The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-02-18
FARM WORK FOR FEBRUARY.
SOME HINTS AS TO THE BEST METHODS
TO BRING SUCCESS.
The Road to Prosperity BIazed out
and Made as Plain as the High
Way to Market-Don't Forget the
Instructions, If You are Making
Hendway in the Road to Sue.
cess.
Southern Cultivator.

cess.
Southern Cultivator.
The forehanded, active and progressive
farmer has by this time matured his plans
for the year and they are already In course
OF execution. A farmer without a we'll de.
10 an army com mmander who simply march
es on the enemy, attacks whenever he finds
him, defends whenever attacked, and re-
treats when he cannot successfully re-
aster and ruin. 1t is not too late yet to FORM
ulate scheme or plan. To pursue the par
allel further. the farmer Is now In winter
quarters; but, like the successful General, he
should do some Of his best work In the line OF
thinking, and planning-brain Worthwhile
the days are yet short and the nights long,
and while vegetation is asleep. He should
clean out his roads and bitches, repair bis (de(
fences, make bright his arms and look well
TO the commissary department..
There Is little to do as yet except in the
way of preparation. The plow work should
now be carried forward without unnecessary
to be reclaimed. ETC., should be turned over al
once If not done in January. Do not hesi-
tate to burn off the grass straw or other lit
ter that would prevent good powing. or that
may improve with successful cultivation.
under such matters monitor two ago, or,
better still, in the early fall, 1t Is now too
late rs the soil will be too much foEled by
their presence In IL to permit OF good cultiva-
tion and the best results in the crop.
II we were constrained by circumstances to
follow corn with corn, we would certainly
prefer to brun mp the corn stalks. or haul
them iaway to fill some gulley or to cover
some unseemly and unproftab.y clay gall
The chief value that such debris gives to II
soil when turned under is due to the phos-
phoric acid, potash and lime that 1t contains,
and those will remain In the form of ashes
when the stalks are burned; while the thou.
sands OF destructive insects that have made
their winter quarters in the corn stalks and
weeds will have been effcctually destroyed.
BETTER IMPROVEMENTS.
In travelling over the country, we have no.
ticed with surprise that large majority OF
the farmers still adhere to the ordinary
scooter plow stocks, whilebull tongues, square
point scooters, shovels and turn shov
els Tor "tw sters'0 make up. the list OF :.ttach-
ments, to do all the work Of plowins the
vation. While the various patterns ol
wrought iron foot plow stock, we doubt H. on
the whole, they are much to be preferred to q
we'll made, iron bound, well adjusted stock Of
the old pattern. None Of them are suited for
turning purposes unless provided with prop
erly shaped irons to give the correct curve to
the mould board, and a Landslide to support
and guide the share. All turning plow work
can be better done with regular turn plow-
made for this use-whether one or two
horse.
The old excuse of too "costly can hardly be
urged now, for these improve turn plOws cost
less TO buy and keep in repair than the 9TH
ers, If the latter be kept In condition TO do the
same quality OF work.
In the matter OF implements for cultiva.
ting the crop there is wide field for progress
and improvement. The practice OF running
two or three furrows in two and half 10
three feet row, oughtto be abandoned as Too
laborious and slow. We write OF this matter
now because the work Of laying off rows for
some sections Of the South the most success
full farmers have adopted five, and In some
cases. six feet as the uniform width OF rows,
both for corn and cotton, using improved,
ton requiring only two burrows, or one round
trip to each row at one plowing; while we do
not recommend that cotton rows be at once
widened from three to five or even four feet,
liberal manuring 1t will be found much more
economical both In seed and labor 10 approx
innate gradually the wider distances. But
such implements cannot be used 10 advantage
Granted. Then prepare, the land for them ny
removing stumps and large stones, good
breaking and narrowing. A good narrow is
one OF he most satisfactory and useful Inn
dement's of we'll ordered farm, and will
more than repay its cost every season; 1t viii
save It's cost In the saving OF labor and In
crease OF crop in going over one hundred
acres of land one time.
Observation-Disclosures.
It Is high time that the compost hear
| shouid receive attention. Good stable or lo
manure, If thrown into compost heap o
several feet thickness will undergo fermen
| tation and decomposition su1hciently In tht
course of four weeks to be in good condition
for applying to the land but it will be better
| If the time be extended TO six weeks or more
Ideht. short and untrampcd stables litter may
Indeed be hauled out and scattered broadcas
| UithOnt hplDinp.
| If g. has beep trodden under foot in the stall,
for months 1t is impossible to get it into mel
low, distributable condition without heapnG
| il and permitting 1t to ierment, except at 6
great cost Of labor. While heaping them Il
Is well to mix with IT. the fertilizing chem
In the February Cultivator, 1890, we gave
several formulas for mixing stable manure