The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1872-02-15
Letter from G.. n. Hunt.
IIuNr's STATION, Tenn.
February, lSJ2,\

Now to my promise: | did not
.hink that | should be SO long in
making known some Of the important
.hinns necessary to our advancement
in agricultural pursuits. The weather
Aas been very u%niavorable in this 10.
caIity, with one Of the heaviest SHOWS
which has fallen tor many gears. Yet
we are certain that there will he a
change after while. and we will begin
to look round and fix up for our next
crop, ] promised in this to give my
plan for raising corn, which intend
doing, but, AS ! have to pay my res
respects to "Col. NJ" a farmer about
the Cross Roads, | will have to be a
little brief. | am not writing for The
sake of getting up Il controversy with
"CoI. NJ" or anybody else. Still,
vas highly pleased to see that he pre-
seated his views on the subject OF oat
raising. Nov, as "Col. NJ" has given
his plan Of raising oats, and condemn
cl min, and challenges me not to
grease and back out, ] must confess
that | do not know certainly bow
either of us will be able to prove our
positions. ! know we have in our
county many good farmers who make
more oats and more corn than do,
vet that is no Argument that there is
not a better way than the present mode
Of c~uItivating. If our systems are cor
rect, and every man is making as good
crops as he wants to make, there would
be no use in "CoI. M or Z. A.. Hunt
either advising the intelligent farmers
Of Franklin county how to SOW oats or
plant corn. Every farmer in this
county that kno rs anything about oat
raising knows that the season OF the
year that he advances as the most
practical, is erroneous The plan OF
putting in may do AS to blowing, hut
who ever heard before of rolling the
land after sowing oats? That is a new
idea We all know that we need land
plowcd deep and made very loose for
the oat crop. The spring rains pack
the ground sufficiently for the oat
crop. | do not know how to get at
The Colonel, only in one way. He
seems to be willing on his part to
stand up to his plan, am sure that
will not back from mine. | will make
him n proposition l will take an acre
and operate or my system, and let the
Colonel do the same on his system
either at my farm, or his farm, or he
take an acre on bis own farm at the
Cross Roads, and | at my farm near
Hunts Station, and if | do not beat
him in quantity and quality he can
take my crop, he, the Colonel, agreeing
to treat me in the same manner. do
not do this for the purpose OF getting
up a sly way Of gambling, and this
proposition is not confined to the
Colonel alone, but to any and every
farmer in the county who sees tt to try
his skill in this department Of agricul-
turc. l guess the reason why Sol.
NJ" objects to my plan of oat raising
arises from the fact that do not make
Il great many oats like he does. tic
perhaps has oats for sale. l have to
hug. Now, suppose we were all to
make large quantities of oats, who
would we sell to? My neighbors
know that they a FIND a market
near home. as l am Away ready to
buy whatever amount / may need
That is encouraging to our farmers.
They do not want to see the money
sent out of our county for things we
Can raise NJ home. l am hard up now
for cow.feed, and if the Colonel has
oats for sale, | would like to buy some.
But | don't want the kind of oats that
it requires one and a half bushels TO
an acre. Now for my plan of
corn: Tis is a subject that de
serves particular attention and every
man in this county should give to this
question his undivided skill in this
business. Nothing makes a man more
Independent than to have plenty OF
;orn. If he has plenty of that article
he is certain to have plenty Of every.
hing else, and the way to have it is to
ry my plan. If you are a farmer on
| large scale, (say 100 acres, take one
lalf the amount, (say 30 %acres.) and !
hat Of the best part Of your land, turn
he other 30 to clover, grass, &c. 1t
s not necessary now TO go to turning /
'ver your land after the old fashioned I
except it be a field covered with
edge.grass or somethi ng that would
eee a thorough harro wing to tear the
to pieces. Take your long bull
'ngue plow and lay Off your corn row /
$ deep as your team a pull the plow.