The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1879-12-04
SOUTHERN FARM AND HOME.
Cotton Culture by Northern Methods

TO attend meeting Ol llle EloCh DiSeu
ers' Association of Mississippi, | learned
from prominent MissisSippian that
some men from Kansas had made 4 dc-
cided sensation in the locality where
they had settled by their mode of rails
ing corn and cotton. | therefore visited
Major Young, near Columbus, Miss, to
get some points. The plantations OF
these Kansasians joins that of this gentle
man. The former are under his control
and that of an associate. With great
liberality, Major Young has leased them
% acres for year, free of rent. He
then rented them number of acres
each, at the usual rent of such land
81 per acre, per annum. There are three
men. father, son and son-in-law. The
father and son-in-law have their wives
with them.
This year the son-in-law, Mr.. Evans, not
wishing to over-crop himself, planted %
acres in corn, IL acres in cotton, and o@
acres of oats. The usual plant of a
colored man is 10 acres in cotton and .
corn, and they do not half till that. He
planted his corn in the latter part of
March. He began to plant cotton April
18th. He was very late, starting dlsad-
vantageouSly in not having quite the
implements he wanted, and in having
very late and wet spring. He cultivated
his corn and cotton with walking cultl-
vators, and left the ground nearly level.
There was a very severe drouth, and he
made a bad mistake once in cultlratlng
his corn too deep-cutting off the roots
next the side where he last worked it. |
heard several planters say that, at one
time, his corn was the most beautiful
looking crop they had ever seen; but the
six weeks drouth, and particularly the
fast working, injured it fearfully.
BY starting so late with his cotton, he
was injured greatly by the boll-worm,
and by the very wet August. He and
his father told me that each expect
ed to make about thousand dollars
clean money. They figured about this
way:
Twelve bales of cotton at $40 per bale,
$3.50; 1000 bushels of corn, at SOC per
bushel, 5000, and $50 bushels of oats at
SOC, 1925, making a total of 1905.
Nothing is allowed for poultry, butter,
hogs, etc. The actual result will be
about as follows: Nine bales of cotton,
at $40 per bale, $3.50; 500 bushels of corn,
at 50c per bushel, $3.50, and $50 bushels
of oats at soc, SO, making the total
$735. He had paid S15 for all work UP
to October 9TH; but as he has worked
some outside, he will probably come out
about even. He says he sees his mistake,
and by another year, under the same con-
ditions, could excel this years crops.
But rs he may not in q life time have
such long dry spell, and need not start
so late, he will have far better chances.
He isgreatly pleased and proposes to have
for next years crop 30 acres-3S acres in
cotton and % in corn. He says that he
can attend it. He intends to plant in
checks, and expects to raise q bale to an
acre. hope he may, but it looks too
sanguine. However, one gentleman near
Aberdeen, Miss, has raised from . to %
bales per acre by planting in checks, dig
ging holes and fertilizing we'll, and piling
the clay about the base of the stalk 50 as
to keep down the grass. If Mr.. Evans
should raise a bale to the acre he will GET
good deal of money.
His father-in-law, Mr.. kilmer, had 16
acres of cotton, 22l of corn and of oats.
He and his young son titled these The
father is considerably past hard work.
They paid IS for work They will make
about the same crop as the first mcn-
toned gentleman. nearly forgot to
say that when their cotton was lust
fairly up. they dragged it across the
rows, much to the astonishment of one
planter, who said they would ruin it.
But this narrowing, almost every one
says, was beneficial, as it made the
earth very mellow for the tender roots
of the young cotton. These men pillow
with a big plow-I forget their favorite
and Use riding plowS and walking cul-
tivators These are being introduced
into the ncighborhood where they live,
and many people are watching them and
propose to initiate them. Indeed, | verify
believe that see the unmiStakablc signs
Of revolution in that cotton culture.
Many people have been to see their work.
They ali admire it; say it was never
equaled, and that they intend to initiate
it. Several, years ago, the late DR.. NJ.
L. Dunlap of the Chicago Weekly Tri-
bune, when on visit here, told me that
he thought level culture of cotton, with
the cultivators in vogue in the praires
west, would be better than the Southern
stvle. The work of these Kansas men l.;
rcritication of his judgment.
Finding that they were so well pleased
in every way, l wanted to learn what
they thought of the country and Whist
aspects most struck them. The old gen.
tleman was rapid and good talker, and
! had to take my notes very roughly,
but here are the most salient contrasts
He likes the climate and soil better than
any country he has ever seen; thinks IL
fine country for grass rowing and
raising stock thinks it better corn
country than any other, and the corn is
better in quality; thinks it better for
oats than any state except New York. I
told him that there had been over 100
bushels raised to the acre in Mississippi,
which rather staggered him. He thinks
it delightful for breezcs, and not as hot
as in more northern states; likes the
Il oil ,,n