The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-01-11
A GOOD TALK FOR YOU.
rae Southern Gui!iv#tor VGHiS Nea.
.on Cowcs.c- with the Earnier<.
NEW YEARS GREETING.

! SON E0gctHeE WIKI tHS tEiA"SAT'
SEw YEARS GREETING.
| In accordance with 4 w:dely rrcvailIn Gus
tom the (thirut0r gives hearty greeting 10 hiH
| tluu>nnus q: subscribers ana readers, Will"
the writer offers his especial commitments ,'
| Tho farmers nlno, = whom and for whom hr
hus worked and written ana ih'u"hl lof
many years past. NntwithStand:n: failures
and t!i>irointmcn;>" "f the Year Just closet
:;nI in vir.r of the promises 'hat seed i'm"
and harvest and cold and heat, ana summer
md winter and night, shall not cease let
every one apply himself with new hon". re-
doubled cnrrgy and unfin.%ln= zeal 10 inc ou-
ties of the New lear-iS>S!
REVIEW OF TIE PAST.
New Years is the traditional time furmall'n"
| new resolutions. 1t is Il convenient time la
"lurn over a new Icaf, as ii is commonly rX.
| messed In order TO determine wisely and
| clearly his plans and purposes for the year
lust en- tered, each farmer should look back on
the past year and compare the results or hls
| Twelve months labnrS with the plans purposes
and expectations with which he began opcr-
ationS last January. He is an unwiSe general
who plans and inauguratcS a new campaign
and movements of previous campaigns which
brought victory and success, or led to disaster
and failure. Experience is said to be Il dear
school," but 1t is very valuabble school.
| Patrick Henry said, in reference 10 the pend
| ing tronblcS Of colonies with the British Gov
ermcnt, that he had but one lamp by which
his feet were guidcd-'the lamp of expert
ence" while a farmer has other lights
besides, that Of eXperence-So far as il ertends
| ulonq The ,cay-iS safe guide. Let the whole
course Of last years plans and work, the con-
| ditionS. circumstances and seasons. be recall
ed. rs far as may he. Trace successes or iall-
| ures to their causes. Note the effect OF
changes from previous methods. Go back in
memory to former years; extract frOm the
! eXcellencies and reject all the blemShes. IT
| is only by SO doing that we can profit by the
lessons of the past.
THE PRESENT CONDITION.
II ought to be no difficult matter for farm.
| er TO compare his condition and circum-
stances now with his condition one year ago.
Still, we fear there are many farmers who
cannot say certainly, because they do not
know whether they are better or worse oil
whether on the whole they have advanced
| or refrigerated. This ought not SO to be. and
would not If they would acquire the habit OF
| keeping some sort of accounts of farm oper-
ations. But every farmer knows whether his
general condition is prosperous and salts
| factory or Strengthened and unsatisfactory.
Much has been said and written or late
about the general condition of Southern aS-
riculture, and intelligent men hold precisely
opposite opinions as TO whether, as q class,
we are growing poorer or richer. The question
| may never be determined. and If determined
| little can be done to amcliorate the condition
| of agriculture by concerted or cooperative
action So far as tho actual management OF
our furmS-our system Of farming-ls con-
cerned. Cooperation among farmers mas OF.
| ten been attempted but has never aci,lerrd
any decided success. II is impractirahlc I"
control the operations OF Individual FARMERS
by any sort OF resolutions or covenants OF
| uiedscs. There arc too iuany of them; they
are too widely separated; they cannot meet ia
mass conventions; their circumstances ana
surroundings are too varied and diverse. Lei
agricultural conventions and farmers con-
| :reSScs meet and dicuss and resolve and All
jOurn. They stimulate thought ana arouse
| # nv
| .uggr> lionS of improved methods, and the So
| ciaI intercourse are beneficial and helpful.
| The chief benefit, however. TO be expected OF
these representative H>ScinhlleS is the mold
| ,ng of public opinion and the giving expires
| sion to the uemhIuS uf The great agricultural
classes OF the country for rqun AND i;iir legs
| atiou, lhu abolition of unjust >tdi>crfnlnatiohS,
| md the establishment OF schools Oh HSrlcui-
| iure, experiment stations, departments "i
| .gricullure and the like. Tor The development
ANA protection and advancement OF aSIlcui.
| ,urc.
| WHAT WILL. I0U DO.
