The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-11-10
Some Practical Observations.

Mr.. EDITOR: In some experiments
| made this year to determine tho relative
! cost Of producing corn and oats, l asccr-
tained one fact of much Importance to
my fcllow-f farm ,rs, if can induce :iiein
to view it in the same light that do
This will try to do. provided you will
g me space in your popular and in
tercsting paper.
For some years past the farmers have
almost ceased to raise corn-I mean corn
sufficient to supply the wants of their
plantations. This practice is based, i'll
almost every instance, upon vague and
doubtful opinion rs to whether it is prof
table to raise corn-many following thar
il is better to raise cotton and buy corn
and bacon My experience is that there
is but little money, if any, to be made by
raising cotton exclusively. no matter
how conclusive paper calculations provo
to tho contrary. Money can be made by
raising cotton, provided its culture is in
tcrsporsed with grain crops, for farmer,
by judicious management, can cultivate
n certain amount of corn, oats and wheat
without materially interfering with his
cotton crop, and these grain crops con-
stitute, i'll the very nature Of things, the
actual profits of farming. Consider tho
present condition Of tho farming interests
of the country: cotton iailurc--a large
portion of that raised damaged by storms
and worms, no corn or bacon; debts to
be paid, and no money to purchase a
supply of ofprovisions with which to make
another crop. Is it not time for the far
mors to stop this ruinous practice of rais-
ing all cotton, and turn their atton ton 10
the making Of provisions, which we
must have at any cost? SO much has
been said and written on this subject, 1
would not venture to add another word
were not able 60 suggest something so
practical that every one must at least
stop and consider. Having in view the
objects which l was endeavoring to as
certain, selected spot of six acres, up
land, which thought as near an average
In quality as could find. This spo. was
piece Of old field pine land, cleared four
years ago, having beer planted IN cotton
up to this year. l managed its cultiva-
tion so rs to know exactly the cost Of
working without having to estimate or
guess at 1t.
The first of April run of, without break
ing up, with long, narrow shovel, about
five and half to six feet apart, and COW
cred with n long, narrow bull tongue,
ono furrow OH each side. This cost me
$1.07, also half bushel seed, 81! cents,
making Sl.4i. When the corn was from
four to six feet high, l plowed with the
bull tongue two furrows on each side.
which cost me 2l.37, The second plow-
ing was with Il wider bull tongue and
small iron wing attached plowed out
the middles complete. and 1t cost mo
s2.7l. Tho third plowing was with n
sweep, and cost mo $l.37. Gathering cost
me 81. 1 consider the shucks worth the
labor of shucSing and putting in crib.
The whole cost was Ss.62 The yiold,
carefully measured, was 6s bushels of
good corn. The cost pcr bushel was
fraction over IS cents. This was tho
actual cost. / know that many In MAX
ing calculations of this kind estimate
labor at day or fancy prices, but evcn ac-
cording to such estimates the cost would
not be moie than % cents per bushel 1t
will be observed thoro was no hoeing
If corn is plowed properly thereis no use
for hoeing, except under certain circum-