The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1914-08-06
''Grow Legur1les and
Cut Nitrogen Bill''

.
Clemson College. July 81
-Four parties Of institute work
ers, all agricultural experts fron:
Clemson College, are going into
every county in South Carolina
and impressing upon the farm.
ers they talk to the great need
for winter cover crops. They
will take UP all phases of agri.
culture, but all have been in
structed to leave no stone un-
turned to encourage the plant
ing of large acreages in cover
crops this fall. One meeting in
every county has been designat-
ed Vetch and Cloyer Day"
and this institute will be de-
voted largely to a discussion of
these subjects.
W. W. Long, state agent of
demonstration and director of
extension of Clemson College,
in the following statement, i'm
presses upon farmers the inn
portance of cover crops to South
Carolina:
The limiting factor IN South
ern agriculture" said Mr.. Long,
is the lack of vegetable matter
in the soil. I have said this be-
fore and I expect to say it many
more times. because it is some
thing that cannot be said too
often. If we could make the
farmers of this state realize the
full meaning of this statement
and could make them direct their
agricultural efforts accordingly.
a alarge part of our task in South
Carolina would be accomplished.
Farmers should require no
other proof of what is to be &C
complished by the use of cover
crops than the proof given by
the abundant yields on virgin
soils about them. Virgin soil
means merely soil with ample
vegetable matter or humus.
WORKOUT soil means soil in
which this necessary element is
wanting. Putting a clean-cul-
tivated crop on land year after
year is certain to bring about a
'worn-out' condition, unless one
resorts to the use of cover crops
each winter. which is mans
method of restoring to the soil
the vegetable matter which has
been taken from it during the
summer. This State, accord
ing to a bulletin of the Depart
nent of Agriculture, had only
387 acres in clover of all kinds
n 1909. Today we have many
thousands of acres in clover. It
S probable that the percentage
If increase in acreage of legum
nous crops for the four years S
asst past has been greater in
south Carolina than in any =
,ther state. Not withstanding
his fact, we have simply made
! beginning.
"A farmers first need is good !
and. The lands of the so,1th
ave been depleted by a combi-
lation Of unfortunate circum-
tances and carelessness. The
outhern farmers first need is, q
therefore,, to make his land good a
and and the most economical s.
nd easiest way to do this is by y
he use of winter cover crops. il il
During ii e warm spells Il
which frequently occur in South 81
larolinain winter, large quanti- tI si
les OF nitrogen bt come avail Il
:ble in the soil and escape if ce
here is no crop to take care of 9.
hem. In addition to holding :; :;
his valuable element in the soil, j
used for winter cover SC
rops take large quantities of
itrogen from the air. a property
eculiar to them, thus making
oil even richer than when they
7ere put into it, instead Of poor d Ds
:. as do most other crops. 4,
Legumes are the best friends to
he South Carolina farmer has. de
row legumes and cut the nit 10
,gen bill.'' .,