The Caucasian. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1874-1875, 1875-02-20

posed by one OF the members to OF
fer a premium OF one thousand dol
lars for the greatest product OF cot
ton from a single acre. the mini
mum to he five bales. The propo
sitiom was warmly debated. Some
of the members contendcd that tI,,
offer Of such u premium would bur
lesqne the wole list: that it was
Impossible to produce five bales
from an acre. When the vote was
taken there was tie; the casting
vote was given by the writer, tl,c'
acting az chairman OF the commit
tee, in favor OF Offering the pren1'
um. Alta subsequent meeting vi
the committee the subject was re
considered, and the prcmiu:a was
stricken from the list. Cautiously
enough, at the next fair Mr.. War
then produced ampl" and satisfac
tory certificates to the fact Of his
having produced five bales OF cot
ton from II single acre. Although
the amount of manure was create,
probably than had ever previonsI,
been applied to an acre of cotton,
the profits were still very large. !,
was the opinion Of Mr.. Wartrn aud
his nri.hbors that he would hay.
exceeded this product during the
past year, but for Il storm which en-,
Oil his crop, rt1ucin. it to two and
one-h",f bales per acre.
THE STOCK PEA VS.. CORN.
The writer, having occasion to
visit a ncighbor when he was gath
cring in his corn, and. KNOWN.
that he had been raising the "stocA
pea for several seasons (selline
them at 81 per huSl,cl), took the
opportunity OF "intcrvicwins' him
on the comparative yield Of the pea
and corn.
IIc brought into the room a good
sized ear o! corn, and upon count
ing, we found it to contain clever!
rows, Of ciGl'ty-siX grains each.
I'VE both agreed that such an ear
would represent the average yield
per stalk, for his best corn. He
then stated that he had counted the
peas on Il siuglc stalk, from the
same quality Of land, and found the
number five hundred. Four pea
stalks would grow on the ground
occupied by one stalk of corn
making the yield, in grains, fully
two to one. He turtle: stated that
he had pasturcA his hogs ON the
peas, and found that they thvivcd
ami fattcned rs when fed on corn.
Lie had not tried them for other
stock, thought they would, 10
doubt, make excellent feed for hor-
SEES and COWS, il ground into meal
Another nei@hbor nsed the green
vines, cut and cured, as forage for
his horses and mules, Of which they
seemed very fond. On cNanlina-
ton Of these vines, as grown on
good land, our calculation was. that
four such vines would be cuniva-
lent to one heavy bundle of fodder
Allowing twelve good stalks o!
corn to one heavy bundle Of fodder,
and four stalks of peas to one stalk
OF corn, would give twelve times
as much forage from the peas.
Illuminating the above compare
sons, we have: AS forage, peas
twelve, corn one; as grain or meal,
peas two, corn one; money value,
peas four. corr one; or putin. the
prices equal, iwhic! would he the
case were the pea raised abundant
lN) We would sill have, peas two,
corn one.
TIMELY FARM AND PLANTATION
TOPICS.
Now to Nnhc Faymiug PW
lfy you do not find farming profit
able, the first thug to DO is to as.
certain why it il not profitable.
There is some cause for this state
Of thlngs-pcvhaps many causes.
1t is probable that they are avoid
able or removable Farming does
pay under favorable conditions.
We must learn what these condi-
tons are and try to secure them. If
Mr.. Smith m ,nry on his farm, why
shold not Mr.. Brown Mr.. Brown
should carefully inquire wherein
Mr.. Smith has the advantage over
him. Is it in the kind of crops he
grows, in his system Of cultivation,
in the general management of his
business, or what! If Mr.. Smith
can teach Mr.. Brown anything. Mr..
Brown should not be asl,aRed toj
learn. The great trouble " itn most
farmers is that they do not know
what pays orwlat does not, or If
they know that a particu,ar crop is
Improbable with them, they do
not know why. They do not farm
on business principles. they do
not use the. slate and pencil