The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-07-16
THE FARMERS PICNIC.

THE FARMERS PICNIC.
GOSSIP FoR THE FIELD, AND THE PRO-
DUcgR OF THE PLEEcY STAPLE.
Peas and Politics..,suggestions and
Advice as to Both.
Southern Calltfuator.
July Is the halfway home" In the farmers g
toilsome annual way. On the well ordered
farm the demands Of the crops for cultivation
have possibly slackened, corn being general
ed TO be out OF the way Of the farmers tradi.
tional enemy-srass. Some farmers make II
a.point to lay by cotton BY the "fourth OF
general condition Of the crop whether Guilt
vation should continue. Experience and OBJ.
servation teach US that the crust that forms
on the surface Of the soil after a good rain
should be destroyed within week or less AZ
ter the rainfall. 1t Is important to do this for
TWO reasons: /. That the air may have free
access to the soil, and (2) that evaporation Of
the soil moisture may be imPeded az m much s. as
ed by breaking the crust and pulyerizing the
soil TO the depth Of one inch. 1t ID true that
this thin layer Of soil soon drtes-spparently
quicker than II LEFT unstirred, but neverthe.
10.
evaporation OF the subjacent layers. and thus
conserves the moisture just where It is need
ed-down among the roots Of the crop:
Assuming that the cotton on we'll cultivated
and we'll fertllIzed fields Is now at an average
height to "knee-high," or varying from one
foot to three feet the object OF culture In rela.
tien to the plant itself IL TO induce steady
growth OF weed while at the same time en-
couraging the setting Of young bolls. Unnee,
cessarily deep plowing at this jnncsure will
almost certainly cause the plant TO cast OF
"shed" Its young bolls, and even the forms
The roots being cut and mangled, must oe re.
balance between foliage and fruit on the one
hand, and the roots or feeders on the otneI
being destroyed, the plant can no longer COZ.
tain all Of the former. 1t, therefore, Throws
off portion Of the immature fruil, ano oIten
the leaves, and leisurely reestablishes its root
system, and then commences to grow again
The final result will be q larger develop
ment OF stem and foliage and oelateo crop
OF bolls. We have no doubt that such treat.
Of the plant aesR M
dwarfed and suspended growth, and has tax
en- on more fruit than the plant can mature.
and yet continue ut the same time 10 grow
and set more fruit. We have repeatedly trieo
Of plants every boil and vesttge OF form az
late as July 4, with the invsriable result o.
greatly increasing their yield as compared
with those In adjacent rows not 80 robbed o.
at once commence growing afresb, and gener'
ally grow tifty TO one hundred per cent. taller
or course, this was but an experiment., ano
could not be practiced In detail on large
many cotton fields Of which the 1nal yield
would be materially Increased II every form
boil now on the stalks could be cheaply re,
moved, and the plants thereby be encourages
would be safe to secure the preliminary OBJ
iect-the casting or shedding OF the present
fruit-by plowing deeply, In any case, we are
In doubt. II Is matter OF common observe.
ton ton overbears or that the plant is too small
although heavily boiled, to make satisfao.
tory yield. This is apt to be the case on Ole
and worn soils on which the planting was toc
NAV have been greatly retarded by uniavora
BILE weather, lice, neglect, etc., while tne
blooming and fruiting period was very little
delayed. Hence. the plant is Ha "old e1S6ugn, 9S
SaS Sa1stine nIu precess of protsble reproduction.
"Topping" OF the plants has not yet beer
reduced to rule and probably will not, since
experience shows that we cannot Enc know ,1,s 9e
prove benefit. It is q matter Of common o6
servation, however, that a plant that is acci
IDENTIFY topped by the bite Of mule, or other
wise, early in the season, or before II is knee nee
ned at ali we are pretty confident that II
should be done before the first OF August.
Before leaving the subject, We suggest that
in blowing cotton from this time until lalo
by, as general rule. the work should 6e done done
nearly II not quite "clean out" middle a.
one iurrow. The shape or contour OF . Gross
section OF the Fows should be preserved 81
running a small sweep or a shovel and scrape
twice in each middle heaps the mellow soil
first on one side and then on the other OF the
middle, only to be reversed at the next plow.
loose, mellow soil from one side to the other
permitting it to remain at rest only iope
enough to be filled with the rcotlets OF the
plants from one row, 70 be then torn up AND
element used the soil should be moved very
little sidewise, but after being slightly lineo
and stirred 1t should drop into the same posi-
ton as before, thus preserving the same gen
eral contour Of surface.
with advantage, except In the way OF sue
cession Of quick growing forage crops, until
towards the last OF the month. July ID tne
interim between the spring ana early s suin ~ !
and seeding, and Is generally too hot and DRY
for the termination and successful develop
ment of most seeds.
ther south, field peas may yet be sown for I'm
proving the soil. 1t Is an excellent plan u
SOW speckIed peas on land that was In smai
grain or corn last year, and is now coverec
groTh Of hog weeds ana iSs o'esf sar ress
three one-horse turn plows, one alter tns
other. each with good dragchain or weed
hook attached, In very Wide lands. PEI
dropper following the third plow dropping
eight or ten pens every step. the next fnrroT
Covering. No cultivation will be required
and the result will be fair crop OF seed and
good coat Of vines. It will be all the better
une hundred and fifty pounds OF potash aclo
phosphate be applied TO each acre: dtoPR,ns ans
or course the peas should be gathered
either by hand or by pasturlng with hogs OF
the best parts may be mown with mower, Oh
soythe. and converted into hay.
The land, il turned over In September: Will
make fine crop Of small grain, or II let un'
plowed all the winter VIII be IN nne eonGt oron
Alter Ate July it win barely pay expenses TO SOW
peas, as they will make very little vine and
but few peas, II any.
growing hogs. The aim should be 70 INDUCE q
sapid development Of bone and muscle; GIVE
nlenty of succulent food, fallen fruit, eollafds,
refuse vegetables, sorghum, etc. we nave
often advised feeding green corn, stals aho I,a
way 10 feed corn than TO cut II while IN the
roasting ear stage, and on until past FODDER
pulling stage. 1t Is good for hogs, hoIses ana q
cattle but especially t0r nCgs ss AEON a. the
heads are In bloom, is a most excellent hog
food. almost as good as col,ards. The last, we
think, is one Of the very best crops that can az,
he arown and fed TO growing stock Of all
Kinds. Hogs that have plenty Of collard
leaves and plenty Of cool, clean water, do not
"Hil work and no play makes Jack dull
hor - is a proyerb that finds q convenient ap-
nIication 70 the farmer also. May is the pic
t3ic and fishing month for the city and town
folks let the farmers have his season OF fun.
frolto and recreation, now that the "burden
and heat of the day" are past.
The old time barbecue, or July dinner, was
healtbfuI Institution under the old regime.
There is no sufficient reason why the custom
should fall into "desuetude." II ls especially