The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-02-29
WORK FOR MARCH.
SensOnablc SuggestfOns as to What
Ought to be Done on the Farm.
SOuthcr7l CultiUdto7.

|
should have determined what crops he will
plant and tie respective III ems he will devote
to each crop. TO those who sincerely desire
suggest re- reading of the article for Febru-
airy, particularly the first column on page 50,
rs reminder OF any good resolves that may
wise man., In building q; house, Determines
beforehand the sizo and arrangement OF tho
rooms, the adaptation of ALTO the purpose in
view, and counts the cost before he lets out the
! contract; so n wise farmer will determine
what he wishes TO secure by his years oper-
ations, the best means OF accomplishment,
and the adaptation OF means to ends. II Is
not too late, even now, to remodel plens and
correct palpable errors in the apportionment
OF areas Bear In mind that the essential
object Is to make living, and that the mGst
is generally the best Recall the mistakes or
| last year, the embarrassments or losses that
were thereby caused, and resolved to avoid
the one and be free from the other this
year.
PLANTING CORN. --
The corn planting season in the Cotton
States extends from the first OF February to
the first of May, so varied Is the climate OF 80
large a territory; but March is the main
the subject in this number. AS corn and cot
ton are the two dominating crops the land OH
| each farm will be considered mainly with
perience teaches that storms, drouths and
unfavorable circumstance generally are more
potent In their influence on the yield OF corn
than on the yield OF cotton. Thisis especially
drouth sometimes cuts off the yield Of corn
one half three-fourths. or even almost totally.
Drouth is great enemy OF the corn crop.
The conclusion Is that the low-lying, moist
and the higher, poorer lands to cotton.
But we presume most farmers have made
their aioiments I,s of fields 70 be planted In
| time to plant. When is the time to plants
Some wait for certain buds to."swell," certain
trees to blossom, or for warm, dry spell af-
ter certain day. 1t Is claimed that the ear
| ly planted makes the heavier corn. and the
most certain crop. The early planted fields
will come into silk tassel arller than the:late
planted, but not much earlier, especially II
On the whole, we think the best rnleis to
plant when the ground Is dry enough to plow
well, and at the date which past experience
Temperature OF the dirt or ground need not
be considered ICorn that is planted on day
when:the ground is frozen In the morning
balmy rs May. 1t is the character Of the
weather that prevails during the second and
third week after planting the seed. which de.
termines the stand and the & vigor OF the :
two weeks to come up when planted In the
spring. and 1t is "a matter OF little moment
whether the groundiis warm or no on the
very day OF planting. II the period Of the
year has arrived when we may reasonably
expect suitable temperature for termination
within the next four or five days, or week,
seed be planted. 1t is probable that the
weather will be better In the next two weeks
when 1t Is bad at any given date, and the Sc
cond week Is the more important OF the two.
HON. to plant We do not believe In water
furrow planting early In the spring, however
advisable later on. The planting often can.
not be done SO early on account OF the soggy
condition OF the subsoil (water-furrowD and
The heavy spring rains are more damaging to
young crop in the water-furrow, besides
other reasons. We prefer breaking the land
into fiat bed With deep
along the middle of bed and covering shallow.
This gives better drainage, richer surround
Ing soil, and great immunity from damage by
the frequent heavy rains Of spring.
crowd S the the land With pIantsiin the face Of ex-
perience. On land that will. make ten to
twenty bushels per acre with average season
an allowance OF eighteen TO twenty-one square
feet to each stalk Is not too much. This Will
permit of great concentration OF manure TO
the hill, and consequent better deyelopement
of individual stalks and ear. Allowing one
land is expected to Yield we have the follow.
ing calculations: Planted 4x4 feet, there
would be 2,722 plants per acre; yield "a bushels s
Planted M 4T4H Z 70 or dEx5 weHld gIyss 2S
plants, yield, 1912 bushels. The celebrated
David Dickson gave 7x31I feet on uplands
capable Of producing 45 bushels. Not an acre
ITSELF or with the manure available, yield at
least ten or twelve bushels Of corn.twenty
would be better rule. The most glaring OF
all our mistakes Is the continued annual cui-
tivation ofacres, the yield OF which with the
most favorable seasons will not pay expenses.
Multiply the number OF such acres until half
lhe TnIe ba aaes 'n is and is any
wonder that such farmers are In depressed
condition?
SWEET POTATOES.
This one OF our peculiar Southern products
that is not properly appreciated: We o are
practices and adopt their special crops for
special purposes, when we have better at
home. English and Northern farmers grow
suited TO turnips and not suited to sweet po-
atoes. They also grow Irish potatoes because
they can grow them more successfully than
known in the South, is boon that's denied
them Turnips and Irish potatoes are not to
be compared with sweet potatoes In respect or
case and cheapness OF production, nutritive:
ness and general adaptation as table and
Nothing is gained by very early bedding or
planting. The potato Is strictly o tropical
first to last. Resolve to plant a larger field
than usual. and bed accordingly.
The best potato growers, ut the final plant
Ing Of the draws give hn OF a3o9t nao%pG ,Sp
5,4i2 plants to set one ncre; and to produce
this number of plants from six or eight bush.
els OF seed potatoes should be bedded. Small
potatoes are to be preferred for the plant bed,
especially those that were made from the cut
vines last year. a potato Is not q true seed.
but only an enlarged, underground stem; It's
not even n root, as 1t does not take nourish-
ment from soil directly, but through the stem
attachment. a small potato will make near
~ as many draws as large one and many
more of them may he placed In bed.
haF ali iNtF n a
out bed four feet wide, and length sufficient.
Cover the space marked out with any good.
wel-rotted manure. If the soil be not already
rich, and dig it in with spading fork. Rake
smooth and then deposit the sound, small
potatoes regularly over the sruface. no nearer
than the width OF the finger. Press them
uniformity into the soil by placing thick
board over them and the necessary avoir-
dupois. Cover with light surface soil TO the
uniform depth OF the second Joint OF the fore.
finger. If covered shallow the plants will
not promptly throw out fbrous roots, and
many of them when slipped from the parent
potatoes will have no roots at all.