Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1888-03-07
The faran aud fireside.
FORTY BALES TO THE MULE.

IL DhhLS ~ Aih ~
TCapt. j. A. Peterkin, in his book, "Talks with
Cotton Farmers."1
The young men at home and in the
~neighborhood were inclined to be slow
about planting a new crop. They did not
show the energy I wished to see. So to
stir them up, l boosted I could take one
large mule and one hand to pillow him, and
| make fifty bales of cotton and 81 800 clear
profit. This had the desired effect. |
| talked it until I convinced myself l could
do it. So I went to work to accomplish IT.
I had ~ swap work so as to run a three
horse Cassida pillow to break thirteen acres
| of land that had been in corn, and worked
by q negro for several years. 1t was very
badly oVerrun with Bermuda grass, and
very poor indeed. When the land was
ready for planting, the big mule and ne
gro had nine days due them, but L did not
| require it paid back. There was no other
| plow in it but the one used by the big ne
gro and run by the big mule. My neigh
| bors say it was as good or as we'll cultlva-
ted as any fifty acres in the ~neighborhood.
But 1 did not make the fifty bales; | made
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. But if possible, [ mean
to make the fifty bales on fifty acres with
one mule and one negro in 1888, and ex-
pect to ~fertilize the land from the seed or
meal Of fifty bales.
I will tell now how l prepared n Gull
tivated the land, although l would not
advise any one to try it on as large a scale
as myself, as it requires practice to 40 the
work we'll. This is my third year on the
water futroW or alley system. L begun
with ten acres, the next year increased 10
twelve acres, and this year QSSO increased
it to the fifty acres, with the stated result.
I will not be contented till l make fifty
bales and two thousand dollars clear profit
with one mule and hand. 1t can be done,
and if life is spared me L mean to DO 1t:
The land was thrown into beds of three n
one-half foot rows, just as though! was 60
ing to plant it on the bed; but 1 did not 40
so. I put my fertilizer-three hundred
pounds of ~cotton-seed meal and one hun
dred and twenty-five pounds Of acid phos-
phate mixed, as I have before described
in the water furrow or between the beds;
then threw two burrows on with a double
bull tongue; boarded it off put the planter
on in the usual way, but down in the
water furrow. AS soon as the seed began
to sprout I narrowed with the little Iron
Age-harrowed the middle and all-and
so killed the crab grass in its infancy. Al
forwards therenever appeared much grass
in the cotton. I then bull-tongued 1t, n
called that two ploughings. Next ran
around it with an eighteen-inch sweep
one of Poppenheim's; that was three
ploughings. I next used the Planet, Jr.,
cultivator, one furrow to the row. This
was four p%loughings. Next laid it by, n
furrow with the sweep. The ploughman
and mule began work by daylight ana
worked till sunset each working day.
The ploughman cost me 500. Two hoe
ings cost 500; the picking cost 30 cents
per hundred or IS per bale, or $500 tor
ginning and picking. The seed convert
ed into meal and mixed with acid phos-
plate makes the land self-supporting. me
mule made twelve thousand pounds OF
peavine hay and peas, which will support
him. He did this in five days that were
too wet to plough in the cotton. His oats
are growing. 1 expect to get 10 cents per
pound for my cotton, more if l can. 1t
will net me before February S1,4SO; this
is making cotton at less than 3 cents per
pound. This is not a large crop of cotton.
1t was the money I wanted as we'll as to
stir up the farmers and show it could be
done. Now if my plan of selling cotton is
adopted, I will make $4,000 O N the same
fifty acres next year. My experience is
that making cotton is the best and easiest
farming in the world. Go at it with a
vim, and stick to it, stay in the field and
see that the work is done we'll. Spend
less money for fertilizers, and see that you
put the right kind and the right quantity
in the right place. Make the farm sell
supporting and you are sure to succeed,
Plant nothing in cotton but high, dry
and natural draining land bottoms that
require ditching are uncertain lands; they
look as if they would make a crop but gen
orally fail in the end. There are bottom
lands that make cotton, but they have
a natural undertakings. Stop planting
cotton as soon as you get off the natural
drained lands. One acre of bad cotton will
take the profit from two good acres. Ey-
cry farmer should know his land perfectly,
and know what to put on it, whether it
be corn, cotton or oats. Whatever suits
it give to it.