The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1888-02-23
VOL. XVII.
TIMELY TOPICS FOR FARMERS.
HOW TO DO PAYING WORK AT THIS
. a.. SEASON.

SEASON..
Suggestions OF Interest, from an Authori-
tativo Source.
wv. L. Jones in Southern Cultivator')
This is the beginning of the busy work
of preparing for the next crop, The
farm now demands all the enelgies of
the farmer who would lay o broad foun-
dation for successful years work. 1t
is impossible to foresee what will be the
character of the seasons in the future.
We know that it will be either "wet" or
"dry," or Reasonable" It is well to
provide against either extreme as far as
practicable. Only ordinary skill and
Judgment on the part of the farmer are
required to make p reasonably fair crop
in fairly seasonable year. But it does
require high degree of skill, and a
Judgment that is based on experience
and study to discount, in advance, the
drawbacks and casualties that are posi-
bilities and probabilities of the future.
1t is often said that ga crop we'll planted
is half made;" but the land must be
properly prepared, securely protected
against stock, judiciously fertilized, ETC.,
and the seed properly selected and
planted before it may be truly said that
the crop has been "well planted" Some
have said that farmer ought to plant
such an area in corn as will yield, under
tho most adverse circumstances, q
sutliciency for home use. This is put
ting it rather too strong. Every farmer
&c l., IL
seasons occur when it would have been
better to have planted no corn at oil;
and probably he would not if he could
have foreseen the result.
The safer rule is to adjust relative
areas Gin provision crops especially with
reference to expected average seasons, SO
that an abundance will be produced with
such seasons. It is well enough to pre-
pare vhe land and space the plants as if
expecting a dry good year. Then if
good seasons proved nothing will have
been lost and if q drouth occur at the
critical period the extra labor of prepa-
ration anG the wide spacing will tell
wonderfully in the final result. Let
every farmer consider what he wishes or
expects to secure by the labors of the
year. What are the most pressing and
indispensable wants among those that
may be on the farm? Obviously, food
comes first; clothing next, and SO on.
The essential business of a farmer is to
make q living (meat and bread, lodging
and clothing) for himself and family.
In our Judgment the man who makes
the production of cotton the main object
Of effort, and who looks upon the grow
ing of food crops and other departments
of farm industry, as mere incidents or
unavoidable drawbacks, makes q very
serious, radical mistake. Such mistakes
are frequent, and are frequently if not
generally the cause of failure. Such
mistakes are the cause of the present de-
preston in Southern agriculture.
We should first produce what we need
most-what we must have-what we
consume, not what we do not need (or
need but little of) and what we cannot
consume. The farmer who plans,
pitches, prepares, plants and cultivates
with direct regard to supplying his fami-
ly witt food in such variety and of such
wholesome quality as may only be pro-
duced under his own eye, will not be
likely to suffer for want of any reason
able comfort, necessary, or even modest
luxury that may be outside the limits Of
actual home production. The prudent
provision for "plenty of everything"
ally result in such surplus OF one or
more products of his labor as will pro-
cure such other objects Of desire, to say
nothing OF the returns from the cotton
or other so called "money crop"
We claim no originality in tho fore
going "Thoughts," except possibly in
tho manner of presenting some Of them.
In the main they are substantially tho
"old story" We would that by any
means we might impress upon Southern
farmers that the essential idea and aim
in farming-an object that is attainable
in no other pursuit on earth--should be
to supply tho chief necessaries and many
of the luxuries of life directly from the
farm. The mechanic, the miner, the
more laborer, the professional man, the
follower of every other craft must OK
change the products of his labor for
money, and with the money purchase in
the market the real objects of desire and
necessity. Not so with the true farmer,
in such climate and with such q teem-
ing soil as ours.
SPRING OATS.
The acreage sown in fall oats jig much
less than usual. The freezing out of large
portion of the crop of 1886 by tho hard
freezes in January, 1887, had most dis.
couraging effect, which was augmented
by the unfavorably dry weather which
prevailed in some parts of the country
during the sowing season. The ont crop,
however, is too valuable and in the long
run too reliable to be given up. Spring
sowing costs little more than the seed,
even if the crop fails from drouth; and 0
good breadth-eight or ten acres at least
to each plow run-should be put in
In our judgment-founded upon expert
ence and observation-oats sown il
February are much less liable to injury
by freezing than if sown in January
Sowing in the "old twelve days" smacks
more of superstition and sentiment thar
sound reason. OuT hardest weather i
usually from December 25 to February
l, and it is not often that oats sown il
February are killed by freezing. The
soil for spring oats, if not already fertile
should be well manured and deeply anC
closely plowed-tho latter to guart
against drouth as much as possible. [