The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-03-18
PITCHING THE CROP.
NEW FOUND JOY IN EMANCIPATION FROM
OLD IDEAS.
Plain Common Sense Talk on the
Subject Of EARNING in the south.

Plain Common Sense Talk on the
Subject Of EARNING in the south.
Southern Cultivator.
Every farmer should have determined by
this time what field he VIII plant IN nS corn, abs
Rrea he will devote tp each. THIS ls calico
pitching the crop, or IT may be hkened 10 per-
lecting the details Or the campaign upon
the years work has to be done annually On.
der the system which prevails IN the South,
and for this reason we seize the opportunity
as often as the occasion serves, 10 Deg every
farmer TO act wisely and judiclously IN max
eral crops. We have no doubt some Of our
readers are inclined TO exclaim, "Hoid
enough CT that; don't need 10 be reminded
learned by sad ex Experience, the unwisdomI
not to say foollshness-of planting big
square field in cotton and simply filling out
the corners and waste places In provision
crops % Well, we are glad 10 hear that, and
wish that every one could sincerely endorse
It. But, alas! there are many thousands or
farmers who yet delude themselves In the be-
lief that the true way to farm Is 10 be sure 10
enoasa rs Of %usn corn ana oddeS to
mules"-to say nothing OF the dozen otner
things that enter into family consumption,
and which 60 to make up the sum total OF do
no word Of rebuke-nothipg but encourage
ment and congratulation-fort the farm er who
has at last found out that bis business Is 70
make himself and family comfortable and
happy by the direct returns from his farm
operations-hy cultlv WAITING liberal area In
those crops that are to be consumed at home,
by producing few fat beeves, plenty OF
milk and butter, plenty and variety OF mutt,
bacon and lard, by raising mule or two ev-
cry year and horse colt every other year,
and plenty of grass and hay to feed them
not corn, alone. Such farmer needs no re-
proaches or rebukes, but an occasional re,
from The deep we'll Of his hard.earned and
rich experience. He Is a convert to the faith
of our fathers, be is reformed farmer; we
feel like taking off our hats to him and ask-
for the benefit Of others. We have many
such in the South. Some Of them write ey,
cry month IL the columns Of the 1a1th1ul oio
Cnltyator They are tetiahg anceotieT 0i tae neI
from the ideas Of twenty years ago.
or course the object Of this writing is to
stir up the lukewarm and indiferent, anu II
possible to awaken and alarm 1ne more con9ra.
2 alton. 1t Is not too late to repent OF your
Intentions and To reform your plans and pur-
poses touching the next crop. As we nave
before argued It's by no means the True POI,
lev TO literally produce everything that may
be produced at home. 1t Is often stated IN
that way, and possibly some mean just what
they say, and would add the suggestion that
a farmer should either produce those things
out them. We do not go 50 far. A farmer no
more than and other tnan, should deny nlm
self and family the comforts, .and even lux
rries of life If he is able tC get Them honest-
Iy, either by producing than At home oy MS
own effort. or paying the cash for Them else
where. We do say, and the experience or 90
servation of every one attests that tne iarm a.
to cultivate frnits and flowers TO nave so0o
barns and stables, to keep good cows 10 make
plenty Of milk and butter, and VINO relles on
cotton crop, generally finds II necessary, II
not convenient, to do without them.
PLANTING.
Oats may vet be sown under favorable con:
ditions. 1. e. on strong or highly iertilfzed
land, the right kind of seed, and In the upper
part OF the cotton belt; bnt we don't advise II
with much confidence. The seasons muSt ne
good for one hundred days without much In
u Corn is the crop that is to be planted this
month and the next. we reiterate tne az az,
long repetition OF the same crop, the moist
low lying gloomy soils-the creek or river pot
toms and fresh virgin soils for corn: III Is 9
crop, that must make or 6reak, IN the ,,,s, mex,
gather its supply Of food In much shorler
time, but more important in iis unlikeness 10
II has to pass through the critical period ol
tasselling and silking IN the course Oh iew
days and at a set time in its life development.
There is no corresponding crisis In the cotton
crop. Hence 1t is important that corn shouia
be given moist or moisture retaining SOL,
and conditions favorable 70 Wl,nsoanb'g hob nGen
aration OF the soil by deep breaking ana snal-
| low turning are indispensable conditlons
and liberal mapuring very deslraole always
Then plant in the soil, not under II, or 10 the ID
land, either at the beginning of the plowine
season, or as preparation just before plant
| ing, into beds, plowing out water.lurroW:
we'll and keeping 1t open as drain on'
plant,in deep furrow drawn along the mid
die Of the bed. On all rolling lands, where
| terraces have: been constructed, the rows
when once correctly established should oe
maintained aud all plowinS Tor socceeolpg
rowed crop should be done by the row; An
excellent way to prepare cotton held 1oI
corn IA 10 bar off the old cotton rows and
burst out with long shovel as deep as can oe
pulled. Then shortly before plowing, bed uE
des sne 'Rea We are % beginning 10 believe that il
would be good practice, as II eertalniy ID "a,
con venient one, to adopt uniform wldth OF
row, whetherto be planted IN corn. cott1n
potatoes, or similar crop. and preserve the
rows Indefinitely. Four feet would be good
| com promise distance, reversing az may oe
con venient the relative position OF row ono
middle. Il. .,
ought TO be planted very early. OurUwn ex'
perience favors medium between extremes
Very early planting, say from middle OF Feo
ruary 10 the first of March. in latitude ~, does
well about once in six or eight years. we
finally decided that March ~ was ABOUT the
safest time. all things considered, 70 com
mence planting corn and we tried hard not
| to be put into fever or a hurro TO plant De
cause some Of our neighbors were planting
| a week earlier, or the weather became warm
| and the birds began to sing their spring son
| nets. AS "all signs fail In dry weather. 81
ali signs of an early spring fall when II ls
a late spring; which means, II IL means any
Thing, that no one can forelell the weather OF
the seasons week ahead, not even the olrds
! of passage, or the rusty back Lizard.
| Greer's almanac is about as good ~ ~entn
| er prophet as the best OF the modern seers
and an old last years copy Is about as gooo
! as new one, SO far as the weather predlc
! tIOns are concerned,
| Plant when the time arrives which past ex
perience tells you Is the best time IN the long
run, and when the ground Is not TOO wei 70
plow-whether the air be cold or warm. we
wouldn't care to commencelwhen the CLOUDS
and wind and other appearances oetoken !.
! spell, or day or two OF bad, rainy Weather.
| or course our friends In the extreme soutn,
as well as those in the extreme north, OF tne
cotton belt will make the proper allowances
for differences of latitude; but the principle
applies TO every latitude. ,,,.,, J..
Another principle OF general application Is