Smyrna times., 1878-01-30
Agricultural Jottings.

so that they can't mix with bad company,
push the pigs from the word so and always
put em in the scaldin' barrel fore they're
twenty months old. | bought ME num-
Der one sow-hadnt another hog on the
place-and 1 raised meat to spare the first
year. The man that tries to raise the
woods full Of hogs, raises 'eE for the buzz
Yards"
''Do you raise sheep?'
Il raise sheep, mister; and sheep raisin |
is what call KILN whole drove of birds |
with one small stonel raise sheep for the
mutton; raise sheep for the increase;
] raise sheep to spade up the tough turf
with their sharp huffs; raise sheep to eat
bushes and yearbs that no other brute
beast would touch, and manufacture 'em
into fertilizers that hold their richness spite
of the rain and sunshine"
a. How about the dogs?''
"A dog on Pumpkinvine, mister, totes
pass, or goes with his owner, else he don't
travel fur"
4" You don't need dog law then?'
"We're a dog law unto ourselves, mister"
~ reckon you follow the advice Of the
newspapers and plant corn p
"We'rs pretty much in the habit of
follerin' our own advice on Pumpkinvine,
mister. Not that we slight what we see in
the papers if it's sensible, and we can see
the reason of it. But plant corn, mister
and plant potatoes and plant oats and
wheat; and plant sorghum; and l plant
COOLERS; and l plant turnips and plant
turnips and pumpkins; and | plant arti-
chokes for the pigs to root in the fence
corners and short branch bends and
plant peas everywhere. Some one of these
crops is shore to hit, and so never make
a clean miss. When they all hit it will be
like land fowin' with milk and honey"
81 see you still raise cotton
It'll something else is started to bring
Mississippi farmers money, regular and
shore, l expect to raise cotton, mister.
We're bound to have money, mister-it's
money makes the mare go. Only amt
going to raise cotton to buy corn and flour
and meat and hosses and fertilizers"
"And mules? p
"Don't talk of mules. mister. The mule
was twin brother to the Niger slave; when
Congress abolished one it ought to've
abolished 'tother too-both or none. Bu
speakin' of cotton I've changed my plan O
raisin' cotton
Howr'
a. used to plant ten acres and gathe
two bales; now l plant four acres anc
gather three. This year I'm hopin' to ge
FOUR
How do you manage that?"
1t would be long story, mister, and a
my road will soon turn off I'll tell it in tw'
or three words l manure and plow, anC
hoe, and don't slight my work"
But what if it is bad crop year?'
"There amt so many bad crap years
mister, as there is bad crap-raisers. Di'
you ever know a mans brag acre of cottol
the one he planted for brag acre all t
itself on some good spot-to make cleal
failure?"
81 don't know that ever did,
"Jes so. Well, the way is to plant few
and make them all brag acres"
But what if the worms take it?'
Worms amt apt to take the bottor
crap, mister, it it's well up to time; til
bottom crap don't shed much, general
speakin, though you work it on wron
plan; and the yearly frosts don't touch th
bottom crap. / work for the bottom cral
mister, from the word 60. Cotton is lik
pigs; it wants pushin' when it's young"
"Do you patronize the Pittsburg smiti
and the st. Louis mills yet?'
"Not to speak Of we don't miste
Started mill over in Pumpkinvne aga
Jack Smith has, and we clubbed togeth
and sot Billy Bobkins up with blacksmit
shop right there, so as we could go
the shop and mill at the same time Bill
always had such hankerin' for work.
iron and Jack, he never could stand Il
sunshine well, poor fellow-and didn't lii
to work on cloudy days, He makes
splendid miller. though To keep Bill
agoin' we all hands agreed not 10 buy
Yankee tool that could be made at hon
no matter h.n rnenp it was, nor bC
good
Does the mill make nice hour?''
I" 1t makes good -four, mister, and tina
better. It's got good rocks and GO
power, and Jack knows how to manage
and so it grinds the wheat well and ia
hain't got no bolt to sit the life out'n
We have it ground few bushels at tia
and take it home and sift it and VIII
we've a mind to sift it again through
sitter. 1t amt as white as snow, mist
but made with fat and buttermilk it MAX
biscuits, none Of your starch cakes, but /
cults you can taste, and biscuits you c
feel all through your muscles and boz
when you've fed on 'em week or tV
My road turns off right here. Come o.
on Pumpkinvine after harvest, and spe
"a week with us, and eat some Of them
cults and the thousand and one other &c
things the old woman will fix up for y
If l don't talk you to death it will put so
flesh on them slim shanks-Gee, Bucl
and some color and fat in them cheek
Goodbye, misterl-Get up, hossesl--t
alongl I'd like io'aye forgot to tell ,