The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1891-10-01
Every Fourth Row in Corn.

To The Editor of the NeWs and Courier {:
Heartily in favor as am of the proposed
reduction of the area Of cotton cultivation,
II see some difficulties in the way that
have not been suggested. TO cut down
the cotton crop 10 ten or twelve acres to
the plough would be to reduce that crop
by fully one-half and recessitate the
planting of the remaining land either In
corn or small grain, fencing 1t in pastures
or allowing il to 80 out of cultivation.
Doubtless the latter plan would prove a
blessing to thousands OF acres now cult
waited, which are too poor to pay for Tue
work. Yet as the tax col Hector Will come
around, and store accounts and interest
on mortgages must be paid, it would not
be convenient in every instance.
It's we'll established fact that negroes
do very large share of the farm labor IN
this and other cotton States, and it IS as
we'll known that as corn, wheat and oat
farmer the negro is not dazzlings s uccess:
The negro can and does make the most
of the cotton, bnt, the negro does not,
and apparently cannot, make grain.
Therefore. if the one half of our present
cotton area was planted in grain and de-
nended on negro labor for cultivation 1t
would almost certainly prove more un-
productive than at present.
To cut down the area in cotton to the
plough and not attempt to sow the re-
r,ainder in grain, and at the same time
to keep our farms in profitable cultivation, n,
would require an immense increase in the
laboring population, as it is clear that 1t
would take twice as many ploughs and
plough hands TO work a given area IN
crops Of say twelve or fifteen acres, us in
crops of twenty four 10 thirty acres and
the additional expense Wouid, IN case OF
failure from bad seasons. for instance,
prove disastrous This brings me to the
suggestion have to make.
Two Z ears ago was conversing with
Mr.. Turpin, member of Congress from
one of the western districts of Alabama,
who. by the way, was unseated directly
after bv Tom Reeds Congress. then IN
Washington. Knowing him to be Large
planter in his section, I asked him now
be did about corn for his hands and stock.
He replied that, up to the last six or sew:
en- years, he had annually spent large
part Of the profits of bis cotton crop Tor
corn for stock and meal for hands. Thsp
he cropped on tine share system, and,
having to furnish feed for the stock, and
to buy it. he found it very poor pay-
ing business. That the negroes would
not make corn when planted in>separate
fields or patches, but he had noticed that
when stray stalk came up among the
cotton and was allowed to stand, it always
grew well. So he positively forbade the
planting by his troopers Of any separate
corn fields, and forced the planting OF
every fourth row of Ia ] prepared and
fertilized for cotton in corn. This was
worked exactly as if all planted In cotton,
and the result was that, since the adoption
of this simple regulation, he had not
bought grain of corn on either OF his
three large plantations.
The plan is simple, easily understood
and easily followed, and strikes me as
being the very best and most practicable
that I have ever heard of to reduce the
cotton area and increase and secure the
weld Of corn. He told me that he plant,
ed the corn at the same time and worked
il with the same tools and in the same
wav as his cotton, hoeing and ploughinG
it through and through, and the yield
every wear was not only satisfactory, but
surprising, and that as Q matter OF fact II
had not reduced the yield Of cotton ny
one-fourth, as the corn rows gave yeqtii-
lation to and chance to spread to the cot
ton rows adjoining. I intend adopting or
irving this plan in the future, and recon-.
mend it to the serious consideration oi
my brother farmers.
w T. DAYIE.