Y
STATE ABRlCtttTtJEiit, . JOHEHAX.
gduttml af Industrial
' Seasonable Hint. .
June ia the month in which to conquer
grass Id cotton, tobacco, corn and potato crop.
Ton know there is an old saying,'' dry Jane
for a good crop." ' The great advantage in a
" dry Jane u that it enables the cultivator to
work regularly and 'completely destroy ' that
'arch-enemy ot hoed,crops,'in this region
crab grass. Therefore, "while the sou shines
now, make stubble of what little grass ap
pears in your fielif. If you "rise "and go to
work early and, keep at it late, remember you
are taking out an Insurance for rest, later in
"the season. ' '
"'" Our advice is, keep the plows moving I If
the soil is dry you need a layer of well pul
verized earth spread out ovor it. . If it is very
wet you need this same covering " of loose
earth, as many days in the growing season' as
possible.- If you allow your field to stand
top soil you lose heavily on the possible pro
duction. .
t We have known a number of men to make
' excellent crops .in very wet seasons, when their
neighbors gonerally failed. Wherever we
jhave inquired the reason of this exceptional
success, we have been informed its secret was
the plows were not stopped for the weather,
but kept moving whenever possible.
INo matter what- happens, don't give np!
r We know a young man who, in 1872, planted j
a crop of nearly twenty fi ve acres, about
equally divided between corn and cotton.
. When he seeded his land lie expected to run
the plow himself and hire hands to do the
hoeing. He failed to find the . help he had
calculated on getting and was consequently
compelled to do his hoe .work, also, Two or
three times, during the Summer, after he bad
' vainly sought at the ' village near kim for
bands, (inquiring for- them at night, because
he could not leave his work in the day,) hel
was on the point of abandoning a portion of
' bis crop. , But he had too much pluck and so
.could not get his consent to susrender. He
kept working on now with the plow and'now
with his hoe and had the satisfaction of cul
tivhting, without anff assistance whatever, the
entire twenty odd acres. The land he worked
was poor, but he made several hundred dol-
money ho made, ho has now the strength,
courage and confidence that comes of con
quering difficulties.
r WHEAT AND OATS.
. The prospects for good crops of small grain
in this State are encouraging. Oats especial
ly are represented to be unusually promising.
AVheat. in some localities is being injured by
; rust,-
. - CORN.
While, as a general rule, early planting
should be attempted for this crop, we would
remind our readers that en good soil it may
be safely seeded as late as the middle of June.
Last year we saw ten bushels to the acre made
on old upland, without manure, planted early
in June. This crop was cultivated with so
little labor that there was a good profit in it.'
So, although we would not select a season as
late as the present period for planting upland
corn, we would not hesitate now to appropri
ate spare ground and tine to the attempt.
Many farmers regard the space from the first
to the middle of June as the very best time
for planting corn on lowlands, especially suoh
as are subject to overflow, v.
. SWEET - POTATOES
-Should be drawn and set out now as soon as
possible. If .the work is already done, so
much the better. Do not wait fet rain, if
your vines are old enough to Bet out. They
are not old enough until they have sent oat a
number of roots. We have often seen potato
beds stripped too early. The old potato snpf
porta the sprout at its first appearance. ' Then
it sends out roots in search of nourishment for
itself. Do not detach it from the mother po
tato until these roots are well enough devel
oped to support the vine, and tough enough
to resist destruction in transplanting. Better
depend partially go- runners 'clipped oft for
part of your crop than to strip your bed while
the plants are too young and tender. As soon
as yon are satisfied the vines are old enough,
set them out,' putting a gill of water at the
root of each plant and covering with . dry
earth. ' You will net lose one plant in a hun
dred for want of moisture. '
. 'I... ;.. ,i : ; . ' "
T1V IB
Should be planted in every field of corn where
the soil is sandy, or the jand fresh. It- you
make but few peas yen will find your land
greatly improred by your work. If you get
a portion only of a field in peas, notice the
difference in your next year's crops where yon
put peas and where yon had none. .. We are
satisfied yon will see a narked difference. :
PLANT FOOD CROPS. ' '
, Use every spare spot of ground, employ ev
ery spare moment of time to make food for
man and beast. If you have a honuffend an
abundance to eat for your family ad your
farm animals, you may snap your .fibers at
hard times, panics and low prices of cotton
add tobacco. , ; 1
't ' ,"' ' ' CLOVER. . ' ' ' 1 ' i
! We repeat the advice, gfvon elsewhere, that
yon study the long article, published 1n this
issue, on the cultivation and uses of clover.
