The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1890-06-10
A WAKE COUNTY COTTON
FARM.
What State Treasurer Allen has Done
Since the War.

Since the War.
He was a Tenant for Several Years bat
moo0 Gums an Excellent Farm Of
HIS OaVn- What Push,
Pluck and Economy
a0iU do.
Everybody in Wake county knows
J. D. Allen, ESQ. He is not only
known and liked as a man, but as a
magistrate he has a considerable repu.
tation, especially in the marry ing
business. He is an expert. No young
couple who have done any counting
ever feel safe when he is about, so
great is his. desire to constantly be
tieing matrimonial knots. Mr.. Allen
was one of the first farmers in the
State to join the Alliance and at the
first State meeting of the order he
was elected Treasurer. He has filed
this responsible position in a very
satisfactory way up to this time. He
is a native of Wake county, was born
and reat ed on the farm.
A TENANT FOR SEVEN YEARS.
Bro, Allen is well known to the
farmers Of our State as Treasurer of
the State Alliance. We will see if
he has, as d farmer, merited the honor
and trust bestowed upon him.
In 1865 he came home from the
war, having spent a por ion of the
time in prison. He was penlless but
young and full OF hope. In 1866 he
married a most excellent lady and the
life struggle began. For seven years
he and his wife tolled and at the end
of that time the first small tract of
land was bought, also the first horse.
There is a difference of optuion as to
who deserves the most credit for
good management-Bro. AIlen or his
wife. This the writer will not under
take to decide. At any rate 70
acres of land was bough5 and paid
for. A small house and other build
ings were built and the young couple
began housekeeping on their own
premises. "Early to bed aud early
to rise" was the motto of that house
hold. Everything that could be
made on the farm was raised. They
Yracticed industry, patience and econ,
ony, but stinginess was rot known.
1t is a we'll known fact that stinginess
and economy are two wolds that are
often used in the same sense, but
they have very little Connection.
Economy was all that was to be
found in the Allen household, They
uid not fail to provide a reasonable
amount of the comforts of life.
Mr.. Allen now owns a thousand
acres of land in n body and has a
gin and saw mill on the farm and
other property besides. He works
about thirty five hands and runs ten
plows. This season he has l25 acres
in cotton, $50 acres in corn, 40 in
wheat, soil oats and ten in grass and
clover. The balance of his open land
is in pasturage. A remarkable fact
is that nearly all his hands, which are
mostly colored, have been with him
for years. When he once employs a
hand he will not leave him. This
alone is sufficient testimony to prove
that Bro. Allen is one Of the best
men in the world. When men,
whether white or black, continue in
the employ of a man year after year
it is positive proof that he is a man of
a kind and gent e disposition and he
who. acts honestly with his tenants
will do the same with all who he may
do business with.
Bro. Aliens farm lies on the Neuse
river about IA miles north from Raj
eigh. He has about IS acres Of bot
tom land on the river. His upland is
all billy and some of it rocky. But
the land is in a high state of c%ultiva-
ton. He has it ditched and has
filed up the gullies that were so COZ
.spicuous in some of the land before
he bought it. We have no idea that
there is a farm anywhere in our State
that is in better condition for heavy
rains. Mr.. Allen has made a study
of systematic ditching and this is one
secret of his success. Though his
land is very hilly it does not wash
away, no matter how heavy the rains.
On steep hillsides the terrace will not
do, especially if tie land is sandy
loan. But it is the best on land that
is gently rolling. But neither way is
worth a cent unless it is properly
done. If the bitches are gwen too
much fall they will wash and if insult
fcient in number they only make bad
matters worse. Not one farmer in a
hundred has learned to ditch land
properly in our country yet, but con
siderable advancement has been made
in the past few years.
Bro. Allen has not gone into stock
raising extensively yet, but ne has
Cood horses and cattle. He has a