The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1900-10-31
SUBSOILlNG COWPEAS-

We are rejoiced to see that our cow
peas this year are heavier than ever
before, especially on the land which
was subsoiled last fall. 1t shows us that
we are on the right line and arc getting
ahead. We have one piece of land
where this is especially noticeable, be-
cause only n portion of it was subsoil-
ed. 1t is an old red clay hill, and con-
sidcrcd very poor. The land has been
in cultivation for no one knows how
long, the oldest inhabitants having seen
cotton grown there before the war. 1t
was a badly CALLED broomscdge field
two years ago, when we first broke it
up and planted it in watcrmelons.
Last year we had this land in sweet
potatoes, but the crop was very poor,
and after they were dug last fall we
determined to give this field a thorough
o%verhauling. We therefore went in
there when the soil was rather dry,
with two big teams and gave it a plow-
ing and subsoiling that broke the land
fully 10 inches dccp-all but about one
acre, which was not plowcd. The
land which was broken we worked
down and sowed to oats. We were
rather late in getting these oats IN, and
they were badly killed by the cold. In
fact, did not pay TO cut.
Now, all this land is in cowpeas.
The part which was SUBSIDIZED last fall
was rcplowcd this fall with n twistcr,
and the part not broken in the fall we
turned about eight inches deep with a
big two-horse pillow: We sowed q
| hnChpl nnl a half ~c az 49,.
to the acre, worked them in with a
cutaway harrow, then narrowed with
smoothing harrow, then rolled.
The superiority of the peas on the
SUBSIDIZED part is very marked, the ma
jorlty of them being fully waist high,
while those on the land broken in the
spring and not SUBSIDIZED are not ovel
knee high.
We f~crtilize all our peas with BOO
to 400 pounds to the acre of a chear
chemical fertilizer. An application OF
400 pounds to the acre of fertilizer
analyzing 10 per cent. of phosphoric
acid and 10 percent, potash will double
your crop of vines if your land is wei
prepared. This fertilizer can be easily
made by thoroughly mixing together
400 pounds muriatc of potash will
500 pounds Of acid phosphate tc
make a ton. This can be applied
broadcast and narrowed in with /;
smoothing harrow after the peas have
been worked in with a cut-away.
The main point in deep preparation
is to put the land in a condition tc
hold water. Plants cannot ust
| phnnNIpo1 fnrti1,vo,c ,,>Inr, r,.Ia., ::
present to make them soluble; and here
IS where the advantage of subsoilins
comes in, if the subsoiling is don,
while the land is dry, or dry enough
so as not TO be at all sticky down in
it will not run back together, and |;
inches of soil will hold double In,
water that eight inches will.
When the dry weather came on il
August those pea vines Oh the sub
solled portion, whose roots we're dccl
III the ground, keep right on GROWN!
while on the part not SUBSIDIZED the,
remained almost stationary.
write This to show you the advan
tagc of putting your land in the righ
condition. Many II disappointment
with commercial fertilizers is due [,
poor tiilagc.
This subsoiling is hard work, ! know
and we cannot do 1t all at once, but w,
can take Il few acres at a time Will
the general farm work Is not pressin.
i'll the fall, and the weather is cool
thus making 1T easier on the stock an,
by so dong gradually get our land int
better condition.
All through the Piedmont section
where the land or subsoil is red ella,
and naturally well drained, subsoilin!
will pay and pay well.
+. j. MERRIAM.