The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1896-04-09
FARMS IN TE-KAS.
LANDS AND CROP ;.
Delightful Climate.

GORE. poad~aae q TaE DE~ocaArt
LgII1.. TEXAS. March rs, 1896.
Inuv humble Judgment, after sec
lae III. sa7t and beautiful country, the
farmer are. a. rule. fifty year behind
Norm Carolina. 4 coed. energetic
farmer coming here from that State
might naturally talk too much and
-eemlngly appear othclous
First. there are no bitches Fortu-
natelv not many are required, but Ike
all countries there sre Iich, fat bottoms
mere and there that could be greatly
improved BY drainage. Quantities Of
the best manure. ashes, etc, which are
intended 81 nature a. feeders for lands.
# hauled at all, are dumped IN waste
places. What is gwen az a blessing Is
considered ruInOus 1t i said the land
j. rich enough and fertilizing is harm
ful. Still | think | have never yet
seen lands 50 rich, that could not IN
some way be improved b. fertillzing.
Diversified crops are not thought OF
here. 1t Is corn. cotton and sorghum
wear after year. Again, their farming
implements are not such as this deep,
rich soil requires, especially for the
long months Of drought this country Is
subject to, causing crops TO fire and be
less productive. have told them Of
the kanit we use, its object IN keeping
off rust, and creating a moisture, Its
being beneficial in those long, dry seas
ons They say oats do not grow we'll
here The mistake there, think, is
sowing III spring instead of fall, as the
few have seen soWed at that season
look we'll They are never grazed.
This would aid their stock greatly and
not injure the growing crop. Peas
sown on oat stubble Is thing unknown
here This would add to forage for
winter az they depend entirely Tor this
on sorghum This is soWed broadcast
and in green state is moved and
stacked 1t IS coarse and nothing to
compare with the fOrages used by US :;
consequently cattle and other stock in
winter Go not fare so we'll No clover
is sown They tell me hundreds of cat
tie die at that season, when "nOrthers"
blow up.
The average yieid OF natural land is
from 10 to - barrels of corn per acre.
This | think might be doubled by util-
ling what Is thrown away. Cotton is
really no better than with us. 1t Is
their only money crop. They pay 81
a hundred for picking out. They are
bound to make 1t to pay debts they say.
some lands would make tobacco, but
are generally too rich. Peanuts could
be raised IN abundance, especially the
Spanish pea. Vines as q forage for
winter use would greatly enhance their
value There are farmers here owning
and thousands of acres OF
land being cultivated entirely by rent
ers, giving ! crop of corn and / crop of
cotton. All the seed of the cotton crop
are sold to oil mills excepting those re-
served for planting. They use two
small mules or horses to the pillow for
running rows, to cotton and corn plant
ers and for blowing crops.
Among SO many mules and horses
YOU see very few fine animals. Such
as are sold there would be considered
very fine here. but more attention is
being paid in that line.
All vegetables grow well and abund-
antly, though they have the same pests
IN the form Of worms and bugs on them
that we have. Peaches and berries are
fine, but no apples. Domestic fowls are
raised IN greatest abundance We are
having beautiful weather. crops grow
ing rapidly and flowers blooming. til
looks here now like middle of Nav
there and we are enjoying this delight
[ul climate. J. I. iAWRENCE.