The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-01-20
BIG MONEY IN FARMING.
CHATHAM COUNTY THE TRUCK
FARMERS PARADISE.

Paw $4,000 a Year and How he
Does It-His Farm a Model for Geor-
zia Farmers to Pattern After-Chat-
ham County's Farming Resources
Almost UnIimited-Five Million Dol
lars a Low Estimate Of the Possible
Products OF the County's Tnlable
Lands
Mai. g. NJ Ryals thinks Chatham county
is or could be made the truck farmers para
disc. With all the climatic advantages, a
varied and fertile soil, close proximity to
fertilizer manufactures and u seaport where
kainit is reduced to a minimum cost, with a
great city for a base of supplies, the finest
feet Of steamers on the coast for carrying
the products OF the farms to the great and
populous cities Of the north, and rapid
transit by rail also, he thinks Chatham
county ought to be one great garden of
early vegetables and berries that would
enrich the painstakiag and practical truck
growers.
'We want the lands of the county more
generally underlaid with drain tile.n the
major said yesterday 20 a MORNING NEWS
reporter, ''and as there is too much break
age, aud freights are expensive. drain tile
factory is needed here, and would solve the
problem"
"But what would be done for clay?n
A NEW INDUSTRY SUGGESTED.
''There is plenty Of tile clay right here in
Chatham county, replied Maj. Ryals, land
when this is brought TO the attention of
some enterprising party familiar with tile
manufacture, a profitable industry would
soon spring up. There is no doubt that the
farmers would generally adopt the tile for
draining, which is too expensive for them
now for the reasons stated"
Maj. Ryals says that box drains are used
now, and he has made them more effectual
in the work of drainage by filling in over
them the old tin cans which accumulate in
the garbage heaps from this city, and he
saws that he finds it immeasurably better
than filling in with earth. THAT is a great
waste, too" he added, "for all the cans from
a city of 10000 population could be utilized
If some one would gather them up. The
solder in them is worth cents per pound,
and the tin is melted over in northern cities,
and such things as window weights, ETC.,
are made from them"
GALATIANS FARMER KING.
But the farmer king of Chatham county,
who believes that everything should be
utilized, has no time to turn aside from the
practical care of his farm, and a review of
his last years's experience with 125 acres,
some SIX or seven acres Of which were not
under cultivation, shows that if all the inn
proved lands in Chatham county were as
systematically and practically titled as Mai.
Ryals' lands are, the value of the farm
productions of the county for 1889 would
have aggregated over S. 000,00
From his farm of 12j acres Mai. RIVALS
sold $4,000 worth of produce, and the pro-
ducts consumed by stock, and the loss of his
hay by fire would swell the value of his
farm products $4,000 or $4,000 more
THE SECRET OF SUCCESSFUL FARMING.
The success of Maj. Ryals is due to a
variety Of causes which combine to make
him the prince Of Chatham county farmers
he keeps his land well drained, and this
tends to keep his crops in better condition
In seasons OF excessive rainfall He has an
artesian well on his farm, and so arranged
that In seasons of drought his carts drive
under theeve flowing spout of the well,
and the barrels are rapidly filed, and the
thirsty crops are irrigated artifcially.
In preparing the ground, Major Ryals
realizes the value of deep blowing and I'M
stlnted use OF commercial and natural fer
tilizers for the food life of the plant. The
ground is plowed with three-norse plow.
and subsol pillow, drawn by one horse. fol-
lows In the furrow and loosens the ground
below, the second ridge, left by the subsoil
VIC uppCdiduC Ol u mole
ridge, not only loosening the earth, but in
reality leaving it arched so that air may
circulate in it--a necessary adjunct to the
growth Of the plant BY this system the
ground Is plowed to depth of about one
and one-half feet
FERTILIzING A SCIENCE.
The annual fertilization Of his land has
been reduced to a science by Mai. Ryals.
The animal and vegetable garbage from
fc dtNv,a x,aI 80. ~ u.
the separation Of the rags and odds and
ends which accumulate in the garbage
barrels, and not suited for fertilizers. the
part which is to be used is mixed with
kalnit, and after decomposition is applied to
the land. Land upon which potatoes and
cabbage are grown are given $50 cart loads
OF this manure to the acre, and at
different times commercial fertilizers are
USED IN the proportion of 1900
to 1900 pounds to the acre Of
cabbage land, and from 900 to 1000 pounds
TO the acre of potato land. There are three
stages in the life of the cabbage that the
commercial fertilizer is applied to the land
and twice In the growth OF the potato crop
For the rest of the ground given up to the
culture OF other vegetable products 100 cart
loads OF the animal and vegetable manure
is applied to the acre, and from 500 to 600
pounds Of commercial fertilizer also
and Maj. Ryals says that he is always care
ful to buy nothing but the best double am
moniated fertilizers.
A ROTATION OF CROPS.
When the cabbage and potato crop has
been gathered the ground is broken M
narrowed and rolled, after which the seeds
of the joint grass and crab grass gernina te
and spring up and produce heavy crop of
hay, far more than is needed for the farm
stock, which are given all they can eat. as
Maj. Ryals finds his volunteer meadows a
source OF great revenue, and he saws that
last year he cut five tons from one acre
He sold great deal of hay last year.
but as he lost all of his
stock hay by the destruction of
his barn by fire, he says that he will have
10 see how buying hay goes, which is a new
thing for him. He has given the order for
the timber for a new barn, TO be 75x13O
feet, and in every way better adapted for a
truck farm. 1t is to be divided into three
compartments of 20, 90 and 20 feet respect
lively, and the hay loft will extend the full
length Of the building. In the barn below.
one apartment will be for storing vegeta1
bles and the other two for asserting and
packing.
NEW VEGETABLE BARREL.
Maj. Ryals thinks the days of hunting ND
barrels, and paying big prices for barrels.
good bad and Indifferent, have passed away.
He says the truck farmer therefore, has had
TO buy barrels months before he needs them.
be out the money from ona eaaso, 81