Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-06-20
Crop Conditions In South Carolina.

For the better part or the last TWO
months most Of this state has been
suffering for the want of rain enough
to bring the crops up. Many have
planted a second and even a third
time and still have not secured stands.
Especially is this true Of cotton, much
of what is up being not much more
than a half stand. What cotton is up
Is growing beautifully, and, of course,
the fields are in splendid shape. This
continued drouth has, Of course, put
1t beyond the possibilities that we can
make a full crop Of cotton this year
and, of course, is an expensive exper-
ience. The expense, however can be
partly compensated for If we Will
learn some Of the valuable lessons
that it teaches of how TO store up
moisture and how to conserve that
moisture.
Where there are good stands, with
out exception, you will find one or the
other of the following conditions have
prevailed:
First, of course, that the seed were
planted before the drouth came on.
Secondly, that the land was plowed
deeply last fall, and this condition
nearly always carries with it, And
| / turned under a growth OF peas, or
some other vegetable matter.
Thirdly. the use Of stable manure
on this land for one, two or more
years, and
Lastly, when the seed were planted
the land was rolled, and sometimes
| we find the additional statement that
| this was followed with a weeder or
harrow.
Very often all these things were
done, but where any one OF them was
done, almost invariably do we find
that the result is a good stand.
There is one other condition that
has made itself evident this season.
We have heard of those strenuous
times that tried mems Souls-this has
| been a time that tried the souls of
seed, or in other words, their strength
of vitality. In no season Will the ad-
vantage of having seed of strong Vi
tality show up as conspicuously as In
one like this has been. Notice your
own crops and make inquiry OF your
better neighbor farmers and see II
there has not been marked differ
ence in the way the seed have come
up under apparently like condltlons.
Sometimes you will find this directly
traceable to the care that was taken
| in selecting and caring for the seed
| for there are some who have learned
| this lesson. Those of you who have
not will be doubly poor if you do not
| do So-you will pay the penalty in
poor stands this year and in similar
season another year. | think, now
ever. you will find that deep fall plow-
| ing and an abundance of vegetable
| matter have been the most common
preventive, If We might so express
| it, of drouth this year This is large
| ly because, l am glad TO say, you Will
| find more instances where they have
been practiced. Those of my readers
who have not fully realized this. go
and see for yourself and realize how
much attention to these points would
have saved you this year. Take the
| lesson home, that a crop of manure
| coupled with good preparation, is the
| most important crop that you can
raise on your farm-impOrtant as an
| insurance against drouth as well as
| insurance of better crops.
| | have been asked why we should
| be taking over this state a carload OF
| live stock when the crops are so poor
| that we threaten not to have crops on
which to feed them-is it not incOn-
sistent to persuade people to buy live
enough feed for that which they have?
NV answer is: No. this is just the
| time to do this. These animals are the
| factories that will make the manure
| that in it's turn will, when properly
used. insure against drOuth and make
| all crops more certain as well as
! abundant.