. Both sweep and
scrapc will make beds, unless their WINGS
are carefully set, this is decided objcc-
ton to them in hilly land, liable to wash.
\ oultiyator, with wheel to regulate thc
depth Of the plow, is in somo RESPECTS
preferable to either sweep or scrapc. 1t
is not SO easily thrown out of position by
distinctions, and docs not work the land
up into beds. Probably combination
of the two, following each other at
alternate workings, would bo better than
either alone, A cultiyator will run too
deep for light summer work, unless the
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