The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1893-03-15

New Boston, Tex, March lin an
article written to the Home and Farm,
last May, ! aaid that we could look out
for excessive rains and high water-be'
fore the article was published all the
western streams were rising rapidly
and that these rains with the reduced
acreage would cause shortage iu the
cotton crop equal to the surplus then on
hand. But look out for big cotton crop
in 1893.
Now this was not wholly guess work.
further said all kinds of grain would
be low. My reasons were then given,
and 1t would take several lengthy arti-
cles to explain. So here I will only say
that the rains had already commenced
and there was great deal of water on
the ground everywhere except in the
Southwest. When this is the case at
the beginning of warm weather it is sure
| to last until midsummer if not until mid
winter.
These Wet seasons are the very thing
for all kinds Of grain, but very detrimen'
| tai to cotton. Still, good cotton can be
made these wet seasops and the very
best of grain made in dry seasous, but
better preparation and cultivation are
needed in both cases. I have not time to
say more than this on the base of my
last Mays prophecy. Why 1 said look
out out for big cotton crop in 1893 was
because the short crop of 1892 would, as
said then, sell cotton at 10 10 cents a
pound and everybody would wish their
grain was in cotton in 1898; and be-
cause every even year since I came to
Texas, in 1875, there had been much
more rain than In the odd years, and corn
hes always beer low in the fall and win
ter Of even years and cotton high the
next spring, while the falls Of odd years
have reversed things-high corn and low
cotton in the fall. Still, this is by no
means interchangeable, and large crops Of
grain may be procured in the grain belt
proper in odd years. This would hold the
price down as in 1889. Then they may
do just as we did last year in cotton and
| in the grain belt did in 1890-cut down
the grain crop.
1t is now very certain the cotton acre
age will be larger and corn acreage at the
South much below last year, with the
probability Of ia dry season. This will
bring high corn, and would bring low
cotton but for the large per cent. of the
crop being planted in (the very unpro-
li6c) long staples. And long staples cut
no figure in the cotton supply. except to
count acreage and bales to hold down the
price, because long staples cannot be
used in general manufactured goods.
Still there will very likely be a large
enough crop made to fully supply the de.
mand and hold the price below present
prices. All the Bottom lands will be
forced to greatly increase the acreage,
aud should the season be dry, as we sus-
pect, they will make fully 100000 more
bales than they made in 1892. Besides
their increased acreage their land will be
much richer and easily cultivated. Add
this to last years crop and We see, with
out counting the increase on the uplands,
there would be ample to supply the de-
mand.
The South must have more than one
money crop and more than one forage
crop. On dry years the one forage crop
corn, seldom does we'll on sandy lands,
but cotton and all other shade plants do
best these dry seasons, and on the wet
wears cotton does not fruit we'll. One
season Spanish goobers will make twice
as much forage as corn on poor or very
sandy lands, and or dry seasons three or
four times as much. They are no more
trouble to cultivate than cow pea, will
make in from ninety to 100 days planted
In April, will be ready to harvest in July
are harvested by pulling up vines as we
used to pull up cow peas in the old
States. The goobers all hangs to and
come up with the vine. A hand car
pull up enough to winter a milch COW
or feed horse three months in single
day.
grew them last year that made 6
quart of goobers to the single hill. We
have our rows three or three and hal
feet apart and drop two goobers about
every eighteen inches in the drill at cot
ton planting time. A drouth that woulc
ruin corn crop would be the masking o
cotton.
Next to the goobers COW peas come fol
forage on those dry seasons on poor o.
very sany land.
Now how about the substitute money
crop? When the goobers or COW peas
are harvested in July, follow close upor
the harvesters with plow and harrow
roller or log drag. or take up in the af-
ternoon and plow and harrow the mex
morning, and harrow once week until
the first good season after the first of An
gust, which is nearly always the middle
of the month in the northern part Of tht
cotton belt and last of August in th'
Southern part. Lay off rows same width
as for the goobers, and plant Irish pota-
toes. Cover with four furrows witt
turning plow. Always cut the potato
never plant whole potato in second OF
fall crop, because the whole tuber may
lie without sprouting till spring, while
the cut potato will come right up, il
there ia sufficient moisture, to perfec
stand.
1t is not necessary to sprout them be-
fore planting if cut. But the land mus
be pulverized very fine, 30 as to hole