The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-11-07

Harrow an excellent implement for preparing
the land (after plowing) and putting In the
seed and fertilizers. where regular wheat
drill Is not available.
| COTTON PICKING-coTToN BAGGING.
| No time should be unnecessarily lost in
housing the remnant OF the crop from the
fields. The heavy dews and probable rains
will have q very rapid doteriorating effect on
the staple, and not a lock should remain to be
pick ed after the last boil has opened
| We trust that the farmers have oeen sue
ccssful In illustrating the power and influence
the Ubiquitous bagging trust, and to develop
some generally acceptable substitute for bag
ging made Of imported raw material. Little
can be done by farmers except to demand q
substitute for trust bagging and thus give
substantial encouragement to the deyelOp'
ment of some homo material for making bag
ging. 1t is most natural to turn at once TO cot
| ton itself as a material out Of which to make
covering for the crop. a very good bagging
is made by the Resendale Manufacturing Co.
of West Point, Ga, and by tho Lane NILS, OF
New Orleans samples of which Mo We nene
however, to the opinion that some less costly
material than cotton may be found. Pine
straw, saw palmetto, and the bark OF the cot
ton okara plant are promising materials. we
have seen sample Of pine straw bagglng
made by the Acme Manufacturing Co., OF
Wilmington, n. c. 1t Is very, similar IN
appearance to the ordinary jute bagging, the
|
weight per yard about two and half pounds.
! 1t is not so strong as the jute, but is strong
enough for all reasonable demands. Or course
substitute for jute bagging, In order TO be-
furnished at the same or less price. Farmers
are not going to permanently use more
costly material In order to anticipate future
combines and trusts; they will use the mate
al that will in the long run cost them the least.
IL Is well enough to urge and advise the
development OF our home resources, put the
expense should not fall on the farmers alone.
They will buy where they can buy cheapest
and sell where they can sell highest, II permit
ted to do so by the laws Of the land. In the
meantime let the National Government
admit all foreign made bagging, as we'll as raw
material. free ofduty.
SUGAR CANE.
| During q recennt extensive trip through
Northern Georgia and Alabama we were I'M
pressed with the evidences OF q returning
popularity OF the sorghum crop. So long as
we were actively engaged In farming this
crop always found q welcome place with other
crops, although we were far enough south to
| or true sugar cane. The unfortunate preiu-
dice against sorghum that was the result OF
the crude appliances for rendering 1t into
syrup during the civil war is rapidly giving
way as the improved mills and evaporators
are becoming more common. THE expert
mcnts in making sorghum-cane sugar, con-
Quoted under the auspices OF the Washington
|
new process for concentrating the juice and
the final separation Of the sugar, which gives
promise Of finally establishing the making
| of sorghum sugar on firm and lasting OASIS.
| The sugar cane crop in the GufStateS Is un-
usually good this year, and tho season is now
at hand for converting 1t Into syrup. We
write not for the benefit OF the professional
sugar planter. but for tho farmer who has but
severe scorching Of the cane tops by frost Is
the signal to commence the harvest. Theseed
cane should first be attended to. BY the way,
we see no reason why the farmers in the
southern parts OF the eastern Gulf States
might not adopt the practice that prevails In
Louisiana of planting Mc cane tops ut time har-
vesting. II has been observed by all cane
growers that the immature, upper joints Of
| the cane usually make the earliest and most
vigorous shoots when bcddcd and planted in
| the customary way. These joints are certain
| informed that thc'practlce alluded TO as pre-
yniling in Louisiana is to cut the tops off Mt
! the time OF harvesting the cane and plant
them at once In furrow opened III the mid
| die between the current cane rows. If this
plan will succeed in other States its adoption
would result in quite q saving OF cane other
| wise devoted for planting. Who has had cN-
pcricncc on this point, and VIII some Louis
! lana cane planter give in detail his prevailing
practice?
WINTER Is COMING
We have been writing for agricultural
IjurnalS for many years ana nave usually
preached as we have practlceu." 0n no SUB,
| icct of farm detail have we so gladly and
earnestly written than the Importance OF
providing amply for the comfort OF man and
beast during the inclement weather OF winter.
| Every MISUNDERSTANDING, self-intcrest.
common sense, convenience. good taste, the
| love of the beautiful, as seen in the SHINING.
smooth coats of the wcll-fcd and weil-houSed
horses, cattle, pigs and poultry-ail combine
to induce the farmer to make this ample
provision. II q farmer has more live stock
! than his barns and stables will feed and shell
! ter and keep in good condition through the
winter, let him resolve to enlarge tne slaoles
and increase the store of food or sell the unpro-
vided-for surplus stock, or enough OF them TO
enable him to house and feed the remainder:
There is no greater folly than to feed corn ana
animal life when half the quantity OF food
with dry, warm quarters will accomplish the
same object Shingles and boards ana lumber
arc cheaper as conSorr;ltor of warmth ana
comfort than corn fed as fuel for generating
| that warmth and comfort. Ten pounds of
food given TO an animal kept III GOOD Quarters
arc as effective In sustaining LIE ana lesn as
| fifteen pounds OF tho same iood thrown INTO u
trough in an open lot for the shiVering ami
mails to fight over.
These remarks have an immediate appica-
tion TO the process OF fattenlns pork hoss,
which ought now to be well advanced in every
well conducted farm. How Inconsistent for
farmer TO complain that 1t costs TOO much TO
raise his own pork while he dumps into an
open pen, reeking with foul stencil es and toat-
ing in filth, IL basket of rd,O corn on the coo
three times day to his porkers! Reader, Is
this description ofyour hos-pen?
What shall be said of the man who claims
TO be aconsideratc husband and father who
takes no thought of the great comfort and
convenience OF u whole winters supply Of
good. dry fuel and kindling, cut to fit the fire.
place and stoye and stored i'll O convenient
wood-room or shelter? We are glad to note
an improvement III these respects rs we travel
occasionally through the country. Farmers
are improving in many respects and are much
in advance Of the ideas and practices Of
twenty-five years ago. But there Is still room
for improvement, and still many who have
made no progress at all. Let these take kind.
ly-as we have given them these hints and
criticisms and resolve to profit by thcm.