The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1889-02-19
THE cHUFA CROP--ITS CULTI-
WALTON AND VALUE.

Mr.. EDITOR At your solicitation
in last weeks issue for some one to
give information concerning the Guilt
Vat1on and management of chufas. l
venture to undertake the task, hoping
others also may give their experience.
I feel the more ready to respond,
because | regard this crop as one of
the most profitable that many sections
of u country a produce when
cost is considered.
| will further add that my interest
in propagating this crop is limited to
a desire for the relief and general
prosperity of our people.
planted my first crop in 1878. 1
procured seed of a Mr.. Adams, of
Johnston county, N. c., and planted
about four acr of sandy land. The
land was prepared the same as for
cotton; rows about the same distance
apart, into which l put a mixture of
compost and ammonrated fertilizer,
in such quantity as is intended for
cotton. The chufas were dropped one
to two in a hill, about two and a half
feet apart. The cultivation was SINH
lar to cotton, witq this exception, they
weed nothing out. | did not get a
good stand. A great amout of draw
ing young shoots and transplanting in
the missing spaces vas required.
With all my success was marked. I
gathered and sold for seed near n
hundred bushels, and with my re-
naming chufas and some potatoes
fattened a choice lot of pork and had
in the February following some fine
sows and pigs and a. start for 1879.
This time l planted about eight acres,
experienced about the same trouble as
before in getting a start, did a con
siderable amount of drawing shoots
which put up early in the season and
transplanted. The number of hogs
fattened on chufas and killed that
year we're twenty-five; many of them
were small, yet it was the cheapest
pork | ever raised. Soon after this |
sold my farmSnpon which | made the
above experiments and since that date
my experince witq this crop has been
more limited. l strove hard to get
farmers everywhere in my reach to
take hold Of them. 1 shipped seed to
many parts of the country. Sold to.
d. NJ. Ferry & Co., Detroit, Mich,
some, and a small quantity to other
seed houses. They were through such
efforts on my part and Son the part of
others scattered very generally over
the country. One person in ten
profted by them, while the nine cried
out "humbugn A like proportion
fail to make farming pay, yet farming
is not the fault.
From personal experience and an
observation of several years, / offer
these suggestions:
The chufa crop is not well adapted
to stiff, clay lands. Light, sandy soils
suit it best. In most places where the
peanut or sweet potato crop can be
grown successfully this crop pay. Like
many other crops on the same farm
there are spots or plots of land adapted
to this crop and portions thut are not,
where the soil is adapted to It's growth
and with proper cultivation, such as
we would give to succeed with bther
crops, we can produce from SO to 100
bushels to the acre. Two bushels of
chufas are quite equal to one of corn
for hogs and we ave the gathering of
chufas.
The tops, which grow up to II or
l8 inches high, may be cut before
frost and used for hay. Stock are
very fond of it. An objection to the
crop is the great difficulty realized in
getting a stand.
The plan usually followed is to soak
the chufa in water five to six DAYS,
changing the water every two days;
then drop one in the hill, two feet
apart. and cover as COTTON or corn