The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1872-01-25
Reply to q. "A. Hunt.
FARMERS X ROADS, TENN.
Janury 2lst, 1925

Editor Home Journal.
l was pleased to see In your last week.
paper a communication from your old cor
respondent, CA. Hunt, of Hunts Station
which appears to be somewhat tincturet
with items of general interest, and rather
profuse in what he still holds in reserve
for your readers.
l. repeat, | was pleased to see this com
munication. Indeed, if farmers, mer.
chants, mechanics, and all other classes anc
professions, would occasionally contribute
Tor their respective county papers goot
would certainly be the result. There are
many quiet and good men and women who
have the ability to put instructive lessons
on paper, who have an aversion for news
paper notoriety. hence my apology for the
cognomen annexed.
Your correspondent, Mr.. Hunt, proposes
TO write often for the Home journal in fu-
ture. Lie promises to give Il detailed &C.
count OF his system of farming, and makes
some characteristic thrusts at other mat
tiers OF minor moment, such us in ~lirectly
advertising his land at 500 per acre, and
making known to the world that he has
been digging and Sprouting around for 81
years, and knows nothing about chemis-
try, but knows as much, or more, about
farming than any man about Hunts Sta
ton. Now, sir, | don't know how to rec
oncile this last clause, with his system OF
raising oats, that | propose to copy in
full, and pay my respects to the same in as
delicate and respectful a manner as i can
possibly command. l understand that
your correspondent is a reliable, good
man | further understand there are
many good farmers about Hunts Station
that it is certainly a good section of cOun-
try, or the land would not be worth $l0C
per acre, as your correspondent inadvcrt-
antly states. Please keep this in mind,
and, in the meantime, hear his system Of
raising oats:
"Turn your land just as soon asy on can,
with your two-horse plows; commence to
SOW tDUub VIC llliulc VI TtDTldTN , SOW
about three pecks to the acre; plOw in
with your turnlng-plows; pillow shallow
and very close, and you will be sure of a
good heavy crop, other things favorable,
Now, you will say three pecks is not
enough seed. | will just ask, then, if you
do not sow all your crop after my plan,
sow M or two acres. and if it does not
double the old-fashioned way of putting
in oats, you can charge the extra labor to
me-"
Kind reader, you have she whole premi-
ses. have examined them in the light OF
what little experience and reason | can
control, and ! can come to but one conclu-
sion concerning them. Permit me to re-
mark. before giving my conclusion, that
Mr.. Hunt may know more about oat-
raising than any of his neighbors; he may
beat them all digging and %sproutine
aroand;" he may head the list of success
full farmers in that whole Frogtown re-
gion; but if this is so, Gin view of the
above premises,) l must say his n~eighbors
know but little Mr.. Hunt, you cores
pondent is certainly a small light glim-
mering in a dark place.
But let us examine his system of oat.
raising again. He says: Turn your lane
as soon as you can with your two-horse
plows." This is right, iithere is anything
on the surface that would benefit the
ground or the oats by turning it under,
otherwise his advice is wrong If your
land is in a good state of cultivation, and
the surface naked, break it deepwith bull
tongues, and SOW at least a bushel of oats
to the acre; and if the soil is very good, as
Mr. Hunts must be, from the price named
by him. SOW at least one and a half bush
els. Then plow in by crossing the first
blowing with long ~bull-tongues. In
April, when the ground is a little moist,
roll the land thoroughly. If your land re-
quires turning, do so; and if you have a
good clay foundation, subsoiling will pay
well. Sow your oats in February or
March, and harrow thoroughly. Your
correspondent recommends turning the
land, then sow three pecks to the acre. and
then pillow in by turning again.! This
system is certainly very Objectionable. Is
it possible that none of Mr.. Hunts neigh.
bors know better how to raise oats than he
does? Think of three pecks to the acre!
All good farmers are a fixture in con
tending that the quality of the land shoalt
regulate the quantity Of seed sown or planted
That is, if the soil is very productive. SOW
at least one and a half bushels of oats tt
the acre; if it is only medium, sow abou'
a bushel; if it is so poor that it will only
bear three pecks to the acre, don't sow
withou. you want to protect young Glove
from the sun. Mr.. Hunts three peck
might do, when the object is simply to re
claim land, but under no other state o
things will it do.
In conclusion. allow me to say to you
correspondent: If you persist in your GA
system, and condemn mine, you must sus
tain your positions in future by goo'
!, reasons. | will, if called on, do the SAM
for my positions. Don't grease and bac'
out, but stand to your promises like a lit
! tie man. Let us have your cOrn-raisln,
! system. Spread yourself. If you fail t
| have corn for sale, l hope to see J on again
/, Truly and respectfully,
Col. NJ.