The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1886-08-12

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81 the Month Of August An interesting Articl,
from'an Intelligent Writer. Il IA. 7.
wv L. Jones in the August "Cultivator.p
To one who is not q routine farmer,
nice questions are sometimes sprung,
t9is month touching the management
OIL e. cotton crop, n AS a rule ''layins
pyI IS completed by the last of July,
put should heavy, conpacting rains
1olloW close on the heel of tic last
ploWing, and hot dry weather sets in,
is 1t better toplow again or not, and
now late i'll the season may blowing be
adVahtagcously continued? No i'll
1leXlblo rule on these points can be
laid down-onc must decide ACCORDING
to circumstances. 1t the land is fresh,
or the soil filled with humus, so that il
is friable and loose, plowing may be
stopped earlier than where opposite
conditions prevail, If tho soil is dis
posed to run>together and bake, plow-
ing should continue as late rs it can be
without breaking of limbs and bols
loo badly. One furrow in each mid
die, using very wido scrapc and Il
very short singlet. &C, is all that is
needed ltjs hardly necessary to add
that the plow should run as Shallow
as possible, just deep enough to break
a single root. ... .. -.
Another circumstance to be consid-
cred is the state or condition of the
crop for the time bcing-if it has been
growing slowly and steadily up to the
time in question, q light blowing NAV
not accelerate growth SO much as to
induce shedding; but if growth has
been suspended by dry, hot weather
and cOpiOus rain-talls, there is danger
Of second growth setting in so rapid
ly rs to make the plant throw Off its
fruit. Flowing would accelerate the
second growth, and might do harm
instead of good. 1t would be well in
such case as to delay it awhile until
after the impulse given the plant by
the rains had somewhat expended
itself. If frequent rains continue, no
farther ploWin9 of course is advisable,
but if a 'good season" only occurs,
followed by dry weather, the plows
may be advantageously started, say q
week after the rain; for by that time
the effects ofthc rain will be well-niyh
over; and ploWing will only prolong
II steady continuous growth. Let il
be borne in mind that sudden start
ing or a sudden checking of growth
arc both very Objectionable after cotton
begins to fruit. Ono must consider,
therefore, the condition of his crop,
the character of his soil and the kind
of weather prevailing, and regulate
his course accordingly.
The "topping" OF cotton is another
point which comes up just now. If
dono 1T must be before the middle of
August, for the object Of topping is to
divert the forces Of the plant from
Matchmaking to truit-makinu, and
nttnr tho Iniflt1ln Of
only fifteen or twenty days in which
fruit that will mature before frost can
form: not many blooms after the first
Of September can ordinarily be count
cd on. If the plant has about ceased
growing, topping Of course can do no
good-it will simply be labor thrown
away. If, on the contrary, weed is
being rapidly formed, topping may do
some good by checking new growth
(Which now can add nothing to the
yield) and diVerting The forces of the
plant into fruit-making. At times we
have seen topping produce decidedly
good results-at other times none
whatever. Here, as everywhere
farming calls for keen, discriminating
Judgment 10 do what is best undCi
cvcr-varYing, shifting conditions dc.
mands intellect of tho highest order
and most thoroughly trained. In the
oldon time, when reliance was had
upon the natural fertility of the soil
removing competition by keeping
down weeds and grass was the Chief
business Of the farmer, and he who
could manage labor best and get tho
most work done was the most success.
full. Executive talent was the great
deSiderat~m. OF. course this will
nj 1n
farming, but now with worn, exhaust
ed soils, destitute of humus, running
together and baking after every rain
the feeding of plants, the prcscrva-
ton of soils from washing and the
securing of fine tilth, call for much
more thought. Agriculture now is q
very different thing from what it was
IN this country fifty years ago. 81 1t is a
much moro difficult. art--onc that
makes brains greatly paramount 10
mere labor. &-' ~. a. 81
In the olden, time foddcr,pulling was
Appointment feature in, the work OF
this month, more so than at, present,
partly because more corn was planted
than now, and partly because fodder
was the almost exclusive dependence
for long forage for horses and mules.
Other kinds of forage have supplantcd
it moro or less, but it still holds high
place in the estimation of Southern
farmers, Jand deserYedly so. Well
cured, it is very fine feed, but if mustv
it is cXecrable. Considering the risk
Of weather, it is better TO cut Off the
tops above the ears and cure them in
shocks. Tops can be cured success
fully in weather that fodder would
spoil in. For some years we have
adopted tho plan of going over the
corn and stripping all the blades
below the ear. These arc the first to
dry up and cal be taken off some days
i'll advance of cutting the tops. Some
artis requisite TO shock up the tops so
they will not blow over. They must
be spread out all around tho bottom to
brace mp well, but not enough to admit
ram, and also give air access TO the
center, of the shock. They must all be
settled on the ground before they are
tied. a rope with loop in the end is
drawn tightly around the middle. and
then n haOl nf Upose O,, o,,,,