The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1888-03-21
40 BALES TO THE MULE.
CAPTAIN PETERkiN TELLS HOW
IT WAS RAISED.
Straight Talk on the EIcccy staple
To Make Fifty BALES to the Horse
and & 1000 Profit


not show. the energy / wished to see SO
to stir them up, boastcd could take
one large mule and one hand to plow
him, and make so bales of cotton and
$1,000 clear profit. This had the dc.
sired effect. | talked it until | con.
vinced myself could do it.. So
went to work to accomplish it, HAD
TO swap work so rs to run three
horse Casida plow to break thirteen
acres ofland that had been in corn
and was worked by negro for sever.
al years. 1t was badly ovcrrun with
Bermuda grass and very poi indeocd.
When the land was ready or plow.
ing, the big mule and negro had nine
days due them, bot din not require
it paid back. There was no other
plow in it except the one used by the
big negro and run by the Dig mule.
My neighbors say it was rs good or as
well cultivated rs any fifty acres in
the neighborhond. But it did not
make the fifty bales, only got forty.
four. l lost my stand on the part
that had been infested by Bermuda
grass, and had to poison twice for
worms. which injured it some, b.. if
possible, mean to make the fifty ba.
les on fifty acres with one mule and
one negro iii 1888, and expect to fer.
tilizc the land from the seed or meal
fifty bales.
will tell now how | prepared the
land, although | would not advise any
one to try 1t on as large a scale as my.
self, rs it requires practice to do the
work well. This is my third year on
the water furrow or alley system.
begun with ten acres, the next year
increased to twelve acres. and this
year, 1887, increased it to fifty acres
with the stated results. | will not be
contented until make fifty bales and
two thousand dollars clear profit with
one mule and hand, 1t can be done,
ann if life is spared me. l mean to do
it. The land was thrown into beds
Of three and one half foot rows, Just
rs though was going to plant it ON
the bed but did notTdo so. put
my fertilizer, three hundred pounds of
cotton seed meal and one hundred and
twenty five pounds of acid phosphate
mixed, as l have before described
in the water, furrow or between the
beds then thre two burrows on with a
double bull tongue; boarded it O; ;
put the planter on in the usual way,
but down in the water iurroE. As
soon as the seed began to sprout,
narrowed with the little Iron Age
narrowed the middle and all-and SO
killed the crab grass in its infancy
Afterwards there never appeared
much grass in the cotton, then
bull.tongued it and called that two
plowings. Next ran around it with
an eighteen inch sweep, one Of Pop
penheim's; that was three plowings.
/ next used the Planet, Jr. cul,ivator
one furrow to the row, this was four
plowings. Next, laid it by one fur.
row with the sweep. The ploughman
and Mule began work by daylight and
worked till sunset each working day.
The ploughman cost me 500. Two
hoeings cost 800; the picking cost
80 cents per hundred, or six dollars
per bale, or $500 for ginning and
picking. The seed converted into
meal and mixed with acid phosphate
makes the land self supporting. The
mule made twelve thousand pounds
of peavine hay and peas, which will
support him. lie did this In fre
days that were too wet to plow in cot.
ton. His oats are growing. | ex.
pect TO get 10 cents per pound for my
cotton, more if can. 1t is making
cotton at cents per pound, for before
February will net S1,480. This is
not large crop of cotton. 1t was
the money / wanted as we'll as to stir
up the farmers ond show it could be
adopted. will make $4,000 on the
same fifty acres next year. My cX.
HCiiCliSS 10 Nhhg Sobtpi 10 WV
best and easiest farming in the world.
Go at II with vim, and stick to it,
stay In the field and see that the
work is done well. Spend less mon.
ey for fertilizers, and see that you put
the right kind and the right quantity
in the right place. Make the farm
self supporting and you are sure TO
succeed.
Plant nothing in cotton but high,
dry and natural drained land; bottoms
that require ditcbing are uncertain
lands they look as if they would
mako crop but generally fail in tie
end. There are bottom lands that
make cotton. but they have natural
under drainage. Stop planting cot
ton as eoon rs sou get off the natural
drained lnuds. One acre OF bad cot
q TON will take the profit from two good
acres. fyery farmer should know BE