The Brunswick times., 1896-05-09
Brooks County Self Supporting,

| BROOKS County Self Supporting.
QUEsTIoN.-Is there any section or
county in Georgia which might be-
called self supporting?
ANSWER As an answer to vonr
question take pleasure in publishing
the report of reliable crop correspond.
ent from Brooks county, received last
week.
'This (Brooks) is the banner county
OF Georgia when it comes to hog and
hominy.' We raise lots of meat, corn,
oats, peanuts, peas, etc. There is
enough meat raised here each year to
run hecounty three years without buy
ing any western meat Our merchants
ship meat, lard, corn, etc., all over South
Georgia. A great many of our farmers
carry balances to their credit, in tho
bank here, of from $1,000 to So. OOO
They run their farms from sale of meat,
corn, etc., and make their cotton a sur
plus crop"
Now ask you and every other farmer
In Georgia to read and ponder the above
statement Is the condition of Brooks
county onesto be envied or not? Is it
desirable thing for a farmer to have an
abundance of all kinds of provision
crops, besides money in the bank, or is
it not? Why can't you and every other
farmer in Georgia place yourselves in
the same condition as the farmers of
Brooks county? There is but one OBJ
stacle in the way, and that is the craze
for cotton. Bring about a cure in this
respect and all the rest follows as mat
ter Of course. l assert, without fear of
contradiction. that if every county in
the state was doing just as Brooks
county is doing, Georgia would be the
most prosperous state in the Union, and
could bid defiance to trusts. Dingley
tariffs and other like abominat ations.-
State Agricultural Department.
Value of Salt and Limo as Fertilizers.
QUESTION What is the value of salt
as fertilizer? What of lime?
ANswER.-While salt is not essential
to the growth Of agricultural plants,
nevertheless it is found to be service
able as fertilizer in some cases. It is
probable that the salt brings about de.
composition of substances already in
the soil, and by this means renders
them available as plant food. It also
attracts moisture. 1t is supposed by
many that it destroys fungi and insects
in the soil, rendering plants more
healthy and vigorous. Many believe
that an application of 300 to 400 pounds
TO the acre will prevent rust in cotton,
anda also increase the yield aud. d.improve
the quality. Most soils contain suffl-
cient lime for the needs of the great ma
jority of cultivated crops. Lime is not
used for fertilizer as much as for
merly, many persons contending that
there Is no appreciable benefit to be de-
rived from it's use. 1t may, however,
be used to advantage to correct acidity
in the soil. 1t tends to disintegrate
rocks and minerals. IL may destroy in
sects and some injurious fungi 1t i'm
creases the power Of the soil for fixing
and holding potash 1t disiatog- ases
and makes more friable, stiff soils, while
at the same time it binds together and
puts light, sandy soils in better mecha1-
ioal condition. Some crops, such as
ground peas tor instance, will make al
most total failure in soils deficient in
lime. and their cultivation should not
be undertaken In such soils, without
first applying to them liberal dose of
lime.-State Agricultural Department.