The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-05-23
Farm Demonstration Notes.

nave any VI the farmers OF sumter
County learned lesson from these
wind storms that we have had? l
have seen young cotton on some Of
the lightest sandy soil that was not
damaged at all while on the same
class Of land / have seen 1t damaged
SO badly that 1t had to be planted
over. The presence of decaying vege-
table matter made the difference. De-
caying vegetable matter Is the best
thing to cement light sandy soil to-
gether and to hold sticky clay soil
apart. In fact this decaying vege-
table matter solves many perplexing
difficulties for the farmer. and the
sooner all Of the farmers Of Sumter
county realize this fact and plan to
turn something into the soil regu-
larly the sooner the farmers are go
ing to come into their own and be
able to purchase automobiles. put in
water works. build better school
houses and churches. and do the
many things that are going to keep
the boys and girls contented on the
farm.
Did you ever observe the many
things that happen to a fellow farm
ing land that is almost devoid Of de-
caying vegetable matter? Root lice
select such land to get in their per-
nicious work. Cool weather does
moro damage. Such land dries out
more quickly and 1t is harder to get
up q stand and keep up a stand.
Although q thousand pounds of fer
tilizer may be used per acre, the
crop grows so slowly in the spring
that the plowman covers il up. If
we could have q shower Of rain and
just q shower every six or seven days
We might be able to grow cotton On
these lands with the use of CONNER
cial fertilizer, but such seasOnable
years do no come very often, and
when they do come they are disas-
trous. We all remember 1911. Col.
Dargan expressed it that 1911 "was
the paradise Of the poor farmer
that is the farmer that employed poor
methods.
Have you been noticing these
patches Of hairy vetch and oats scat
tered all over the county? Some OF
them In full bloom so cover the oats
and land in royal purple that it looks
like a mantle fit for any king. This
means some very rich hay for the
farmers who are growing this vetch
1t makes richer and better hay than
alfalfa. The second year on the same
land vetch nearly always succeeds
better than 1t does the first year.
There arc only two reason why vetch
can fail to grow in Sumter county
these are sour soil and failure to get
the inoculation properly into the soil
/ have noticed that where the vetch
was drilled I'm when treated with arti-
fetal cultures that better results were
oDtdiueu. nave seen TWO DuSneiS oi
oats choke out vetch the first year,
but l do not believe that five bushels
o. oats sOwn with thirty pounds of
vetch seed could get the better Of
the vetch the second year. Mr.. Il. -.
Tisdale has two bushels of oats sowr
with about twenty-five pounds oi
vetch seed per acre where he had
good vetch last year, and without any
inoculation this year the vetch IN
outgrown the oats so that you can
scarcely see any OF the oats.
! There are number who are goin@
to save their vetch seed this year.
When We grow plenty Of hay. cor.
and oats and utilize the waste land,
in pastures to- Craze enough cattle
hogs and colts To supply the countY
tnen and not until then will we b.
fortified so that we can Withstand
tho shock that the bOll weevil viii
cause when ne arrives
| j. Frank Williams.
. Local Farm Demonstration Agent,