The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-08-06
LETTING LAND LIE IDLE.
an Experienced Farmer Gives Good
Reasons for Occupying Land All the
Time with Growing Crops.

Reasons for Occupy ing Land All the
Time with Growing Crops
Country Gentleman.
Farmers arc beginning 20 SEQ tho nd
vantage OF occupying their grain fields
with some growing crop after the grain
Is harvested. Land in u state OF nature
Is occupied the season through. There
Is no rest rs is held necessary by
some, with cultivated soil, for the rca.
son that no effort is required for growth.
l'ractlCe has demonstrated this long
ago, whore land has boon titled ANIMAL,
~ tor generations, bearing rs good crops
now rs at first, and better whore the
land has been properly taken caro- OF.
me practice OF Keeping tho ground un-
occupied the latter part OF the snuson
from tho time tho grain crop IS remov-
cd, has nothing at all to recommend it.,
ana much to oppose. The land is not
only idle, but thcro is u chance for
Wccus ahu coarse grasses to grow and
rlpcn 'tholr seeds, especially in moist
| weather, which som atimcs occurs in,the
latter part OF the season. This. in n
large proportion OF land, is a great
source OF evil, as our folds abunduntly
ATTEST. 10 havo the ground exposed
during tho heat and urouth Of August
ana Sertcmbc", Is not likely to bonciit
|
narrow 1t is Il benefit. no doubt mare
than paying for the trilling expense of
the work, which il soon ACCOMPLISHED
IL INC pluw Is needed on account of
grass and weeds, all the creator will
be the benefit.
immediately after the ground is
worked when yet moist, SOW it to some
, crop SO rs to got it started in case OF
drouth. During the rest OF the season
the growth will be drawing fertility
: from the atmosphere, and shading the
ground no doubt furthers fertility.
his crop turned down in tho fall ratn
IL cr lightly, will afford an excellent seed
y ped III the spring, with tho certainty
II OF an increased yield in tho crop, and
S the land will be cleaner and in bctter
II cohdlIlon. This practice continued
yearly Will be constant benefit, re.
u curing less manure and the vcgctabls
1t mineral thus added will further favor
o fertility by retention and chemical ef
feet upon tho mineral matter Of the
- SOIL. Clay soil will also be less tcnaci
" Gus and hard. The effect is somowha
VI IKE yearly turning down sod, with tn
q advantage OF more speedy dccomposj
n tion, and benefit to the crop that, fol
l. lows.
e The advantage here over green ms
'c nuring proper is that it does not into,
J. fore with the regular cropping Of tin
10 season. The earlier crops, like when
!; ana rye, being removed largo mas
OF vegetable material may bo grow
ld ana turned down in time for the fa
* sowing OF winter grain. For this Dur
&c pose there is probably nothing bette
s. than the pea, which will readily ro
and afford pabulum for good grOwtl
@ OF the gram by winter, tho ground be
Q ing sufficiently compact by spring fo
II this grain, especially in clay soiIs
: One Of my noighbors raised ~ bushcI,
8 per acre OF wheat on sod turned 1nwr
G q lew weeks before sowing The sea
c son was favorable for wheat. Tho next
year wheat on the Samo ground well
= worked without manure, WAS q failure.
l have known stubblc ground bearing
: coarse grass and weeds turned dow
with success for wheat, and this with.
out manure, tho soil not very rich, and
FOR years cropped and reduced.
The point OF Importance to be ALWAYS
, kept In Wow Is the amount of yepetable
matter IN tho soil. In old worn out
, land II Is always moro or less wantinp
and here 1t has the greatest effect, nnd
u comparatively small amount doinp
much TO increase the growth. | have
! seen thlS done In not u few cases, and it
mas always boon satisfactory. Rycand
peas arc the plants mostly used, and
m:liet' where the ground Is not poor, is
recommended. Any quick growing
rich plant will do. With rye and peas
no mistake can Dc made, as they arc of
quick growth and rich in fcrtlizing
material. The pea is best adapted to
) summer growth, to follow after wheat
or rye. AS it is II faster grow or q larger
amount OF material is secured to be
turned down in the fall or spring. An.
other thing with this grain is Of spcci-
al value; it Is adapted to poor or run
down soil ; with tho aid OF plaster
which, whore it has It's full effect, more
than doubles the growth, and hence
should always be used for this purpose,
In such cases nothing approaches It for
fertllizing land chcaply in short time,
and no time Is better than after tho
grain crop, to fill the idle gay.
Who're tho time Of growth is shorter
sroWis2 as ;siISr e 5N1 81 ;GTS< is the plant
rapidly in the spring, atrording a rich
, ana abundant mass OF matter to turn
! GOWN ON land not too much impoyer
lshed, otherwise manure must be used
ana 1T lisa paying operation where tn,
: tlmo will allow Of its application; th(