The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-03-27
!PARN WORK FOR APRIL.
AN ARTICLE WHICH ALL SHOULD READ.
Reasons for Planting Corn Early---
Reasons for Planting Cotton Late
.--FOrage Crops and Improved


.-.Forage Crops and Improved
Seed.
Many of our farmer readers have not yet
finished planting their main crops OF corn
while some have hardly commenced plant.
ing. TO the latter our "ThoughtS' ior laSt
Those who planted corn early in March will
now be ready to commence.
PLANTING COTTON.
The same remarks in regard to the proper
time to plant and the signs of planting time
that were made with reference to Indian corn
will apply with nearly equal force TO cotton.
Our climate Is variable and changes arc so
sudden and unexpected, especially IN the
spring. that we must be governed by past eN.
perience, modified, always, by The present
Condition of the soil This last consideration
Is of far more Importance than the dillcrence
of a few days OF time, or many degrees OF
temperature; The young cotton plant Is
much more delicate than that of corn, ana
cannot withstand the same harsh treatment.
Corn may be cut down by frost, or destroyed
by the knife or other means, down 10 the sur
face Of the earth and even lower, and yet re-
cover and put forth anew with little apparent
loss Of time or vitality. The same injury
would be wholly fatal to cotton plant. Ihis
| difference in results Is not due TO any inferior
hardness in the tissues Of the cotton plant ms
compared with corn. 1t is because OF the
organic difference in structure and manner OF
growth, which divides all plants into Two
great classes, ErogenouS, which includes cot
| ton, and the EndogeRouS, which includes corn
and the cereals generally and grasses. Inc
plants of the Endogene1ts class grow from
/ rihil the stem, and the tender, growing Dud
or spear Is always concealed In the very ne;lrI
or core Of the plant. A young corn plant has
its embryo first joint just below the surface
of the ground, and the vital, growing germ is
in the center Of the stem just above this joint
or node, and Is thus protected from ord mary
lrosts. The cotton plant, on the contrary,
pushes forth It's most vital point, the lrst
node or joint. with the seed leaves. Destroy
this joint or node and the plant cannot rccov.
er. This organic dittercnceis is one of the chlel
reasons why we plant cotton three or four
weeks later than corn. Our own experience
i taught us that about four weeks should inter-
vene between the planting OF the two crops.
| II is also n matter Of experience that the
thnnest land, that upon which the weed
will attain the smallest development, should
be planted last Observing farmers know
that on such lands the tendency or the plant
is to overload itself with fruit before it has at
tanned sufficient size to mature the Dolls.
The result Is n Suspension of weed develop
ment and the devotion Of all the energies OF
the plant to the often unequal task OF per-
dwarflng of the stalk and exhaustion Of its
vitality, accompanied by disease, and often
followed by Il belated effort at late crop, 70
be caught by the frost For these reasons we
advise the planting first the richer or most
highly fertilzed fields. ending by planting
the old and comparatively exhausted ana
moderately fertiliZed lands after the weather
fully warm and genial. This will generally
secure prompt termination of the seed-if
the ground be in good condition as to mois-
ture-followed by n rapid, vigorous and un-
impeded growth Of the plants, enabling them
to reach larger size and better development
of joints and limbs before they are OF sufli-
cient age TO bloom and fruit Freely. Ihese ,sse
result OF the writer's experience OF twenty
years as practical farmer, and we have no
doubt they may be corroborated by the ex-
perience of many farmers.
| N nantinp cotton IL Is of imDOrtanCe tnat
the beds shall have been made a sufficient
length of time before planting to become
pccially in light, sandy soils. We have sew
| eral times utterly failed OF Il stand when q
planting on fresh, mellow beds has been fol-
lowed within few days by heavy ram.
a sharp edged board or harrow should be first
drawn over them so as to give a fresh. moist,
smooth bed In which to deposit the seed
When the soil is In proper condition the open
ing seed furrow should not be over two inches
in depth and the seed be covered not deeper
than one inch, by passing rather heavy
board or block. We never quite approved Of
the practice of covering the seed by the at
tachment to the cot ton planter, as il does not
usually sufficiently pres the soil and for the
| additional reason that we prefer TO see the
seed in the furrow, and be assured that there
has been perfect. and uniform distribution.
A cotton planting machine. with covering
attachment, is an excellent implement In the
hands of the proprietor or Il trustworthy ana
Il dcluSion If operated by II careless, thick
headed and sleepy-headed negro, or-white
man.
i If using high-priced, bought seed or such
as have been carefully selected, it Is quite an
item to use as few as may be necessary to Sc
cure a continuous stand. The barrel seed
roller, an invention OF the writer, illustrated
and described in the CultlrdtOr for April, lSSS,
is recommended for repairing the seed for
!, distribution. If the seed be we'll rolled, a
saving Of from one-third TO one-half can be
effected in the quantity necessary to secure o
full stand, from one TO one and half bushels
, being amply sufficient for one acre. In using
: the barrel seed roller, for dryer, the best
material Is land plaster. or even common
made perfectly white and therefore easily
seen in the furrow. But ashcs-barring tho
dark cOlor-are excellent.
Il If one or more heavy storms should fall OH
the cotton field, before stand is up, it is an
excellent practice to break the crust that will
have been formed by running a fine tooth
harrow along the beds. The ordinary har
rows have the teeth generally too large and
clumsy. The work needed is more like that
of garden rake. This narrowing, may be
done to advantage even after the cotton Is up
especially when stand Of grass has come NJ
with the cotton.
D FLOWING CORN.
In the usual succession, after cotton plant
ing comes the first working OF the corn. The
first care, however should be to perfect the
: stand, and thin the plants if necessary. Re:
: seed and careful planting, etc, has preceded
One hand, with Wooden paddle three feet
long, can often replun Mt and thin at the same
time, TO advantage. and may carry from one
20 four rows, according as the stand Is less or
more perfect Our practice was always to
soak repanting seed about twcnty-fnur hours
in water, which will cause It 10 germinatc ono
or two days earlier.
IT is not generally desirable to pow corn
the first time while still very small. Better
. let the plants become Stocky and able to stand
| Il slight dirting, unless the soil has been very
. closely Sodden and compactcd by heavy
!, rains. "Run round the entire crop with
TWO furrowS. Then return, and give tive
more burrows, and SO on until the middlrS arc
what plow TO use, is to use the one that does
r most satisfactory work ut the time. and that
will require the fewcSt number of fnrrows Il
the row. In soft, mellow ground free from
, much trash and old stubble. in which Il sweep
| or heel-Scrapc, or cultvator, will do good
[ work, it should he employed. A double
r shovel, in tpe absence of n cultivator, will
[ sweep would fail. by deferring the first plow
!. ing as late as may be done with safety, tho
interval between the first and SccoDd work
rl imgS will be shortened. Not more Than two
weeks should Intervene between these several
I plowings.
: FORAGE CROPS.
April is the time to plant most kinds of an.
, nual Soilng crops, such as common corn, mil
lets, milo maize. kaflir corn, sorghum; also
> peanuts. We believe more food can be grown
ann utilized from. an acre by green Soilns
crops than by any other method: and tho
results are more promptly available. Sucl
: : rich or highly fertiiZcu SOIL
The spanish peanut seems TO have pStnb