It is from the pen--of a man who has done
himself what he advises you "to do, not in a
latitude better snited to clover than our State,
but in one farther South and warmer. There
are some fine fields of clover near Raleigh,
Next week we will give ilia-quantity and val
ue of tUW" Harvested f rom some di them,
and the estimated cost of production. ""'
Tobacco Cirowliiiti "vesteru IVortft
; Carolina.
Toliaoeo Plant j ,' ,
From the time of Sir Walter Raloigh, North
Carolina has been known as the home of the
tobacco plant. On her soil is grown annually
the finest specimens ot 'this narcotic weed
known in the markets ot the world. A tour
of inspection has satisfied the writer that many
of the counties of Western North Carolina
possess soil and climate unequalled anywhere
in the production of the finest grades of tobac
co. ' Here, this crop is deservedly attracting
more attention, as the owners of those lands
learn to appreciate and properly utilize thoud
tn "the raising ofa product that gives the lar
gest , returns. -ip labor expended thereon.
Where tebacoo grows to perfection, ait does
here, no crop can equal it. in profits. Its cul
tivation and management require more skill
and attention than other crops to attain to
the highest success, but not' more than has al
ready been developed by some of her young
enterprising planters, who are reaping their
rewards. " ,. '
The prospects this season for a fine crop are
everywhere gloomy anH unpromising. The
past year proved also unfavorable, and as a
consequence bright wrappers and smokers are
...... miUthy
will dortnicM' d Bighercaiimj bt gr-niw", it Smio. a. paiff of an
as the season for working advances. Every
effort should bo made to grow as much fine
bright tobacco as possible. It will be needed,
and at prices that cannot tail toremunerate
those who are so fortunate as to produce these
favorite grades. As a planter of some expe
rience, the writer will yenturo a few sugges
tions founded upon practice, with the hope
that some enterprising, hard working planter
may profit thereby. The "tobacco planter,
however successful, earns all he gets, and
' knowing how it is himself," the writer is ever
ready, when he can, to extend a helping hand
to his brother engaged in 'the same 'pursuit.
As the season is late, tho plants' must be
stimulated in growth to be ready for trans
planting at the proper time. The crop must
be hastened in maturing and in ripening, that
it may be housed and cured in time to be
cured well. "" ' ..."'" ' 1
When we fail to. produce a fine article on
gray lands, we can scarcely hope that the crop
will pay the costs of production. We cannot
compete with the rich lands of the West in
the production of dark tobacco. The great
advantage in prices for bright oyer dark to
baccos, should stimulate all who can to raise as
much bright as possible.' If the suggestions
given should prove aught of good to those for
whom they are intended, then the purpose of
the writer will have been accomplished.
R. S. RagLand.
Hyco, Va.
Timely Farm and Plantation Topics.
(Rural Carolinian for June.)
KEEP THE" SWEEPS MOVING.
Floods and frosts in April, with cool weath
er and frequent rains extending into May, set
back considerably the operations of the plan
ters, even where there was no actual destruc
tion ot the early crops, as in Louisiana, and
to a smaller extent in other States. . Work
will press closely now, and " the J utmost dili
gence and good management will be required
to prevent a fatal falling behindf in the work-
ing of cotton and corn. The flaying by'' of
about as much care and Judgment as any part
of the season's work. To make it thorough
and to leave the fields clean, and yet not in
jure the roots of the gcowing. crop, Is' what
must be aimed at.. Toybreak the roots now,
when droughts are to be expected, or to throw
all the loose soil into steep ' ridges along the
row mayprove fatal Ao the most premising
crop. We should leave the ground mellow
on the surface but nearly level, except where.
as on wet low lands ridging or hilling is abso
lutely necessary, . '
? PRECAUTIONS AGAINST DROUGHT. .
As drought i one of the greatest obstacles
with which the Southern fanner has to eon
tend, too much thought can hardly be given
to the subject, with a view to counteracting
its disastrous effects. We cannot, by any
means now known, prevent the dry and heat
ed terms lo which our climate is subject, and
we again call the attention of our readers to
the importance of securing, so far as possible,
such conditions of the Soil as will in the high
est possible degree fit it for the absorption and
retention of moisture.. Careful experiments
should be made with a view to determine what
are the best means to enable our crops to re
sist long continued dryness. Salt, as a top
dressing ejn rdrj sandy land, is one tt the
means within our reach to mitigate the aridi
ty. J. J. Mochi, speaking of the value of
salt as a top dressing for sneh laud, shvr ;
"About five o'clock one fine sum nerV m rn
ing, I noticed that where the salt had la-eh
sown theprevlous day, every grain. of salt had
attracted to itself the dew, and formed on iM
surface of the ground a wet spot about the
size ot a sixpence, the ground. being generally
very dry." I
PLAMTIKO (WIST POTATO SLIPS, OR "DRAWS."
