The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1894-07-18

in 1879 and from the first has kept
one important truth before him, and
that is that land will not feed its
owner unless it is fed in return, and
each year this land grows better.
This has been accomplished by rotat-
ing the crops and never planting the
same land with the same crop any two
years in succession. For instance,
land that was planted in cotton last
year is sown in wheat this year, and
the same rule applies to the corn
fields. After the wheat is harvested
the land is either allowed to grow up
in weeds or grass, and turned under
in the fall with large plough or is
sown in peas and the vines turned un-
der. In addition to this all manure
made on the place is saved and spread
over small area of land each year.
Under this plan the plantation that
was hardly considered worth having in
,187S is now recognized as one Of the
most fertile and valuable in the Coun-
ty, and few years ago it's owner re-
fused an offer of 10000 for it.
Now as to Mr.. Wilkerson's methods
as to crops. They are very simple,
and if followed by our Southern far
mers would soon change our debt-rid-
den and discouraged farmers into the
most prosperous set of people on
earth. For their information and
benefit detailed statement as to his
plan of farming will be Of interest.
First as regards wheat. Mr.. Will
kerson claims that in proportion to
expense and labot this is the most
profitable crop that he raises. He
says: ''I usually raise about 500
bushels of wheat. I prepare my land
thoroughly by the use Of the plough
and disk harrow and SOW the wheat
reasonably early. l have made care
full estimate of the total cost Of SOW
ing, harvesting and handling the
wheat grown on one acre of ground,
and find that $3.50 will cover every
item of expense, estimating all labor
at liberal price. My average yield
for the past ten years has been ten
bushels to the acre, and I have aver
ed 81 per bushel tor all that has been
rised, after taking out sufficient for
family use and sowing. l believe my
wheat crop for ten years has netted at
least $500 a year in cash, and the
profit over and above net cost is not
less than $50 per cent. l consider
wheat profitable crop when the yield
is as low as three or four bushels to
the acre. Of course there is no profit
in the grain when the yield is so small,
but land seeded to wheat is rested and
thereby the farmer receives profit in
that his land is improved"
"What about corn, MIR. Wilkerson.
Do you raise any considerable guam
tity Of it ?"
to ten years ago / use to raise about
1900 bushels year, but the exces-
sive rainfall Of the past few years has
almost destroyed my bottom land, and
now have to depend in large measure
on uplands, and they are not so pro-
ductive. I now raise less than 900
bushels year, but what I do raise is
an abundance for my purpose.
"What about oats p
IT usually make five or six hundred
bushels of oats, but have never con-
sidered them of unusual value as a
money crop"
"Well, how about cotton. Do you
go into the aeecy staple very extern
sively ?"
"No, I do not. We generally raise
about eighty bales on the place, and
we make it point to make this crop
clear of all expenses. By clear of ex-
pense I mean that no part of the cot
ton crop is used to pay the expense of
raising and harvesting it, and that the
operating expenses of the farm are
paid from other sources. Several
years ago / made an accurate estimate
Of the actual cost of raising cotton,
and found that under favorable condi-
tions and by proper management the
net profit to the produce of cotton was
81 per cent, providing the price re-
ceived for it was g cents pound. BY
proper management [ mean where it
is raised by live.at-home farmer, and
every possible advantage taken in the
way of saving labor in cultivation p
II usually break my stubble land
with two-horse turning plough in
the fall, and very early in the spring
harrow it thoroughly with disk har-
row, afterwards laying it off in the or.
dinary way and putting in commercial
fertilizer at the rate of about two hum
dred pounds to the acre. AT the
proper time the seed is planted, and
wher it comes up to good stand l
take my smoothing harrow and drag it
diagonally across the rows. The next
thing in order is "chopping" the cot
ton to stand. This requires very
little labor and expense as compared
to the old way, as the smoothing har-
row has already destroyed large pro-
portion of the surplus cotton as well
as much of the grass. The next op-
Grafton is the use of the ploug b or
side harrow as ordinarily employed. I
find that the thorough preparation of
the land before planting the crop is a
great saving in the subsequent culti-
vation of the crop, and renders it COM
paratively easy. The important fea-
ture in the cultivation Of cotton or
any other crop is 80 keep it free from
grass, and the number, of times it is
necessary to go over it with the
plough or hoe of course depends on
the amount Of rain that may fall dur
ing the summer.
1.-THE most profitable crop, raised
on my farm" continued MIR. Wilker-
son "is sorghum cane. usually
make about $50 gallons of excellent
molasses to every acre planted. The
gross cost, including manuring, plant
ing and cultivating the cane and max
ing the molasses, is not exceeding Is
cents a gallon. I sell every gallon
made for not less than forty cents and
often realize fifty. The profit on this
crop will average in the neighborhood
of 300 per cent.
"What about hogs, Mr.. Wilkerson ?
Do you raise any, and if so are they
profitable p
eyes, all hams, bacon and lard used