The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1890-05-08
SUCCESSFUL FARMING
AN ONSLOW COUNTY FARMER
STARTED WITH NOTHING AND
HAS MADE MUCH MONEY
ALL on THE FARM.

RGcHLANDs. Ooslow Co, May 1st.
Editor DEMOCRAT :-AcCording to
your request and my promise,
proceed to give in q condensed form,
my euccess as q farmer, quality Of
land, and mode Of cultivation.
First. / was raised a poor farmer
boy by my father, who was q hard
Gstod common sense man, ana died
at the age OF Il and followed has
pillow up to his death. He was a
local Methodist minister for 40 years
and q liberal chur3hman. At his
death my distribution share in his
estate was twenty dollars. My
brother Henry joined me and We
added te- dollars each to our shares
and erected tomb stones to our
parents' graves.
st twenty one years of age J Left
my old home and engaged in over
seeing for some Of the best farmers
in Oaelow-such as John N. Franck,
VIM. Humphrey and others. That
expanded MY views on farming.
started at low wages but kept al
vancing. My employers all proved
to be good friends of mine IN after
life. They had confidence in my
honesty, and I commanded their
names and money at any time.
After u few years overseeing / pur-
chased q plantation at three thou,
sand dollars. I paid half cash and
in three years was oct Of debt with
all necessary stock On my farm.
Then I commenced purchasing
negroes to work said Ianf, general.
paying cash.
At tie commencement Of the war,
| purchased another plantation for
five thousand dollars cash. Then o.
cane the war and | was robbed and
piuniared Of nearly everything |
possessed except land, and my ne
groes all 5c5 free. But / did not
surrender as many farmers did. Ny
negroes eli remained with ne. I
succeeded in getting in some lousy
mules and horses. nd just went
right on, and made one Of the best
crops in 'Gj and realized more clear
ca~h tAau any crop ever cultivated.
That year / sold $50 bbls. corn ct
$500 per bill. 1900 lbs. Bacon,
Lard ond Pork from 20 TO Pc. per
Ib. and other things in proportion.
Tha3 year and the next two or three
was the best time for making money
that ever experienced as q farmer.
Wares were roc so high as now.
Now that the war had closed, all
sc old slave owners had to turn over
a new Ieaf. / am one that always
tries to adjust things in general st
once. Many times obstacles are put
in oar way to test oCr ability to over
come them. So | soon purchased
another plantation at five thousand
dollars, and tLen my children grow
ing up had to he sent to school. My
boys | Cducat3 On ny farm. | teach
them to run their fGrrows straight
and dep. Ny daughters are given
u good training in domestic affairs
by my wife, We intend to have the
girls taught to cook good meals and
do all other things necessary, and go
into the parlor and play and sing
good pieces on the piano.
| have sent my children TO some Of
the best schools in the SOuth-sucb
as the Washington and Lee Univer~
sity Of Virginia, Greensboro Female
College, st. Mary's and others.
have paid oat for the education Of
my children outside, Of preparatory
schools, seven thousand dollars; for
lands fourteen thousand dollars; for
negroes six Thousand dollars; and
have ny farm well supplied with
good stock, my barn and smoke
house we'll filed, SIN out Of debt and
2 thousand or SO in solvent credits:
and have been cheated out Of seyera!
thousand by designing rascals, who
are eyer lurking around to get &
chance st honest toll. But it is said
cheating never thriyes. All I have,
| made by f01minG-never got enc
hundred dollars outside.
The quality Of lands | cultivate is
clay suEsoi', about ore half under>
laid with rock mail, and phosphate
rock to what depth or thickness l
have not asCeTtained. Much Of the
mar is cropping out-eften strike 10
blowing. Adapted to corn, cotton.
peanuts, sweet potatoes, oats. rye,
field peas, rice aad the grasses. l
generally plant ia drills with beds
slightly elevated, and cultIyste as
level as possible, Bg drilling the
work comes reguiar--all the roots
drift one way. Break deep taen
cultivate shallower until laid by.
Having a plenty Of rich swamp muck
and mari. l don't use any foreign
fertilizers. l caltiyate my lands