The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-11-19
Number 22.
Types of Cotton Planters.

types OF CObUOn IldHUeESs
ATLANTA Correspondence New York Times.
There are few farmers in the South
who have the same specific and pre-
else acquaintance with the details of
their business that the merchant has
with his. Maj ] F. Jones, of Troup
county, in Middle Georgia, is one OF
these He cultivates a three-mule
farm, and by high farming, cultlva-
ting thoroughly small area, he is
able TO raise from one to two bales OF
cotton to the acre. lie began farm
ing after the war on a grand scale,
hiring a large number of negroes,
and planting all the land he owned.
In few years he had lost all his
property and was $1,000 in debt. He
borrowed money to pay this aud be-
gan anew, but on different princl-
pie. From twenty-five mule far
mer he became a tao mule farmer,
made his land produce all thai thor
ough tillage and high fertilization en-
I abled him to get ont of it, and now,
at the end of the fifth year of his ex-
perienoe as a small farmer, be IS en-
tirely out of debt, has improved his
farm and buildings, and has u surplus
on hand. Last year bis cotton crop
yielded nearly bale and halfto the
acre, the average yield throughout
thu State being, probably, one bale to
three acres. This year he gets an
equally good crop, and on one plot OF
three acres he secured eight bales
two and two-thirds bales to the
acre. Major Jones estimate of the
cost Of his last years crop, raised on
twenty -one acres, is made up as fol-
lows: The labor employed was three
boys. To one he paid SI5 year and
board, aud to each of the other two
$40 per year and board. He hired
other help for plowing to the amount
of SIT. He estimates the cost OF
board, outside of the value of services
rendered by the boys III miiAing and
doing extra jobs about the house at
$50 each, o. Sl0S for the three. For
fertilizer he used a ton and
half of dissolved bone, costing
$50. composted with cotton-se
at the rate of thirty bushels
to the acre, costing for the
whole twenty-one acres S63, total OF
Sl53 for manure For extra labor IN
picking half the crop he paid at the
rate of 81 per bale, amounting to $40.
The cost of the crop was, therefore, as
= follows: Wages, Sl72; board. SlOS;
manures, sl53; picking S9S; total,
= Sj31. He gathered 14,4O4 pounds
of lint cotton. making % bales OF 5lo
pounds each, which it hal cost him
trife over 81 cents per pound to pro-
l duce. He sold his cotton at little
t over 10 cents per pound, making
81 l,44O, and leaving a net profit OF
S9l7, at the rate of S43.66 to the
acre. The hands employed in raising
this cotton aided in raising also l9O
bushels of wheat, of which 100 bush
+ els we're sold at $125 per bushel, 800
e bushels of corn about $500 bushels
: of fodder, and 500 bushels OF oats.
G Major Jones says nothing about the
d cost of ginning, which if done with
q his own gin at n time when the ma
Il chine could not be prof ably engaged
n in ginning his neighbors' cotton at %
: a bale could not be reconed as very
q expensive operation Three and sew
Il en-tenths cents a pound for raising
b cotton is an exceptionally low price,
s bat Major Jones is altogether an
e exceptional farmer. There are, un-
e fortunately, very few who believe
d with him that a few acres well tllieu
y will weld greater profit than large
; farm half titled. There are, to be
is sure, plenty of two and three mule
II farmers in Georgia, but instead OF
u producing nine bales to the mule, they
produce two or three. The number
of bales produced by each plow run on
the farms of Georgia is estimated al
"a five. On Major Jones farm 1t has
e dozen or more The whole secret o.
IS successful farming does not lie, then
II in limiting the areas OF cultlvetlon' tol
n the average farmer. small or large Il
d poor. 1t does lie in high. or exten
lie ssive farming. Whether one or lO'
| acres are planted, the rate Of proh
2 depends upon the yield per acre. L
n is the man who raises two bales
d cottoa where others raise one wiz
le gets rich. Major Jones is doing al
II excellent missionary work among nj
E. neighbors. His success and growlnII
lie wealth are the best witnesses to tn
e. wisdom of his method OF farming, an
y others are adoting his ways.