S58 
SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR, 
InrticEltEittl SejiaitmeEt. 
WORK FOR THE MONTH~(AXJGIJST.) 
[August was originally called by the Romans, Seztiiis 
or the sixth month ; which was afterwards, by the Senate, 
changed to Aug^tstus, in honor of the Emperor. It cor- 
responds to the Jewish (Neh. vi. 15,) their twelfth 
civil, and sixth sacred month. By the Saxons it was call- 
ed the Barn-monath, or Barn-'/nonth, in allusion to the 
putting in of their harvests, and also Thridda-litha, or the 
Third-mildt-month ] 
THE PLANTATION. 
Cotton . — Where this crop is backward, keep your 
plows, cultivators and sw'eeps going briskly, to destroy 
the weeds, encourage a late growth, and prevent the fall- 
ing of the forms. Towards the latter part of the month, 
begin your preparations for picking, and as soon as the 
bolls begin to open freely, set the hands at work gather- 
ing. Have all seed cotton hauled in wagons from distant 
fields to the gin-house, and do not require your negroes to 
waste their time and strength in carrying heavy baskets. 
If you wish to weigh the picking of each hand, it can be 
done by the overseer before it is put into the wagonsj or 
each “hand” can mark his baskets and have it weighed at 
noon and night, at the gin-house. 
Corn . — All early planted Corn is already laid by, in 
most sections ; but very late fields may yet receive another 
careful working, and be finished with the surface open; 
mellow and free from weeds. 
Curing vp Corn Stalks for Fodder . — In our last num- 
ber, (page 220,) we furnished some objections to the very 
common practice of pulling fodder, and advised the sub- 
stitution of drilled corn, which we have long found to be 
an excellent and economical article both for “soiling,” (or 
feeding green,) and winter hay. It is so hard to break 
up old habits, however, that we scarcely expect many ol 
our readers to test this matter fairly ; and lest, with all 
their fodder pulling, many may fall short of “roughness” 
before next season, we will offer another hint for their 
consideration. It is, to 'cut up their corn stalks at the 
grcnind, as soon as the ears begin to glaze or get hard • set 
up in shocks every 20 or 30 lulls thus cut, and when the 
whole is perfectly dry, haul under cover, or carefully 
stack up; strip off the ears at your leisure, and save all 
the stalks, blades and shucks for the winter feeding of 
stock. This hint is especially intended for small planters 
—those who aiii} only to raise sufficient corn for their 
own use, and who desire to make the most of it, and to 
save all that is worth .saving. Our objections* against fod- 
der pulling,, (as before stated). are that it is a slow and la- 
borious process, and that the yield and weight of the 
grain is lessened, by prematurely depriving the plant of 
its leaves. If fodder is pulled before the grain becomes 
glazed, you certainly injure the latter, and if you do not 
pull until the ears are fully ripe, the fodder is nearly 
worthless. The “golden mean” is to cut up your corn as 
directed, just when the grain is passing from the milky 
or doughy state to the hard kernel. At this period of its 
growth, the plant has elaborated sufficientsap to mature the 
grain perfectly after it is cut, and the surplus starch, gum 
and saccharine matter which it contains will be preserved 
in the stalk and leaves, instead of being changed to hard 
and worthless woody fibre, as when the plant is allowed 
to become perfectly dead ripe. Another advantage in 
thus cuttina: up corn is, that as soon as it is hauled off, 
the ground is ready for the plow, and after it has received ^ 
a good manuring, you can proceed immediately, with the 
sowing of your Winter Oats, Rye, Barley, Clover, &c., 
&c. Let those who have scanty crops try it, even on a 
small scale, and report results. 
Feeding Corn Stalk Fodder . — In order to use corn with 
proper economy, every farmer and planter should have 
Scott’s “ Little Giantf or a similar mill for grinding 
both corn and cob. To this should also be added a Feed 
Cutter, suitable for cutting hay, sheaf oats, corn stalks, 
&c., &c. With this latter implement, the corn stalk fod- 
der, shucks, oats, hay and other “roughness” may be 
finely cut up, and when mixed with a proper portion of 
corn and cob meal, slightly moistened, (with an occasion- 
al sprinkle of salt and ashes), you have an excellent and 
cheap provender for all kinds of farm stock. Roots, such 
as Turnips, Siveet Potatoes, &c., when plenty, may be 
added to the foregoing from time to time, and they will be 
found to give increased relish and improved health to 
your animals. The “ merciful man is merciful to his 
beast,” and humanity as well as self-interest dictates the 
best possible care of all dumb brutes dependent upon us. 
Turnips.— RxxiSi Baga, Red Top, Early Flat Dutch, Yel- 
low Aberdeen, Norfolk, Globe and other Turnips should 
be sown from the 1st to the 25th of this month. The 
ground should be plowed very deep, and pulverized as fine 
as possible. A deep, rather light and fertile .sandy loam 
is best for this crop, and such soil ought to be plowed at 
least 8 or 10 inches, and thoroughly harrowed. Sow in 
drills from 2 to 3 feet apart, plants standing in the drill 
from 6 to 10- inches. Stable manure (10 or 15 loads to 
the acre) woods mould, ashes and broken bones, equal 
parts (G or 8 loads to the acre) or 300 pounds of guano, scat- 
tered broadcast and plowed in, will give you a good crop. 
Should you wish to manure in the drill, open a wnde and 
deep furrow with a long shovel plow, scatter your ma- 
nure thickly along this drill, throw a flat, broad bed on 
the manure with a turning-plow', and after raking the 
surface smooth and even, drill in the seed as above direct- 
ed. From one to one and a half pounds of seed, mixed 
with sand and carefully sown will be sufficient for an acre. 
Soak your seed 24 hours in lamp oil, then drain off the 
oil and dry the seed with ashes or plaster, and mix with 
moist sand for the convenience of separating the seeds in 
sowing. If you have plenty of leached ashes, you may 
top dress the ground with 10 or 15 bushels per acre, after 
sowing. It will be well, also, to dust the plants when 
they first come up, with a mixture of ashes, soot, plaster 
and salt, (a bushel to the acre) several mornings in suc- 
cession, to prevent the atta(!ks of the fly. Continue this 
until they get into the rough leaf, when they may be con- 
sidered out of danger. When the plants are well up, clear 
out all grass and weeds with the hoe, and thin them to a 
stand of from 6 to. 10 inches apart, according (o the size of 
the variety. After thinning, work them out from time to 
lime, until the tops shade the ground, when you may lay 
them by. 
Sweet Puteiocs.— Keep the earth fresh and loose around 
the plants, 'and the rows entirely free from weeds until 
the vines take complete possession of the patch. Lose no 
time, now, in cutting and setting out vines for the produc- 
tion of next year’s seed. * 
Hay dndy Fodder . — Cut and carefully save drilled Corn 
fodder (as directed in July number, page 220) ; also make 
all the Hay you possibly can from Crab (or Crop) Grass, 
Crowfoot, Pea Vines, lops of Ground Peas, Oregon Pea, 
Millet, &c., &c. 
Ditching, Hauling Muck, Woodland Pastures, Straw- 
berry Beds, tpc.— The dry weather of this month will be 
found favorable to the ditching and draining of low, wet 
lands, clearing up of swamps, cutting underbrush, digging 
and fish-ponds, preparing Strawberry patches, 
clearing the undergrowth of forests for woods pastures. 