It is well to' take advantage of a rainy day
for planting it yon- cn, but plant whether it
rain or not. We have' planted in the midst
of severest drought with the loss of very few
plants. "Grout" the plants by plunging the
roots into a batter composed of equal parts ot
fresh cow-dung, wood ashes and vegetable
mould, mixed with water to the proper con
sistency to adhere to them. - This will gener
ally insure a perfect "stand," and hasten the
growth of tho vines. A good crop of pota
toes will "help out" wonderfully, and there is
no reasonable excuse for not having an abnnv
dance of tbem. ;
lted Clover.
Continuing to give the promised informa
tion relative to the cultivation of grasses, we
offer below an article on. red clover, extracted
entire from "A Manual of the Cultivation
of the Grasses and Forage Plants at the South,"
the same being a little pamphlet, published
by C. W. Howard, of Kingston, Ga. Mr.
Howard is a recognized authority on this sub
ject, in his section of the country, and implicit.
confidence may safely be reposed m his teach
In the variety ot ua uses, this is the most
valuable herbaceous plant to the Southern
farmer. Lucerne is superior to it in the quan
tity ftnd nnalitv of its 1it Bnl. than lnorna
ameliorating rotation ot crops, and will
not
thrive except upon land in tho highest tilth
and of extreme fertility. Red clover, on the
other hand, bears grazing admirably, is an
ameliorating crop ; makes excellent hay and
in largo quantity, and thrives upon land ot
moderate fertility, such as will produce remu
nerative crops of wheat or corn.
The doubts as to whether red clover would
succeed at the South, have been dispelled.
There have been fine clover fields from Hut
chinson's Island, opposite Savannah, in tho
middle country, and among the mountains.
In no part of this State, or any other of the
Southern States, has it finally failed after in
telligent and persistent trial npon proper soil.
A tanner may. have sowed clover and failed.
Perhaps he may also have sowed wheat, or
planted cotton or corn and failed. - But this
does not deter him front sowing or planting
again. He knows that he. mast have made a
mistake, or the seasons may have been against
him. These failures in clover may be attrib
uted to bad seed, or too deep covering, or : to
unsuitable soil, or to a very not and dry sea
son. This plant is of so great importance to ns,
that these causes of failure , should be carefully
investigated and corrected by a different prac
tice in the future. One, or several failures,
should not disceurage us in a new and impor
tant culture. Many persons have succeeded
in growing clover jn all the different sections
of the South. Why not all succeed who have
suitable soilt
What is a suitable clover soil ) It must
contain a large percentage of clay. Our ex
tremely sandy lands on or near the coast, will'
not grow clover successfully. Among them,
the pea must be the substitute for clover ; and
an excellent substitute it is, with the exception
that it is an annual, and requires some culti
vation. But where the surface is sandy and the snb-a
soil clay, the clay may be brought to the sur
face and manured ; clover will then thrive
upon it. Generally a good wheat soil, and
every farmer knows what that is,, is a good
clover ; soil. The richer the soil, the more
rankly will the clover grow. It is time thrown
away to so w clover seed on land that will not
bring' ten or fifteen bushels ot wheat to the
acre, or its equivalent in other grains.
The subsoil for clover most, be dry. It will
not thrive on wet lands. But it does thrive1
on bottom lands thoroughly drained. Hence
it has always been the opinion of the writer:
that the rice lands on our coast would yield
magnificent crops ef clover, and be more prof
itable, all things considered, than rice. '...v:Y
, A gallon of clover seed is sufficient for an
acre, or a bushel to eight acres. The seed
should be lightly covered with a brush or roll j
er, and not with a plow. ' ' : !
