The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1882-03-09
A TALK WITH A PRACTICAL FARMER.
How to Make Farming Successful

TOW 10 NdkC diIIHiE SHSSSSS'N"
Wehad long talk few days ago with
MIR. J. A. Crotwell, one Of NewberrT's s
most successful farmers, on the subject
of farming. His ideas on the subject
appear to as as of much practical value.
The conversation began by our asking
Mr.. Crotwell whether he proposed to
keep a
WESTERN CORN CRIB
this year. His reply was that he did
not; that he has planted 40 acres in
wheat and oats, and intends to make
food enough for himself, his hands and
his stock. He will reduce his cotton
acreage this year one-fourth; next year
he will reduce it one-half, and will keep
it there. The Lien Law he regards as
having proved a great injury to the
farming interests. Enacted at time
when cotton was high, it was expected
that the farmers would easily pay their
liens and have money enough left over
to be independent. But cotton went
down, and many farmers got deeper in
debt. They have been making frantic
efforts to get out by
RAISING BIG COTTON CROPS;
but every effort has sunk them deeper.
The effect of the lien system has been
TO force the farmer 10 raise too much
cotton, which he is compelled to sell at
q low price while he pays a high price
for his provisions. MIR. Crotwell gives
his idea of proper farming thus: Pitch
your crop the
FIRST OF SEPTEMBER,
and work according to system. With
one mule and hand hired for 30 cents
a day you can SOW Is acres of grain in
Is days of September; and Is acres in
Is days in October. AS the mule would
otherwise be idle, you thus have 80
acres of grain sown down at an expense
of SIS, exclusive of the cost of seed, and
that you should raise. In November
fix up few small patches of Lucerne,
OF clover of some kind. With the same
mule in December and January haul in
frewood; and litter to make manure.
In February begin to prepare for cotton.
This same mule can attend 80 acres IN
cotton also, making all together
60 ACRES TO THE MULE.
Plant no corn except in bottoms. When
the small grain is cut plant the stubble
down in peas in rows "a inches apart
with two.footed plow. The reasons
in favor Of peas against corn are. a
that they are worth just as much as corn,
(2) the cost of raising them is about
one-third that of raising corn, and, (3,
they fertilize the land, while corn ex-
hausts ii. Next year
REVERSE THE CROPS;
plant small grain where cotton was
planted the year before. and cotton
where grain was. Do this. and The fer
,ilizing by cotton seed and peavines
raised on the farm will improve the
land every year; and in twenty-one
years tho land will be as rich as when
the timber was first cut off it. By this
plan of farming farmer gets living
off his land for himself and stock; the
bands set their living; and the cotton
brings Clear money. Some will say
that a mule cannot tend sixty acres;
but Mr.. Crotwell says it can do it easily
if it has the right kind of a man to as
sist it. To prove this he says that year
before last Mr.. Hamilton Fellers cult
yated on bis place 80 acres Of cotton
with two mules, making so bales and
made besides with these same mules
that year 100000 bricks, and hauled
with them $3.50 worth of wood. A
great many farmers don't know what
mule can do, because they have never
given bim a fair showing.
Mr.. Crotwell says that one serious
mistake many farmers make is in
PUTTING OFF FARMING OPERATIONS
TILL JANUARY;
that a farmer should Jay all his plans,
pitch his crop, and begin bis years
work the first of September. The fall
and early winter, the best time for
working, is in great part wasted and
stock is kept idle at a big expense.
while the farmer is ,lawdling about
waiting for January to come: Another
serious mistake is to buy mules, wagons
and farming implements Gall which
cost heavily and to leave the care of
these things to laborers who have no
permanent interest in them. A farmer
Should look after these things closely
and see that they are taken care of, and
that he gets the full value out of them.
If LEFT to tenants and laborers who are
not pecuniarily interested in their pre-
servation they soon 60 to wreck and
ruin, and then comes big expense in
replacing them.
Another mistake is in expecting to
get everything from the land without
giving back to the land anything. Ifa
farmer makes $500 off a piece of land
he should put $3.50 of it back on the land
in improving it. There ought to be a
law to punish man for allowing his
land to 60 to waste.
Mr.. Crotwell says that with a long
handle hoe. spade and rake he can
90 on almost any land in this County
and make plenty for himself and his
two children; as much or more than
the average farmer makes with mule
or two.
Mr.. Crotwell gives the following ad-
vice: If you would have your farm we'll
attended to attend to it yourself and see
that you raise your own provisions at
least; but if you don't care, get some
body else to attend to it for you. and
then it doesn't matter much what is
planted. He says: "Fa7n1iaaQ IS q Sloao
business; but 1t IS sure business, Ger
tain.
Disappointment in matters Of pleas
ure is hard to be borne, in matters af-
fecting health it becomes cruel. DR..
Bulls Cough Syrup never disappoints
those who use it for obstinate coughs,
colds, irritation of throat and lungs, etc.
Give Aid to Good Cause!
We learn that the ladies of Sharon
Methodist Church, IN connection with
others of Hopewell and Tabernacle, as