I;acl farmer mast determine for himself,
! Miih al the iIShIs DvIurr liin, What he may
,,nd will uO Tor himself. Let aim resolve tina!
| " Mhulcvry Oilers may do, lie " i'll pursue that
tvurse, III general rlan and detail, that Is Ill
dicateu by experience, observation and care.
| IuI study Let him not rely upon what 9th
els MAY say, or what Oranges or Alliances
! may resolve. III every farmer would pursue
| ms course there would result ut once the
| beginning Ul an IlQtltiucnl, Scll-lcIlitnI
| ul\ iuu,u SYSTEM, the result oil which IN brne'
hitting OuCn individual, adopting Sucn sys
| tenn, will he the id auraIccIncntauu upbulIulnG
OF lhe ug.lcsate OF ali such inuiYluual>.
| This must DC the basis of our improvement
and progress.
TAKING STOCK.
| Every farmer ought to "takc Stock as the
merchants express II. III least once year.
Note down IN Il dairy or account book the
number, condition and value oI STOCK OF all
| kinds, the amount and value oi supplies ol
food, the value Of machinery ana lWplc'
ments. Also take account of the yield OF ltSt
years crops. the money returns for the same
| the amount he owes and what Is owing MIN
| open u cash account and put down thc0"fyoe>
and the incomes. Ii compelled to buy supplies
| or incur debts oi any KIND, borrow the money
! If possible aud l'4y as you 90. Do not put The
| Keeping Of accounts entirely in the hands ol
| yuur merchant, II you will run an account,
| out keep Il pass. book and require every Dill OF
purchases To be entered.
MAKING LABOR CONTRACTS.
In making engagements for labor it should
| be remembered that in the long run. not Ing
| is gained by securing laborerS at prices below
| the possibility of honest living. Better give
liberal wages and then insist by personal
presence and close supervision, on honest
| faithful compliance. Laborers must live, and
| they will livc-honeStly or otherwise.
| MISUNDERSTANDING.
In our climate, as general rule and so far
| as the desired disintegration and pulverzatiop
of the soil is concerned the later The breaking
up before planting the better. Our clean.
heavy clay soils, if plowed very early, VIII
soon run together by the heavy rains OF the
early months of the year, and be In but little
better condition when plantng-time arrives
| than if not. But on every farm there are
| fields of stubble lands, or fields covered with
grass and weeds that should be plowed At
| once. Crab and crow-foot grass if plowed uii-
der early and not covered too deep. will rot
and benefit the soil and the crop. If deferred
until Just before planting it will be much bet.
| ter to burn of heavy coating OF grass than
| to turn II under. AT this late stage the grass
and the loss by burning will amount TO little
| in comparison with the greatly improved con-
dtion of the plowed soil. Some experienced
farmer has said that if it were practicable to
do so he would prefer, as a general rule, to
plow all his land the day before planting.
In view of the probable bad weather.
amounting sometimes to an entire month
| when a plow cannot run at all without great.
! er injury than possible benefit, IL is well 10
commence blowing early in January, or even
| to keep the work animals busy doing the haul.
ing of rails, fire-wood, litter for stables and
| lots, materials for composing, ETC., so that
blowing may be done when the ground is in
the best condition. Deep turning orinvcrsion
of ordinary soils is not the best practice. Sub
soiling is of doubtful profit on old and worn
soils unless well mnnurcd.
! The general experience is In favor Of tcrrac-
| ing as compared with hillside ditching rs a
preventive of washing on rolling lands. II
| tuc lines of level are not already run they
may be quickly marked out ahead of pluwS
| by the careful use of almost any of the cheap
! levels now advertised. An instrument that
depends upon Il spIrii-lcvrl :or It's adjustment
| Is much more accurate and reliable, and will
give better results Ia the end. The rule is TO
l,nt 4,