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

LAYING BY THE CROPS. ri,
What May be, Should be, or should
not be, Done In July.
tudes In adjacent States, 1t used to be the ain
Of most OF farmers to ''lay by" before. the
Fourth of JULY" and 1t was the ambition o
the proprietor, overseer and call bands" tt
have the fields clean and mellow by thai
time. Many a promised July dinner ha.
been earned by diligent effort to comply with
tho condition imposed. There is no reason
in an average year, with the general use O
stimulating fertilizers that now prevails, why
the crops OF corn and cotton should not be
There is, however, a tendency to continue the
cultivation OF cotton to a later period o
growth. ~ = q. .s9s !
+. LAYING BY CORN.
We have always believed that the plowine
the "bunching for tassel," say until the ap.
pearance of few early Silks The stalk has
then nearly completed It's growth and there
remains only the fruit to be developed. The
roots have then taken full possession of the
soil, and cannot safely be cut and mangled.
while of no advantage in Itself, is unavoid-
able; 1t Is the lesser Of two evils. But after
the plant has reached the shooting stage all
its energies are direoted to developing the ear,
and 1t has not time nor surplus energy to re-
pair ruthless and unnecessary mutilation OF
It's roots, and at the same time develop the
largest and most perfect ears. We are an
advocate Of shallow culture throughout
whenever the soil is in such condition that 8
shallow.running implement OF culture will
do satisfactory work; I. e., stir the soil effec,
tually to the depth OF one or two inches. But
especially during the later stage of growth
should deep plowing and !rootcutting be
avoided. tits the practice OF some to use O
long g-pointed and broad-winged sweep, or "a
wide scrape on long scooter, and running
the point OF the sweep or scooter several
inches deep, the wings barely entering the
soil such pl9W.hing Snght not to 90 be permitted
effectuaIly cut and destroyed as II the plowing
were done with the scooter without the
scrape. The perfect implement Is one every
part of the cutting edge and point OF which
cable. or course there are fields In ncultivatior
on which, owing TO stones, clods, stumps and
roots, etc., wide shalloW-running sweeps OF
scrapes cannot be made effective. There are
some fsoils that are even, free from these
obstacles. but yet are OF SO tenacious and
only shoyels and other narrow plows through
out the cultivation. On such soils the three
or four plowings given should be In pretty
quick succession and the crop laid by early
tance OF sowing every acre OF corn land In
peas or some similar crop. One peck to hall
bushel peas per acre, soWn broadcast and
covered by the last plowing Of the corn, will
usually give fair stand OF plants, and the
yield Of peas will far more than pay ali ex.
penses Of seed and sowing, to say nothing oi
the benefit to the land. We suggest that burr
or California clover {spotted medick) may be
sown In the corn-field at laying by.
The clover will come up in September or
Ocfohar and make an aXppllpnt win nQS,
ture. One bushel Of the burrs Is sufficient for
one acre. = ~.
COTTON CULTURE Hg
The cotton plant is essentially different
from the corn plant In several pertinent par
ticulars. 1t is aIperennial a plant, continued
Its growth and fruiting until killed by frost.
1t has no cycle Of time within which It must
perform all Its evolutions. Cultivation and
climate have greatly modified this natural
characteristic, but II Is still quite different
from corr, which has its habitual period OF
growth, caring time and harvest. covering
about six month from the planting (early
done must be done quickly in the cultivation
of corn. Hence it Is often said that cotton
will bear neglect but corn will not. Another
essential different is that corn makes Its
fruit-its one or more ears.all at once, SO TO
speak, every stalk in the field, II all Of the
same age, silking and tasselling within a
very short time; while cotton commences
fruiting In June and continues throughout the
summer and fall and until arrested by frost.
Of cotton Is based on this popularity Of con-
tinued and prolonged growth and fruiting.
After the beginning Of the period Of blooming
there is no well-marked point, OF growth
would indicate that plowing or stirring Of the
soil should no longer continue, as IN the case
of corn. Hence, from these considerations,
we conclude that cotton may be benefited by
blowing up TO date after which blooms Will
not have time to mature into ripe bolls In
the later stages the advantage or benefit the
crop may derive from continued plowing may
not be sufficient to Justify the labor. This is
q point to be determined by the average re-
suits OF several years. experiments, We have
several times plowed over an entire crop Of
cotton as late as the middle Of August, run:
ming one sweep flrrow in each middle. and
with material benefit. This rule should be
observed in cultivating cotton The intervals
between successive plowings should remain
substantially the same. Where cotton Is In
its fruitIng stage and has attained to more
than half its final height. II plowed again the
work should not bo deferred much beyond
the usual interval, else the entire surface will
have become so permeated by rootlets that
the blowing would do more harm than good.
The crop this year is rather late than usual,
and the cultivation throughout the month
should be mainly to encourage the develop
formation of squares and blooms No crust
should be permitted to form and harden on
the surface II practicable to prevent It The
interval between plowings, or STRINGS OF the
surface by whatever implement used, should
necessary as rule 10 run two furrow In each
middle at the same plowing. TWO mrroW
generally involve considerable waste OF
time. Try the plan we have often suggested !:
With wide-eXtended cultlvator, or sweep. OF
heelscrape, side both sides Of every alternate
cotton row. This puts one furroW In every
middle and will stir very nearly the entire
surface Of the field. In ten days or less. re-
turn and side both sides OF the rows that
wore left before. This practically amounts to
another stirring OF tile entire surface. The
formation OF an impervious crust prevents
the air from freely entering the soil and ef-
fecting those chemical changes which are
necessary to keep up tho supply of soluble
TACT OF tho particles of soil-the result OF
heavy rain-greatly facilitates the rising. Of
the moisture. from below by capillarity, and
Its escape into the air. Stirring the surface
tubes by separating the particles OF soil to
greater distance and filling the lnterstices
with air. The loose isurface soil then acts as
4 mulch, the effect Of which is we'll under
stood.
Ii the usual intervals has elapsed since the
ast previous plowing, the field is clean OF
grass and no rain has fallen. 1t Is doubtful
f any benefit to the crop will result from
blowing 1t at this season. Certainly not
more than one wide furrow 10 the middle
should be given.
Topping OF cotton has never been reduced
% any well defiped-rules. Sometimes IL pays
when the plants arelarge and vigorous and
already loaded with more forms than can be
developed into fruit The operation is gener-
lily performed too late in the season to nc.
any result. Every one has noticed
hat stalks that have been topped by the bite
If mule during the middle stage of growth
much earlier than the usual time Of topping
Eject OF removing the bud of The main stem
) TO somewhat arrest the further growth Of
he plant and divert its energies TO the dcvel-
,pment OF the forms already set and the
JOung bolls.
Observation seems to confirm the suggcs-
ion that the operation is most likely 10 do
rood when performed from the middle to the