The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-05-05
SUGGESTIONS FOR WORK IN APRIL.

April may be called, by WY Oh olstlnctiOn,
lne planting month. Planting is OF soutse
done In other months, but usually II lnere IL
not too much rain IL IL the ann OF me farmer
to have the cotton and a large part OF tue
corn planted by May l. Much depends Oh
Ihe rainfall in March and April: II excess
i've in these months the Flashing OF the
planting will be deferred until lar INTO May
It ia possible TO make corn planteo IN June
and ever some cotton. But ior tnese ct"ps
Wnat we want them, and the. wise FARMER
knows this, and Will 30 make MS plans as 10
take advantage Of the WORKING Times wnen
tney do come. In no calling does 4 little lore
Thought count for more than In agriculture.
All things seem to work together To assist the
thoughtful, careful man, ana eSerytnIns ap.
parently Is against the otner Rino. 20 MOI
blame on Providence what snoulu ratner oe
These are a few thoughts for April work,
set down Without much order. Tfere IL
nothing new IN them, Inl r shg nre sre fepe"'eu
Thought one Is: Do not Try 10 prepare
more land than there are people 10 cuitiVate.
1t might 'e possible TO get IN condltlon q
much larger acreage than could subsequently
be rightly I'll ed. Is this not perfectly evil
dent9 Then 1t is better to think OF this be-
forehand than 10 be forced TO do some hard
disagreeable thlnkins later
Thought two Is: Prepare thoroughly AND
we'll for the planting. Deep stirring OF the
sol can be done better before the seed are IN
the ground than after wards. This 1s the
time, usually, 10 let me pi0W 60 o aINda 70 o. sn !,
there are clrd break them With the barrow
The disc Is foe for destroying clods; 40 10 tht
Thomas harrow. Especial attention shoulC
he given TO this question of deep, thorough
stirring Of the soil before p aptipg. We wan
a rood mellow seed-5ed, 80 that the rain,
can sink into the ground Instead OF runnini
of, and 30 that the plant roots can penesrat
deeply In search of plant food. Alter growth
con mences, roots are sent out In every dlrec
tiou In search Of plant food and water, ant
deep tillage will destroy these laterals, max
ing 1t necessary, for the plants 10 grow I hev
Some root-pruniug ls unaVoidable, put N
less there Is. the better II Will be for the III
and development Of the plant. Whateve
deep tillage is done should De zone soon a.le 9
many roots, and the later CIVILIZATIONS shoul
Through three is: Do not neglect the ga,
den In the hurry OF doing the field worn
The garden looks like a small u~nimportan
thing, but II there are many In the family
vegetables will be needed. Even those WI
profess a dislike for them VIII Usually q Q
the table. SO try, II possible, TO get the gai
den well prepared and free Of clods. If m
ia not done In March, 1t can yet be done.
the BEDDING Is done at the rlgnt time lnel
they can be broRe en- with mattock or harrow
The rest should then be easy. Auy one, eve
those with slight frame me and strength Igsas, ca ca
Irish potatoes should have been planted esi
Iier, but April is II good month for most OF ID
general planting. 49,,
ii you are still going by the moon, 1t vi
perhaps be useless 10 say anything along tn
line. as II Is Impossible TO convince q moor
firmer by any array OF facts, that ne
wrong. I would not, In all seriousness, wa
iii the moon was right" II the ground an
ne weather are right. and the seed are goo
will be all right 10 plantthem. Oneolh'
uggestion may be made: II is,to make u
rvs as long as the lay OF the ana ana u
ne Of garden will permit. good large ga
den Enclosure. say half an acre or more,
: best; but II you have not that kind make u
most OF what you have. by careful Workir
and manuripg. BY having me ro~S as 1OI
and with less loss Of valuable time. A ms
with the right lind Of pillow can do more
one hour than can be lone by hand In a da
too, TO leave a border at the end OF rows,
save tramping OF plowed ground and breal
ing of plants. -,
specialization In crop.productlor. with ns
believe more diversifcation should be pra
ticed. We have already planted cotton U
exclusively, and while IT. will remain u
great standard crop Of the Sontn, perhaps !
the soil, The basis OF most OF the wealth
the Southern States. By diversifying is q
meant tina each one should attempt TO raj
manifestiy be impossible, but that we chou
cease 10 be growers OF cotton, to the negle
of those things that are necessary TO the CO!
tInued life and productiveness OF the soil. 81!
express, this q little differently, we mu
plant soil renovating. crops, IN ORDER 10 co
tinue 10 raise cotton successfully. Some Of
will perhaps think, we can continue to raj
cotton year after year on the same grour
without lis becoming impoverished; but o
a~ervation and experience do not snow IN
Why so many old fields and gullies? Let Ii
April mark q new point Of departure in 20
methods OF work. Open wide the doors
the mind TO let in the truth, and be assur
that 1t will free you from past errors
thought or practice.