The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-08-21
bitches AND PASTURES.
The Most Important Question Now
Before the American People ~
Grass - The News and Courier -
Friendly Advices ON Ditches-The
Editors COnceit.

Recent utterances OF the News and Courier
would lead us TO believe that that paper
lieve somebody suggested ought TO come OFF
next winter in the City by the Sea-
AS q politician we often take issue with the
News and Courier, but In practical matters u
Is generally plum right. If lis practical tHlks
on grass and farming were put in the weekly
az we presume IL Is, 1t would be worm many
times its cost. ,
before the American people today Is grass.
This editor is studying grass and taking testl-
mony as 10 the value OF the same. For WIN
Ter pasture we have no doubt that land set In
bur clover and bermuda grass Is more valu-
able as pasture for winter and summer than
any other land could be, no matter In what
IT may be set. The News and Courier, we be-
lieye concurs In this view. so thoroughly, is
this editor convinced OF the value or these
grasses that he Is now experimenting with
bur clover and bermuda grass. Several acres
were set in Germuda:last spring, ana we nave
planted, and still have on hand, W bat Is estl-
mated at about 81 bus bells OF bur clover seed
Some OF II has been planted and IL now COM
ing up. We have stu on on hand ,io, some ~ %
pect 10 throw broadcast on ABOUT twenty
acres, where bermuda grass was set last
spring. -- ,no
clover the coming winter. The bermuda
grass which we set in rows three feet apart
last spring. Is doing fairly we'll; Much OF the
roots that we planted have taken hold, and
we hope to have the ground thickly sodded
in the course OF a few years. Stock of all
kinds like bermuda. Except horses, the same
is true OF bur clover, or that IDEA ls borne out
by the testimony on the subject.
III we succeed In getting catch or set OF
both grasses We will have good pasture Iof
winter and summer. If we get good pasture
for winter and summer we Will report re-
sults.
own bottoms cannut oe made useful, unless
his neighbors first ditch or drain their low
land. The fact Is, bottoms on almost an!
tract can be Improved, If attention be given
II is altogether a mistake to suppose that
ditch is Intended to prevent the flooding oi
the land. The flood fertiliZes and makes IL
rich. II is not desirable TO dig a ditch SO
large that the waters Of food can be carried
off Within Its channel. The channel Is useful
for drying the land in normal conditions and
10 prevent the sand from spreading over the
rich bottom land during freshets or high
water Sand will not stop or lodge In an
ooen current, but will go on until obstrnc-
tions are struck. DISTINCTIONS stop the sand
and ruin the land, while bitches carry 1t for
ward.
The Almighty, In his wisdom. laid of the
streams crooked in order that the water
might descend gradually 10 the sea. II Our
streams were straight for great distances The
earth, through which they run, would De
carried away by the great rush OF water, and
the adj accent land would be destroyed.
the fact thai the hillsides are washed into
them by the heavy'rains II the sand meets
RATS or other distractions. IL Is lodged IN tbe
when 1t lodges on the fertile soil with In
furious effect. II streams are kept open, or
straight, the sand does not. as rule, leave
the current. 1t IL carried TO great distances
by the swift running water. and does not stop
until distractions are found.
Running water may be compared to SHAFT,
or volume, whose natural inclination Ia to
run straight. II creek Is tapped by ditch
at right angels. II will Ill with sand. There
IL, we believe. no exception TO this rule: The
swift running water carries with 1T the sand,
while the water In the ditch at right angles j.
less swift and the sand will settle there. A
dit ch should tap stream before 1t reaches b
bend, II II be intended To change the current
or bed OF the creek. The wafer rebounds
when 1t strikes the bank, and, like ball
that strikes a hard substance, its course l.
changed. Water 10 passing over log, dam
or other obstruction goes straight over IL.
For instance: IL the dam is straight across
The stream the water will continue straight
down the channel. II the dam Is set disgon-
ally across the stream. the water will strike
the bank 10 which the upper end OF the dam
is attached, and greater or less damage Will
be done according 10 circumstances.
We do not desire To prevent the hoodipg OF
our bottoms for the simple reason that The
flooding enriches the soil When land is not
overfowed 1t losses lis fertility and In but
few years the rich bottom land, that was irri-
gated by the overflow. is common upland.
Logs ksd sao the of se boom
land, will cause serious damage by high
water. The only safety for the average fiat
land is to give the high water unobstrucled
flow.
Neighbor farmers are laughing at US now.
They think we are wasting money In various
ways, but especially In the matter OF ditching.
We have dug two long ditches. One OF
them was to take spring branch off of
bottom. The other ia intended TO take the
creek at ordinary low water. and TO drain
some wet portions. The creek ditch is about
500 yards long, vary Ing IN width from 30 to 81
inches at top. and In depth varying from two
to six feet, ia a perfectly straight line No
man has looked at IL who has not thought he
could have laid 1t off better, and If we had
not had some experience in laying off ditchea,
and were not supported by reasonable degree
of selfconceit, we would likely go of and
commit suicide.
One man thought 1t ought to have been
curved at a particular place He didn't give
his reason for desiring the graceful line. The
suggestion struck us all In heap, and before
we recovered, the Idea OF asking bis reason
escaped our attention. And 80 the rea.
son Tor that i'm provementis is lost forever.
Another neighbor thought 1t ought TO have
varied its course So as 10 get better fall
which would let the sand get better outlet.
One gentleman who knew what be was
talking about said the ditch was not big
enough 10 carry off the water that runs by
Mlller's store In town, when we had heavy
rains.
Another friend said that the ditch would
I'LL up with sand. and then consoled US by
telling of a neighbor who spent consider
able sum In dggln ditch that was filled up
with sand by the first rain.
Another looker-op said that the sides Of the
ditch would not wash and that II would re-
main The same size forever, and therefore de-
feat our purpose.
All said that the ditch would not carry the
water "wben the creek was up"
Many claimed that the ditch ought TO be
six feet, or eight feet, Wide, &c. &c.
About thousand thought there was no use
to dig a ditch (where We have just had one
dugO unless the creek was cleaned out to
Long Cane. q mile aud half below.
We took all the criticisms and suggestions
in good part and we now know more about
bitches than any man on earth. We have
stored away IN our mind the valuable infor.
nation received from thousand sources,
and 1t Is reasonable TO suppose that we are
ahead on dllches.
Nearly every man on earth thinks that he
can by instinct lay of ditch to perfection.
and the editor Of the Press and Banner Is no
exception to the rule He was born on
a creek. 10 the son OF millwright and has
had something 10 do with creeks nearly all
his life. While he has found no mea ms OF
preventing the filling OF drain ditch through
for q stream that did not serve the purpose
for which it was intended--(of course this
last ditch has not yet been fully tested.)
About twenty years ago we bought farm
on Hard LABOR Creek, near White Hall, now
in Greenwood County. The creek ran In all
directions about as nearly on top of the
ground as 1t ever does. The creek was ditch
ed In some places, corners we're dug down in
other places. until the creek was nearly
straight. Result: the banks are from three
TO six feet deep. the water standing in many
places to considerable depth. A three foot
ditch was dug 10 keep a branch from running
over the bottom land. To get IL straight
a considerable depth had 10 be dug through
the nose OF a little hill. The ditch was dug
some three feet wide. 1t IL now from eight to
fifteen feet wide, and deep enough.
The ditch on Norris Creek, II we are not
mistaken. will serve the purpose for which 1t
was intended
We are willing TO ack noWl ledge that our