The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1886-10-01
Farm TOPICS FOR THE MONTH.
SEPTEMBER,

sn"S so eSSeucc ot oratory was action !
action! action y!
1.-THE great Greek orator had lived ia
our day and time, and followed the avooa-
ton of the South Caroliua farmer, his
oratorieal motto would have been yery
apropos to all agricultural interest. 3 IF a
cottontot docs not stand in need of action,
and agfeat deal Of it, from the 1st day, of
Januafy until the 3lst day of December;
then qqr experieuce aad observations have
been 1afy much atfaas. -, A few yisysloss
In the carly season means late preparation !;
precious timo idled now and then, later
on, will show up late planting; and as
the shadows grow shorter, a little more
folding of the hands aud O little more
slumber means grass, bad and unwise cul-
tivation, great reduction in the average of
the crop we should have made, and thus
has come much of our agricultural pov-
erty, as we'll as this heritage of "hard
times"
The crop of 1886 is about made. The
older planters tell US that no bloom
that comes after tho 10th of Sep
tember will make white cotton but since
the days OF guano we have seen blooms Of
the 21st of this month make white cotton.
BY the way, will tho Hon. Commissioner
aud some of your correspondents tell I'd
what is the largest number of fresh blooms
they have noticed on stalk of cotton in
one day? While this is not matter of
much Importance, yet We may learn from
this fact in how short a time the cotton
plant, under high state of cultivation,
can and may make crop. We noticed a
stalk on the 10Th of August that had
twelve whito blooms, on Goth it had seven,
on the 2lst eisht-twenty-sev blooms in
three days. On average cotton this, by
itself, would bo fine crop, but it was on
cotton that will make something over two
thousand pounds of seed cotton per acre.
We did not think of it at the time or we
should have noticed for blooms on cotton
more on the average Of our genaral crop.
September is the &rst harvest month for
.v1s Fan 'crors.f Most of the forage
70 are already housed. Fodder and
.-sY Yare saved, and pea.vinc hay is abou,
theRply long forage crop that will require
attestion. If you can spare the vines, by
all means leave them on the ground; picL
over for the purpose of saving an ample
supply of seed; allow your stock to run
over aud CLEAN tho field, tramping the
vines and dead leaves into the soil. Neve,
turn under pea vines without you intend
sowing small grain leave alone until YOU
are ready for your Spring preparation for
cotton or corn. Experience and close OBJ
servation have taught US that it is worse
than time thrown away to turn under pea
vines for anything but grain crop, but
We much prefer to always follow this crop
by cotton or corn.
COTTON PICKING.
In the middle and lower section of the
State picking has pretty generally COM
menced. 1t will be the 1st of October be-
fore this is the case in the upper section
as the crop is unusually late. Pick clean
and as rapidly as possible; gin as fast a.
convenient; sell at your nearest market
and stop interest at once. There are seye
ral fallacies regarding this crop that arc
fast dying out. One is that you must
bulk your cotton until it may heat little
the oil will pass into the lint-.and yor
will gain much in weight. The fact is
about all you will gain will be damaged
lot Of lint and seed. Another is that mid
die men and spectators have combined
against the farmer to get the cotton Gro,
out Of his hands and then put the pric,
up. What is the average actual result
Cotton held for six months at heavy ex
pense loss of weight at from ten to twenty
five pounds per bale, and finally sold for
the same or less price than could have
been obtained iu the early Fall. Twent,
years experience has taught us to picL
clean and handle with care gin and pacl
nice and trinity keep out of the weather
sell as soon as you can get to the scales, il
you have any fair home market.
CORN.
Before the next Report appears we viii
DO in tho midst of cribbing corn. As
soon as it is dry, by all means gather, and
don't leave it temptation to both mar
and beast. We prefer putting up in the
shuck, and as very few baskets are turned
in sprinkle handful Of dry salt; il will
keep out weevil, and you will hardly evel
find shick or cob in your trough.
SWEET POTATOES.