Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1884-09-20

all. And we should remember that
if we desire to see our county increase
in wealth, prosperity, and happiness,
we must depend upon the success of
many and not the few. Therefore, to
learn how to increase our field pro-
ducts twofold, if possible, and to i'm
prove and manage our stock so as to
obtain more remunerative and satisfac-
tory prices for them when sold, should
be the chief object in view with every
farmer in our county. And it is evil
dent to my mind that we can all agree
upon one point here to-day. 1t is this:
That there is room for improvement in
all our stock, and the cultivation and
management of all our farms We
have, perhaps, made an average Of not
more than eight bushels of wheat to
the acre this year, or about 200, 900
bushels in the county. But I venture
the opinion that had the same lands
which were sown been properly rested
in the meadow grasses or clover, then
nicely prepared, and sufficient quan>
tity of good seed been carefully put in
the ground at the proper time, we
could have made sixteen bushels to the
acre, or 400, 900 bushels in the county,
with almost the same amount of money
and labor that was expended in max.
ing what we have. Now, if l am cor
rect in this statement, it shows that we
have lost by our negligence and want
of knowledge in wheat culture alone,
200, 900 bushels in one year, which,
estimated at the low price of seventy,
five cents per bushel, makes $3.50, 900.
And this is, perhaps, sufficient sum
to subscribe to induce some wealthy
company to build a railroad through
our county, on one side of the river
and the same management during an
other twelve months, calculating from
the same basis, would prove a loss o.
another S150,000, which would insure
the building of another railroad on thu
other side of the river. And thi
would, perhaps, be ample transporta
ton facilities, until we learn how tt
make more bountiful crops, In ordel
to establish the truth of the position
which | have taken, 1 only have to re
fer you to those who sowed the kline
of land described and pursued tn,
3 methods mentioned, and you will learl
that they all made from twelve t,
twenty bushels. And when speak O
resting our lands in clover and tn
meadow grasses, | will venture to sa,
further, that, if they are grazed o
moved off and fed to good stock, o
baled and shipped to market, will pa,
, better than the corn and tobacco crop
usually raised upon them, to say moth
ing Of the pay in the way of improve
, ment to the land.
The truth is, much of the valuabl
land of our county has been well-nigl
. ruined by improper blowing, and tn
constant growing of corn and Tobacco
upon them, without doing anything t
recuperate and build them up. Th
:, exhausted fields, with their ghastl
sight of clay banks and deep gulleyl
which you did or might have seen upo
every hand as you came here today
speak In thunder tones in support {
this position.
Well may they cry aloud and ez
claim, GLOW long, oh Lord will tn
people continue to butcher their exec
- lent lands, which thou hast given thel
as heritage for themselves and the
children?"
i 1t has been truly said that there al
o certain rules and principles that al
# essentially necessary to success in an
4 business, and that they apply to farm
;. ing as we'll as any other profession.
i, We must learn and practice the be
20 modes Of enriching and holding oil
, soil. We must be honest and liber
o enough to give back to the soil som
thing in return for the bountiful cro]
q which it has yielded us in the past.
d And even to restore to usefulne
v many of the worn-out and insight
d spots to be seen in many of our field
:, ,o1 ,,,ob n horoulooD tosly 90 mir