The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1886-06-09
THOUGHTS FOR THE MONTH.
sGsIE sEAsONtBLE SUGGESTIONS FROM
HIGH AUTHORITY.

Wha; Work the Good Farmers Should DO in
the Month of June--in Interesting Article
From an Intelligent Writer.
wv I. Jones in the June "Cultiva;or.D
The cultivation Of summer crops now
absorbs attention. The plants valued by
man cannot stand natural competitions;
they would be destroyed by worthless
competitors but for his timely interfer-
ence and aid. Mr. Lawcs left a crop OF
wheat unharvcstcd to see if the plant
could reseed and perpetuate itself with
out assistance It failed utterly; IN one
year wheat would become extinct but for
the intervention of man. Under Like treat
ment the trunip lost it's bulb and formed
only long, contracted taproot, as it
does in 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 36
bushels per acre. With cultivation and
without manure, l3 bushels per acre;
with cultivation and manure, 36 bushels
peracre; without cultivation and manure,
nothing. There is lesson for us.
Every one with the slightest farming
experience appreciates the importance OF
fighting crab grass, but 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. By all
means kill it before it has had time to
rob the crop of its plant-food; when the
seed have well sprouted or have just
come up is the time to destroy it. The
only safe rule, therefore, is to run the
plows or cultivators at short intervals
say once week. Later in the season
such frequent workings will not be de-
manded; but during the month of June,
never stop the plows; as soon as the crop
is gone over, go right over again. Espe-
cially is this demanded by cotton. Give
it every advantage now. Let it make
weed and be ready to take on fruit.
Growing and fruiting are somewhat
antagonistic. Encourage the growing
now by frequent workings, and let ii
give place to frrliting later in the season
Constant stirring of the soil is the best
growth-promoter. But, says one, growth
is naturally excessive on my lands; my
cotton makes too much weed and does
not mature its fruit Perhaps on such
soils it might be well to work the crop al
longer intervals-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 overgTowtt
of straw in small grains; it may possibly
have similar effect on the production
of excessive weed in cotton. The mat
ter is worthy OF experimental trial. Mr.
Dickson, whose intentions were very re
markable, and whose insight into manur
ing was very extraordinary, always put
salt in his compound.
But rapid tillagc not only promotes
| immediate growth. it contributes also tC
fruiting by increasing the supply ot
plant-food in the soil. We have repeat
edly called attention to the necessity ot
air in the soil for nitrifcation to go on
Nitritication increases the supply Of
available nitrogen in the soil; plowlne
opens the soil, admits the air, and thus
promotes nitrifcation. Not only so, the
admission of air generates carbonic aclo
in the soil, and carbonic acid is the great
solvent of mineral plant-food also. The
saying, therefore, that ''tillage is ma
nue" has considerable foundation tc
rest on. It certainly unlocks the store
houses of nature. Well worked crops
seldom fail to yield fairly, however ad
verse the seasons may be. Let it be
borne in mind also, that light, surface
cultivation is the great consevator o!
moisture in the soil, and one Of the best
antidotes to drought. A deeply broken
lumus abounding soil, with thin layel
Of pulverized earth upon its surface, i:
almost proof against drought.
What are the best implements for thi:
light summer cultivation? The Dickson
sweep fifteen or twenty years ago Wa
esteemed the best 1t certainly was
great Improvement over the shovel, boil
as regards quantity and quality Of work
Mr.. Dickson insisted that they should
be heavy, to keep them steady to thei,
work. The long extended cutting edge
caused them to strike more obstruction:
and rendered it difficult to hold hen
steadily to their place. This is grea
defect of the sweep. On the other hand
this long cutting edge makes it almos
impossible for a may-pop or brer tt
escape. This is decidedly in its favor
OF late years the heelscrape has largel.
srpplanted the sweep on account Of it
greater simplicity and less cost. 1t doe
about the same kind OF work-som'
think better work. Both sweep ant
scrape will make beds, unless their wing
are carefully set, this is a decided objec
ton to them in hilly land, liable to wash
4 o,,l+i1-o+o,, with yvhnel 70 rno711atn th,