The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-04-08
APRIL'S BUSIEST DAYS.
TALKS WITH THE TILLERs OF THE SOIL
Food. for Thought, whereby They
May Earn Food for the Body, and
Make the Farm Blossom as the
Rose.

II
May Earn Food for the Body, and
Make the Farm Blossom as the
Rose.
Southern Cultivator.
In the South there are more acres planted
in theseveral farm crops than during any one
month in the year. Corn planting IL Sill
cotton planting 1s at blgh TIDE
and vii lc0ntinue throughout the month. II
is emphatically the planting month OF the
year, while At The same time II Is the month
In which cultivation must commence In ear
nest.
the plow yet we would not plow II before
the plants are large enough to permit the
siding to be done in the most thorough man.
ner without too much stopping 10 uncover.
Thlsleads me to remark that Jones Plant
Fender is very excellent appliance for pro-
tecting small plants from covering, and per-
milting close and deep plowing.. IL can be
quickly attached TO any plowstock, ana COSTS
but lone dollar. (rhis advertisement being
free and all the more reliab!e).
The irst plowing may; and should be, deep
and close on all soils that are stiff or inclined
to run together, and we know OF nothing pet
ter for the siding furrow than moderately
is not necessary to plow out the whole mid;
die at once on the contrary, we haye 1onnd
1t GENERALLY expedient to run round the entlre
crop, or as much az may be ready for the op-
IL,
dies out. On mellow, soft, clean lands deep
blowing Is not at at all necessary II the ground
was we'll plowed before planting. Indeed, IN
our own practice we adopted tne general
rule that wherever sweep, scrape or other
wide expending cultivator will 40 good work,
no other implement, or deeper ploWing Is re-
aulred. 1t Is pretty safe rule all through tne
cultivation OF any crop, thus always giving
work at the time and the largest
amountIacr per day. with the least labor.
David Dickson, the apostle OF practical iartn
operations, used TO plow out seven 1901 corn
row with four burrows, including the first as
well as the second and third plowings. We
can do still better with one of the improved,
ali steel cultivators. MIR. Dickson was pro
nounced advocate OF the nse OF the Wloe
and difficult to keep in proper shape. The
heel scrape followed, aud has nearly super &C.
ded the sweep. and IL will in turn give way
to the strong, light.running, expanding steei
at one round trip. This first plowing OF corn
should be done so carefully az to obviate tt Q
necessity for hand hoe work, which may be
easily done on smooth, well prepared lanu.
1t Is not bad rule To require every plo%man
on such land 10 stop and remove, or cover
with his hands. or paddle kept at hand !or
the purpose, every bunch or sprig OF grass
that might have been destroyed by the rloW:
Under such a rule greater care ana sRlli VIII VIII
likes to stop TO uncover, or cover any
Luing.
small details that perfect work can De accom-
pIished. He who overooks them and re-
cards them as no consequence, will always
have slipshod work and untidy looking
fields.
If the plants are healthy and vigorous, and
the land not specially infested by bud worms.
means OF q narrow paddle, in advance OF the
plows. 1t may be idone when the ground Is
too wet TO plow or hoe, each hand oelng
armed with paddle three or four feet long,
and carrying two rows at a'time.
COTTON PLANTING.
Corn plowing over and fertilizers distrlbn,
ted on the cotton land, cotton planting Is
next in order. When Is the proper time 10
plant cottono
our old readers are aware that we do not re-
saIrd Or IN Seadng When
plant corn, cotton or anything else. Ihe time
OF the year aud the condition Of the ground
as to preparation and moisture are the only
guides that are OF any value. Plant when
the GROUND is In good condition, not loo wet
TO plow, and when the dale has arrived
which past experience tells US ls the oes'
time The important thing Ill planting COT
ton is 10 plant so as TO secure and afterwards
main lin good stand. The condition most
likely TO secure these objects are a meilw,
but somewhat compacted soil d lresn maae,
SHALLOW furrow, covering OF fresh SOIL, mou-
eraLely compressed by block or board ana the
time after which we do not usually have cold,
wet weather. or course perfectly SOUND seed,
and plenty of them are understood. Some'
times the ground is so dry that the seeo can
not he covered deep enough to secure germl-
nation WI thout danger Of becoming too deep.
ly buried to come up If 4 heavy rain should
occur. In such Case II Is we'll 10 cover Will d
light double toothed barrow aud knock on
in five or six days, or just as Inc nrst pIahts
commence u appear.
We can confidently recommend, from per.
sonal experiment, the broadcast narrowing
of cotton de ids the trst time just as the planLs
are commeroing to break through, out not
waiting for mat II 4 dry crust Is forming ON
the surface as will be :likcly whenever raj d
falls on newly planted field. The nrst hsI-
rowing may be either directly across Inc oeas
ut right angles, or diagonally. Perhaps the
latter plan is better, because the second bar
rowing may be diagonally In the other direc-
tion. But we would not run parallel Win or
along the rows. A light slanting steel
toothed harrow is the kind for the purpose.
The effect OF narrowing Lhus is 10 save an
immense amount OF labor OF both OF p!o~ an q
hoe. and to postpone the necessity FOR ootn
from o week TO three weeks. according 10 tne
exigencles' OF the situation, Just think OF IL:
A good mule can easily pull light smooth
ing harrow that will spread five feet, thus
going over ten to twelve acres IN one day
1t will not do to wait until the grass IL up ar d
growing.
Don't walt until something must be done,
but only walt until O light crust is about to
form two or three days after rain.
FORAGE CROPS.
Don't fail TO put In liberal area TO one or
more of the we'll approved green forage crops,
such as cat.tail millet, svrghums, common
corn. They are immensely productive, and
will prove Immensely convenient as the short
supply of dry forage commences 10 run low,
besides being very wholesome and palatable
too5. But they each and all require rich land
To succeed well.
Try a patch or two of colards. common
Georgia collards. Plant on good land, the
richer the better, in three feet rows, one plant
every twelve inches. Cultivate well, and our
word for IT you will not regret the small vent.
urc.
Commence thinning when the plants grow
to touch each other, by pulling up every third
plant, and feed to every animal that must be
fed. hogs particularly.
When the patch has been gone over once,
then 20 over again, pulling up "every other
plant; then commence running or stripping
Off the lower leaves one or two at "a time, and
so on throughout the summer and fall. We
believe collards are about the best prevent
i've OF hog cbole ra eXtant.
THE AREA OF THE COMING COTTON CROP.
Before the end Of this month, the greater
mart of the area of the com ing cotton crop
will have been planted; in the cotton belt
proper, quite all Of it. 1t Is therefore high
nl.lfI to al