The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1909-09-29
Winter CoucI CIops

HihIei SOtS! SIopS
one of the most important crops
for the people Of South Caroline Is
the winter cover crop. They pre-
vent teaching and when turned uI,-
der add hulnus to the soil The
ieSunrs. clover and yetch, store
plant food in the soil during the
winter ,> III. peas 90 in summer. In
the sand hills where winter cover
crops are turned under the soil will
not leach and turn the crop yellow
in spots. In the Piedmont section
vide stretches o: sol! will not be
washed away by the heavy spring
rains whee. hulnuS has been put in
the soil by turning under Il winter
cover crop in the spring. This was
proved very torcibly in many places
throughout the State this year.
Where winter cover crops were
turned under the past spring the soil
Gid not leach or wash away ~ il did
whc:. the soil was left bare during
the winter and nothing turned un-
der in the spring. Nothing helps r
crop TO reSis, :, drought like 4 winter
cover crop turned under before
planting For these crops would
recommend rye crimson clover and
vetcli
RYE.-Rye is one Of the best win
ter crops. but i: does not add plant
food to the soil in the form of nitro
gen. except what Is stored in the
plant and turned under. Most peo
pie know how TO SOW rye. 1t can be
sown during any month and make :.
successful cove! up to the first OF De
cember. Il can also be sown in corn
or cotton early in the fall. II sown
earlv it will make Z better growth.
hence OF more value rs y cover crop.
One OF the best kinds OF rye. eSpeci
ally for the sandy lands, j. Abruzzes,
which was imported by the Asricul-
tural Department. Pure seed OF th:s
appears TO give better results than
any other.
CLovER AND Neutrality-suspicious.
o! the land: \ good seed bed is nee
eSsary for these crops. The land
should be plowed and thoroughly
pulverized with 4 tooth harrow and
for the Improvement of the land Il Is
best TO turn it 4 few inches deeper
than it has been previously plowed:
but when the land has been turned
in order 70 prepare it. if good rains
DO not invervene between the prepa-
ration of the land and the sowing Of
the sead. IL roller should be used to
firm the seed bed.
Glover and vetch can both be sown
in corn and cotton at this season OF
the year. II the fields are fairly
clean, SOW the seed broadcast and
run q harrow or sweep through the
middle We have seen good crops
grown this way the past winter. II
pea Stuhble is to be used for sowing
clover or vetch it can be thoroughly
pulverized with cut-a-way harrow
and tooth harrow and will proba-
bis make better crop without be-
ing turned.
FERTILIZERS.-The best fertilizer
for clover or vetch is stable manure.
This should be well rotted and ap-
piled sometimes previous to sowing
the seed. if the best results are to be
secured. 800 to 400 pounds OF Acid
Phosphate. l6 per cent. Acid and /
per cent. Potash, called 4 16-i Acid,
per acre should be applied at the
time Of sowing the seed. II the land
seems to be at all sour, and in nearly
all cases. lime is beneficial. using one
ton OF agricultural ii.ce, LOGO pounds
Of air slack lime per acre. The best
time to sow the seed for crimson
clover is as early in the fal! as it can
be Sown without the hot sun killing
the young plants. In the lower sec
ton Of the State i. is generally best
not to SOW until the last Of Septeln-
Der. Vetch can be sown with good
results almost any month from the
lst o; September TO December.
INC-2ULATIoN.-O OF the most
important requirements for crimson
clover and vetch is that the soil
should be inoculated. In the Pied
mont section Of the State stable
manure very often furnishes sufh
cient incubation for q sure crop, bnt
the Surest plan is to inoculate the
soil and one OF the best ways to DO
this is by securing soil from some
field where a crop OF the kind TO be
planted has been grown successfully.
The more soil the better.
The Department OF Agriculture
will also furnish inoculation which
wnen directions are carefully fol-
lowed have given good results. Some
companies also sci! inoculated seed.
These, believe, in soma instances.
have been en- advantage. It might
be well to use all three Of these
methods.
AMOUNT OF SEED.-About 20 lbs.
Of crimson clover seed should be
sown per acre and 20 to 80 lbs. Of
vetch seed. 1t is a good plan also to
SOW with thu vetch seed some rye.
The seed should be Sown broadcast
and lightly pushed in, ushins moth
ing heavier than tooth harrow.
IRA w. WILLIAMS.
State Agent Farmers Cooperative
Demonstration Work. Columbia. sc.
Any other information concerning
these crops will be gladly furnished
by G. y. MCFADDIN.
County Agent.