The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1905-06-29
Fitting the Soil For Crops.

When l was boy my father used to
say, "Well, H., this land is well
adapted for corn, potatoes. or beans,
and I think we better break up a
piece and try it,
Sometimes the pieces thus selected
were pretty thoroughly pitted with
large rocks not easily removed, 10 say
nothing Of an abundance of small
stones, thus making it difficult mat
ter to turn over the sod nicely.
AS we had only common A-harrow
to pulveriZe with in those days. there
was considerable backache invested in
the crops we raised. Very often good
crops were obtained. Notwithstanding
the unfavorablc conditions; but as /
look back upon that time it seems as
if it was a good way to make boy
disgusted with farm work.
Removing large stones With q good
team is pleasant enough, and picking
up small ones is certainly paradise
compared with trying to raise crops
where large and small are permitted
to remain on the lot during plowing
and cultivation.
I am not sure that farmers would
ever have given up the cultivation OF
such rough lots had not Western CON-
petition forced them 20 it. -
1t is certainly an expensive luxury
nowadays for farmer to hire ard pay
good wages and do much hand work.
Improved implements in recent
years have very much lessened the
backache of the olden time, and those
old times were not good times either.
Farmers returning from work at night
often had the appearance of rainbows,
minus the gay colors.
Repairs amount to considerable when
expensive implements are used on
rough lots. 10 make a good job every
thing in the way should be removed.
This takes time and money, but it is
a satisfaction to see an acre nicely
cleared, highly fertilized, with crop
on it, showing by signs not to be mis-
taken that at harvest time the ledger
will show balance on the right side.
Fertilizers cost considerable, and one
sometimes draws only a Hibernian
dividend after using his best efforts
to make success.
It is still more expensive to cultivate
a large area with small amount of
fertilizer; the results are pretty sure to
show the truthfulness Of "He that
soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly,"
to say nothing Of the modification OF
the owner at seeing poor crop.
The excellent results usually obtained
by using literally Of high grade phos-
phate for nearly al kinds Of garden
truck, are, no doubt, in 4 measure, ow-
ing to its being so thoroughly COM
minuted. Fine gardens cannot readily
and quickly find suitable nourishment
in large Jumps Of stable manure.
If it is true that plants take their
nourshment only in liquid form, 1t be-
comes a matter of the first Importance
what the mechanical condition of the
manure applied may be.
If one has a disk harrow, and firm,
smooth piece Of land near the barn. the
condition of the stable manure can be
improved by spreading as much as de-
sired for garden truck, and giving it
thorough going over with the harrow
before using.
The commercial fertilizer can be
thoroughly incorporated with the ma
nure by this operation if one wishes. II
one can afford the money it is usually
better to use the stable manure else
where, and apply the phosphate for
garden truck. The labor Of keeping
out weeds is much lessened.
Very many farmers spread consider
able manure on their mowings in the
spring. +
Where no manure spreader is avail
able it is evident that improving the
mechanical condition Of the manure by
the use of disk harrow as above
indicated would result in 4 more even
stand Of the grass. Handling the ma
nure twice would, of course, add to
the expense.-Henry ]. Veits, in Massa-
chusetts Ploughman.
Chicks Dying in the Shell.