The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1886-07-22
THOUGHTS FOR TIE MONTH";.
SOME sEASONABLE SUGGESTIONS FROM
HIGH AUTHORITY.


Summer crops still require diligent
cultivation. Drought and heat are to be
fought as best we may, grass and weeds
arc to be kept down, and ti,a formation
in the soil of available plant food to DC
promoted to the fullest extent. One OF
tho greatest antidotcs against drought Is
IN abundance of humus in the soil. a
farmer cannot stop now to supply this
in field where there is q growing crop;
it must be looked after in his general
plans, embracing proper rotations, and
resting of land, or during winter, when
leaves, pine and other straw may be
hauled out and scattered upon it. But
good growth of peavines supplies first
quality humus for old land and peas may
be planted for such purpose during this
and next month. If seed arc plenty,
they may be broadcast ut the rate of one
and half bushels per acre; if seed are
scarce, plant in drills two and half to
three feet apart, either sowing peas thin
y
hills fifteen inches apart Cultivation
will induce so much moro vigorous
growth that the drilled peas will make
about as much vines rs the broadcast.
Where vines is the object almost any
variety will answer, the old-fashioncd
COW or clay pea being one of the best.
For this work, i'll midsummer, one has
= to catch the seasons; start plough after
II IN as soon aS practicable, and drop
peas Ill every third or fourth furrow
when ono intends to drill breaking land
and planting seed will thus go on to-
ScthCr. Our experience is that peas
must not be planted deep to como up
well; and marrow ScOotrrS arc the best
ordinary plows for this work. Probably
deep cutting harrow, like thc disc, with
n seeding attachment, might be made to
do this work very rapidly on ground not
too hard. Let us always keep an eye
out for means Of accomplishing work
rapidly; economy demands it, and the
rapid drying OF the soil in summer makes
it Il very great necessity. Time under
such circumstances is most valuable: an
opportu .ity lost may never be recovered.
But let us go back to the cultivation
of crops. Much of the corn receives its
last working this month. Let this be
thorough, in the sense Of stirring every
inch Of the surface, but let it be only the
surface. Deep plowin9 of corn after
lointlng fairly begins, is undoubtedly
injurious. Sometimes n InCrcifUl rain
fall in part wards off the damage, but only
in part; it cannot wholly countcract the
hurt; the hecl-scrapc is the best single
plow for laying by corn; properly set it
leaves the surface approximately lcvc,.
a wheel cultiyator may be gauged to run
shallow enough, and will then answer
very well. If the crop has been iudici-
ously cultivated up to this time, no hoe
work will be required; if needed, how
ever, give it. Let the land be left pcr-
fectly clean unless it is decided to SOW
peas the cOrn-an Old and excellent
practice. Peas will interfere less with
tho corn than grass Or weeds, and the
latter are sure to come sooner or later
But If the corn is laid by perfectly clean
1T will be pretty thoroughly maturcd be
fore grass and weeds can get much foot
hold. Last year we sowcd SOFA beans,
or Jnpan peas, as they used to be called,
i'll bottom corn on the 10th of July, and
they matured before frost and made an
excellent crop. AS it does not run, it
does not interfere with fodder pulling.
Cotton needs rapid surface cultivation
also, especially during the first half of
the month. a steady and rapid growth
is now desirable to lay the foundation
for frulting next month. Get good weed
by the first Of August and then let thc
plant take on fruit; frequent cultivation
promotes rapid growth; keep the ploughs
therefore constantly moving, let no crust
form, let no grass get n foot-hold, let
heel-scrape run very shallow and flat;
keep them sharp so rs to cut off MAY
pops, bricrs, etc. Get only those scrancs
that are bent i'll the middle SO as to form
a cuff to fit on the plOw-foot, and allow
the wings to run flat a narrow bar OF
steel simply bent III curve, with hole
in the middle to receive the heel bolt,
is wholly unfit for the work now in
hand; it throws too much dirt, and
leaves beds too high for hilly land. II
lands toward the coast. Put the scrapc
on the back Of the plow f. OF, not in
front of it, as long us the cotton will
bear it without hayil its limbs or bolls
broken off; run two burrows to each row
a twcnty-inch scrapc will clean out 4
middle thoroughly with two furrows
Later in the season Il wider one may be
run once i'll each middle. If hoe worl
'A''c 'S|'t p''lSiiD 't'llS "l w blllo tllllI
little moro of it will be needed, but
badly worked crop ut the start will cal
Tor great deal of work at the end.
On former occasions we have pointed
out the beneficial results from frcQucn
surface STRINGS of the soil; we briefly
recall them again. A thin layer of pui
vor1zed soil is one Of the very bcs
m,llches to be had It is the only on,
Prlctlc"blo on large scale. It prevent
th escape of moisture, dries Off rnpidl
'tset t after st being stirred, but effectualli
cuts on the ascent Of moisture from he
Meath through itself into the mir, Dee,
stirring Of the soil makes IL drv oi
rapidly. Hence the practice Of nl9win'
bottoms lands in the spring to edt t,oTm' thnp'
dry enough to plant. Moisture f., ~ ','In In
low cannot ascend rapidly throug1, - nmI ~I
Yerizcd earth whilst the free cir'mlofio Rn,
of air in such earth causes the waS"r W., !,
it to go off into the atmosphere Won, -
rapidly, with thin layer of puiyer: %;
soil at the surface, the moisture sun1r,,
comes up from below all the roots :;
plants, those near the surface as well n
fhcon Ioo,,o,, ,1D,,v, ~