Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1918-01-09

Sltlon. Ihe surface OF the soil as
sumed cold, lifeless appearance,
even after the abundant rain of July
20 and it made no difference as to
how much or how little the rainfall,
the same conditions prevailed and
puzzled the farmer especially no lit
tie.
The radiation of the heat OF the
suns rays upon the surface Of the
earth has been entirely absent during
the entire spring and summer. Sneak
ing for this section OF the globe, no
one has seen it during the past sum-
mer. and if 1t was ever absent to such
extent in any other summer no one
has ever referred to such fact. 1t
Is not supposed any different condi-
tions have prevailed elsewhere. The
absence of heat radiation is a most
remarkable occurrence, for upon it
depends the fertilization of the at
mosphere SO necessary to plant life,
especially when deposited by rain.
The attention OF scores of farm
ers has been directed to the entire
absence OF the antics of Lazy Law
renee" (term colloquially applied to
radiation Of the suns rays) and he
has not been seen the past summer
dancing over fields Of corn or cotton.
Only the reflected rays Of the sun
have been observed and no effect of
heat radiation. has been observed
even upon the paved streets of CO.
lumbia Gas hot as tors~erroneous-
ly declare the city to be, in summer,
judging by the radiation Of heat on
Main street) and scarcely has the
bitulithic pavement been indented by
horses hoofs, not even considering
the fact that ordinarily the dainty
high heel of woman's slipper would
sink deeply into the aforesaid pav-
ing on a hot summers day even as
her tripping Of her light fantastic
step would cause strong emotion in
the heart of the sterner sex.
All forms of vegetation have been
affected in Il phenomenal manner.
Corn grew from one to two feet
higher and the ear climbed up in pro-
portion on the stalk. The ears ma
tured at one-third their normal size,
and the prediction is ventured that
1T will take more ears to make
bushel Of corn this year in most sec
tions of South Carolina than has
been the case in a century. Corn
planted July 4 and wo,l cn,lt.psated
and nourished frequently with city
water produced only popcorn ears
two months later
Fast Growing Corn.
Farmers report invariably that
corn grew more rapidly than ever
before observed and cotton cached
its maturity exactly on the contrary
in it's slow growth, with the top pro-
ducing few bolls. Butter beans
which the writer saw planted beside
a porch in Columbia can even now
scarcely be distinguished from the
morning glory vine.
Exceptions have occurred, how
ever in vegetable growth, but they
only prove the truth Of these obser-
vatfons. Abundant yields OF yegeta-
bles were produced in many gar
dens in Columbia because in many
instances the soil had not been culti-
waited in years and was rich in vege-
table matter. The best yields Of all
kind Of vegetables and other crops
were obtained from the spring plant
ing because the temperature was
more favorable for growth and the
sun rays had not yet assumed their
more baneful aspect. This applies to
the immense potato crops Of the low
country.
A certain field OF cotton which the
writer saw will produce bale per
acre because crop of crimson clo-
YER planted last fall was plowed un-
der as fertilizer The field of cot
ton Of an adjacent farm received no
such good treatment and will yield
only half the quantity on the. same
quality of soil.
A great underlying cause Is re-
sponsible for all these abnormal con-
ditions and unusual aspects in the
physical world. These conditions
can have but one cause, and 1t Is the
fact that the rays OF the sun have
come into contact with the atmos-
phere Of the earth 23 " degrees be-
yond the South Pole, or in other
words. when the earth assumes it's
normal position In the autumnal