The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1896-11-21
FARMER AND PLANTER.
INVESTIGATION.
More Advice to Farmers on the Advisa-
biltty of Diversifying Their Crops.

Dlltty OF OiversirytnS Inelr Srops'
As am not writing for notoriety or
for reputation, but simply to make a
record of past experiences-as the
college boy would say, to ''leave some
footprints upon the sands Of time
therefore trust shall be excused If
l should be little prolix.
The question of diversifying crops,
etc.o has been the study as well as the
practice OF my life. 1t has been the
topic of discussion with agriculturists
and writer's for many years. Those
who have practieed it have been the
successful, the thrifty and only truly
independent men under the old as well
as new system of labor, under all cir
cumstances.
Now, let us consider how we may
supplement the cotton crop. All farm
ers should have at least one we'll
fenced pasture, in proportion to the
amount of stock kept, well supplied
with water. / have already written
about the sheep to keep your pastur-
age free from noxious weeds and
shrubs, and make you mutton to eat,
as we'll as to sell, and wool, besides
quantity of the finest manure for all
purposes. II you have succeeded in
raising that fne orchard-I mean SIM
ply good family orchard, you can sell
II favorably located, a considerable
amount of fruit, and have an abund-
ance for home consumation-preserv
jellies, dried fruit and fruit in its own
Juice. Next will come the melon crop,
which always brings good money, ii
you have them early and late. After
these are gone you may have few
bushels of those fine Reisein pecans,
which will sell for fancy price in the
market. If you have locked after the
garden your turhips, cabbage, sweet
potatoes, second crop of Irish potatoes;
pumpkins, field peas; etc.; are on hand.
By this time You may be able to spare
three or four hogs and few muttons.
You sold the wool in the spring-don't
do like the boy that killed the goose
that laid the golden egg daily-never
shear but once year; somebody will
tell you that you can just as well get
two sheatingi doubtless they told the
boy he would get a heap" of eggs, but
ne didn't.
1t is well to look out for an old cow
or OK and commence feeding a little
at night in August or September. You
may turn him in corn field pretty
early, and if you have peas he will not
injure the corn much. When the field
begins to fail, Is pretty. well CLEANED,
put your beefin dark stall with large
trough and rack and commence feed
Ing all that he will eat or forage, to-
gether with other feed, such as corn
meal, cotton seed or the meal, pum-
kins, turnips, sweet potatoes, bran,
oats. ETC. Never let him get tired OF
one kind before you change to anoth.
err. You will find those sailed shucks
pulled up good for him. Give him
plenty of salt and all the water he will
drink.
Now, don't sell such beef as that
the butcher will not give you half his
value. He will want to make the
Dutehman's per cent. But about
Christmas butcher him yourself and
sell the hide and pickle a ham, dry
some and hang up half a quarter in
your smokehouse, and il the weather
Is cold you may cut off steak for abou'
ten or twelve days, and the last viii
be. the best stake, besides this you viii
have the tripe and heels as well a.
roast beef and steak; also more tallov
than small family will need-sel
some. We got 100 pounds of tnllov
out of an old Devonshire bull; and hat
the best beef we ever eat &, 900 pound
net)-the fat is distributed in the fesl
more in a bull than an OK, and the,
will fatten just as kindly.
Now, in regard to marketing. Abou
the years 1857. 1858 and 1859, we had
common negro field hand, who attend
ed to the hogs, did the spaying an,
all and went to market occasionally
except In the summer, in the fruit an,
melon season, when he went daily
five miles with mule and light sprin
wagon. He sold mutton, fruit, melons
vegetab les and some pork, turnips an
cabbage in the fall and winter an
some turkeys. We had too good
market at home to spare many chick
ems or eggs. Sold butter in the sun
mer. He brought in cash So, 600 yea
for three successive years, and mad
more than half hand in the farr
besides. Our town mum bered 1,2C
or $500 inhabitants-if it mad bee
as many thousands you can reat
lily see we could have doubled th
amount. Most of the people had goo
gardens. We sold some pork an
bought bacon meat for the hands
the summer.
Now, there are some things 20
ought to keep your hands off of. The
belong to the hard-worked, care-wor
wife-the butter, chicken, egg an
turkey money, and if she sees fit
take her little flock out mornings ar
evenings and pick some cotton, let h
have the money instead of paying
out to professional cotton pickers.
| Evoru forp,ar should Loon haoo Il.