The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1886-05-20

will not crowd III d dwarf each other are
| the main disideraa. This, it strikes us,
the harrow will do better than anything
else. After the harrow has done its
work, then probably chopper might be
used advantageously. The bringing to
a final stand will probably always re
quire some hand labor, but, aside from
this, cotton cultivation ought to be done
exclusively by machines. We have no
doubt the proper implements for the
purpose will be forthcoming in due
time. Machine-made cotton alone in
this country can compete with that raised
by cheap labor in India and elsewhere.
1t is of the first importance that the
early workings of crops should be re-
peated at short intervals, and thorough
ly done. Now is the time to kill grass
with least labor. If allowed to get a
sJrong foothold, it will take three times
as much work to kill it next month as is
required to do it now, to say nothing of
the injury done by robbing the crop of
food, and the bruising and disturbing of
the plants in getting the strongly rooted
grass away from them. At least once in
ten days the harows or plows should
pass over, and whatever hoe work is
needed be given without hesitation or
delay. If the ground happens to be
dry, don't be deceived into the belief
that the crop is clean because the young
grass is covered with dust and is not
plainly visible. We have seen many n
crop ruined by carclessness just at this
point. a dry May checks the growth of
grass and lulls the farmer into fancicd
security. A wet June follows, the grass
springs up like magic and he never
catches up with it again
If the harrow has been properly used
III the corn field, that crop will now be
perfectly clean and so far advanced that
there will be no further difficulty in
covering up young grass or weeds even
with scrapc. We know from repeated
trials, even on bottom lands that are so
liable to become foul, that n corn crop
may be made with the plow alone. 1t
can be done even with ordinary, old
time plows; start before grass makes
hcadway; with a turning shovel begin in
the centre Of the middle and bed up, the
wing being turned away from the corn.
The last furrow, when n middle is com
pletcd, will side the corn very closely
and throw just enough dirt to cover up
young grass without covering the young
corn. The next working: with a short
and broad turning shovel, begin next to
corn with wing towards it, and throw
dirt moderately to the plants. These
two workings should be given before the
corn is ten inches high. After that the
scrapc will do all that is necessary.
Where corn is planted in the water-fur-
row, proper running of the scrape will
cover up all grass from the beginning to
the end.
The first Of May is the best time to
SOW the first crops of forage corn, sor-
ghums and millet. Supposing the land
to have been broken some time ago, it
should have received two broadcast har-
rowlngs to keep the surface clean and
mellow. This is especially necessary for
all of the sorghllms, because the plants
are small at first and grow off quite slow
ly Hence early working with the plow
is difficult and not satisfactory if the
land is grassy. These crops can't bear
the expense of hoe work; therefore the
necessity for having the land in finest
order ut planting time Lay off rows
three feet apart; drill the seed of sor-
ghums rather thinly and cover lightly
with board. For fodder corn proceed
i'll like manner, but put in from two to
two and half bushels Of seed per acre.
AS soon as the plants are up, and will
| bear it, side with scrape, set to run very
flat; two or three plowings will suffice,
and If the land was i'll proper condition
at the time of planting, no hoeing will
be called for. German millet may be
sown broadcast if the land has been well
prepared and is in fine tilth; n half
Dushel OF seed per acre is sufficient. Sue
cesslVe paintings Of above crops every
two or three weeks to the first of AUGUST
Will enable farmer to feed his stock all
through the summer on green forage
more cheaply than on anything else, and
with great benefit to their health Cnt
ana partly cure-say exposed to sun and
|
air for one day-before feeding; this will
reduce the water in them and render
them less laxative, Any disposition to
scour may be prevented by mixed
ration of dry and green forage; perhaps
this is preferable from every point of
view. Cheap stock feed is like cheap
coal for an engine it reduces the cost of
production of everything raised on the
farm; and we must bear in mind that
money saved is equivalent to money
made. If one can reduce the cost of
producing cotton cent a pound, it is the
same to him as if he sold for one cent
more per pound, An abundance Of cheap
forage makes less grain necessary. When
not at work, stock may be kept with lit
tie or no grain if fed full rations Of good
forage. If you have prepared for a
large crop of cotton, cut it down and
plant n portion of the cotton land in
these forage crops, they Will pay you
better than cotton.
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