The ground for clover should, be plowed as
deeply as possible. The danger, to clever
arises from our hot suns acting upon the sur
face of tho ground. If the young clover root
has a looso bed underneath, it will rapidly
pentrate a sufficient depth,' to pump np mois
ture, and thus be measurably independent of
drought. The writer has seen excellent clo
ver grown in Morgan county, in this State i
(Georgia,) one of the midland counties, on
worn clay soil, the seed sown in 'April and
followed by a dry spring. The preparation ;
was very deep plowing and dressing the sur- j
face with three hundred pounds of superphos- -phate
of lime. , - . - f
' . USES OF RED CLOVER. t j
77tfy.--Clover should bo cut for hay as soon !
a9 a portion of the heads begin to turn brown. j
Eirlier i than this, it is too Watery, later it is j
too woody. Clover hay may bo very useful or , j
very worthless for forage, recording to the k
time at which it is cut, and the manner in I
which it is cured. Clover cut in the morning . j
should be treated as previously directed lor
lucerne, i. e., Put it up in the afternoon in '
small cocks and open them next morning. j
Ed. Ao. Jour. The great object is to cure it 1
as much as possible in the shade. The hay, j
when cut at the proper time and cured in this
way.-will be of a nice green color, with all tha' ,4
leaves and blossoms attached, instead of the
black eticks which are often Bold to ns as clo- '
ver hay. . Rich land will jield two tons, and
sometimes three, ot clover hay. At $30 per
ton this is $60 to $90 per acre. It is as sure
a crop as wheat, cotton or corn. Where there
is a market for hay, considering the amount '
of labor it requires, and the condition in )
which it. leaves tho land, it is a more profita
ble crop at present prices of hay, than either i
of the three crops above mentioned-. 1
Seed The nse of clover is extending so i
rapidly at the South, that it is quite time we , ,
raise our own seed. The present price is' '
enormous as compared with the cost of saving s
it. The second crop should be reserved for r
seed. A simple implement, which can be
made on any farm, "is made for gathering tha - s
clover heads when the seed is ripe. This is a
box on wheels running near the ground J in
front of it, are fingers like those ot the cradle,
only shorter. The box to which handles are
attached, is made to tut backward when full.
It is drawn by one horse in shafts. The cle
ver holler can be bought in New Yonc for (
$50. Five to six bushels of clover seed can
be grown on one acre. At present prices, $10.
in most Southern markets, this would pay 1
very well. There would be material advan
tage in buying acclimated seed. ;
Pasture. Ko live stock should be turned I
npon a clover field until the clover is in blos
som. The temptation to violate this rule is
J?erjr r.ektginariJy shortjis ojr winters
Clover springs so early, and OtirfiveKtock are
so hungry, that the inducement is very great
10 put mem npon me clover Deiore the prop
er time. But it would be less costly to-buy
food than to do this. By too early pasturing,
tho .clover is killed out, and it is then said
that clover will not succeed at the South.
Precautions should be taken in turning horses
or cattle into a clover field. If they are hun
gry at the time, they would over-eat them
selves, and the result 4s an attack of what is
called hoven. The animal swells, and often
in a short time dies. To' prevent this, live
stock turned into a clever field should previ
ously be fully fed ; they should not have had
access to salt within twenty-four hours; they
should not the first day remain mere than
half an hour, and the dew should have been
dissipated.
While clover gives a valuable pasture for
all live stock, it is especially valuable for hogs.
If they are put npon clover after it is in blos
som, with the exception of suckling sows, they
will need little or no other food. No one who
has not made the trial, can imagine how many
hogs an acre of really good clover will keep
ingrowing order. -
It should be remembered that clover, as
well as all other forage plants and grasses,
should be lightly pastured daring midsummer.
It is absolutely essential that sufficient growth
be left upon the ground to protect the roots'
from the intense heat of the summer's sunv
Our wain reliance for pasture at that sea
son should be the crab grass in our stubble
fields.
An Improver of Land. rlt cannot be ex
pected, that clover will restore, nnassisted, an
absolutely exhausted soil. Land must be in
a condition to bring fair crops of grain before
clover can be sowed on it to advantage. Af
terward in a judicious rotation, it will im
prove the aoil rapidly. , It does this in two
ways, bv the decay of its laree taproot, and
by its absorbing ammonia rapidly from the
atmosphere.. The cheapest manure that we
can nse, atter land nasi been put inio proper
condition, is elover seed.- At the , North, cle
ver is a biennial ; at the South it lasts for sev
eral year8, exactly how long, the writer, does
net knew. After clover has once fairly eone
to seed at the South, if a short rotation be
adopted, it' will not. be necessary to sow it
again. For instance, in the following rota
tion : First, cotton or - corn ; second, oats ;
third, wheat ; the clover will spring sponta
neously among the wheat. 4 The ground should
remain two years in clover and the rotation
then be repeated. Land thus treated, will
improve steadily and even 'rapidly, without
further expenditure for manures. ;;.
in view of these yaned uses, the successful
cultivation .of red clover is an object of the
greatest importance to the people of the South.
:
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