The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-03-14

/ because he realizes the TROUBLES u
his own. but is ignorant Of the other
From the view of the subject
here presented, it Is evident the
profits of planting depends more on
the productivness of the soil than
on the kind of crop cultivated, for
| if the land will WELD only 400 lbs.
Of cotton or 10 bushels of Germ per
acre. there is no profits beyond the
| support of himself and family, ana
| If he is a tenant, II has rent
10 nav. then he must resort to other
means to make his ends meet. But
if the lands will yield 1000 pounds
Of cotton or 80 bushels of corn per
acre. then there is no business that
paws SO well as a farm managed by
one devoted to his calling as a pro
fession. There is many cases where
large fortunes have been made IN
the South since the war by farm
ing alone. Mr.. Dixon, OF Sparta,
Georgia, started with a capital at
the close Of the war of SO, 900 and
in ten years amassed an estate val
ued at 225. 600, that too, without
engaging IN any speculative
schemes. The patent office report
presents many cases OF profitable
farming in North Carolina, one IN
WAYNE made u, 100 pounds OF seed
cotton on five acres of land; II IN
HYDE. made four bales on two acres,
and several others, who made a
bale per acre on a farm, ranging
from % to 100 acres. The most re-
markable fact presented, EXHIBITS
the average yield in North Carolina
to 30 acres that is about 600 pounds
per acre greater than south Carroll
ma, Georgia, Florida and Alabama,
which are put down as making only
one bale to 3 acres, while Texas
and Mississippi alone are put down
as making one to q, afractlon over
2 acres.
Mr.. Mclean, near Mooresville,
(lately moved to Charlotte made
IS, 900 pounds of lint cotton on 70
acres of land, on which his father,
before the war, considered a good
farmer, never made over II bags
annually. This increased yield was
made by the application OF CONNER
cial fertilizers in connection with
stable manure and cotton seed, cost
ing about So per acre. The high
est Weld made on an acre was D.
800 pounds treated with 200
pounds of Pacific guano on which
his cattle had been penned. The
farm made about G3 bales of 400
pounds each, which is at least l.
600 pounds of seed cotton will COW
er the cost Of the fertilizer per acre,
so the yield will be 900 pounds on
the whole. The writer made 40,
600 pounds on 40 acres, but the
failure on other parts through de-
fectiye cultivation cut the average
down.
The object in citing these in
stances, is to show there are great
profits in planting, exhibiting the
cause of so much thriftless farming
which can be summed up in a few
words, the cultivation of too much
poor lands absorbing the profits
made out of the good. which will
average ! to / under cultivation
in this region. All such lands
should be thrown out or only cult
waited in view of its improvement.
Such lands, if rich in vegetable mat
ter, though exhausted by tillage,
can be made to yield 1000 pounds
per acre by the use of fertilizers,
as has been demonstrated by the
cultivation of our piny old fields,
many of which are now beng cut
down for cultivation. No one
should select that profession with
out making up his mind to give it
his entire attention and adopt all
the improved implements, other
wise he will fail as certainly as be
plays the merchant, being unac-
quainted with commercial deal
ings.
1t is to be regretted, that but. a
few when reporting what has been
made on their lands throw no light
on the character of the soil, the
mode of cultivation, the kind and
quantity of fertilizers used, ard
how applied, which ought to be
done to enable others to adopt the
plan, if practicable land expedient.
There is one farmer in Mississippi
reported as having 900 pounds on
one acre, but nothing is known be-
yond the statement, that it was
planted on hills 3 feet apart each
way, well manured in each hill,
and thinned down to 3 stocks each,
which to make 600 pounds would
require each stock to mature 33
well matured boles. The conclu-