The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1897-12-07
A GEORGIA FARMER.

A GEORGIA FARMER.
What He Accomplished On Bleak
Hillside.
The Atlanta Constitution saws that
Cherokee county, Georgia, has several
famers within its bounds who are
leaders among their fellows. One of
these, Mr. John f. Rusk, who lives
on Little river, near Modesto, in the
southeastern part of the county, has
this year set worthy example to his
neighbors in the matter of cotton cul-
ture. In the preparation of his lands,
| In planting, in fcrtiliZing, in cultiva-
tion, in haveSting and marketing he
leads, others follow.
This year he planted ten-acre ter
raced hillside in cotton and cultivated
| same according to directions from the
| experiment station, from which he has
marketed ten bales Of 400 pounds each
at an average OF & cents per pound, and
sold 200 bushels OF seed at 81 &C, is per
bushel, receiving therefore about $3.50
from this ten-acre hillside. A few
years ago this field was only quilted,
washed hillside, like those now on the
opposite side Of the river from it, which
have been turned out and Weld the
owners nothing whatever, but Mr..
Rusk went to work and terraced the
land according to his own ideas and
the result Is stated above. When the
fact is considered that the ten acres
were originally very rough and steep
and that one-fourth of the land is taken
up in terraces, the yield is indeed
marvellous and may appear to the
thriftloss, thOughtless farmer as eX.
aggeratcd, for, under the careless sys-
TEN in vogue in the state over an aver
age OF one bale OF cotton to three acres
of hillside land is considered good.
But in this instance MIR. Rusk really
got ten bales off OF seven and half
acress OF steep hillside.
Mr.. Rusk, however, planted Kings
improved cotton seed, which had been
station, where Kings and Jackson's
were run side by side. MIR. Rusk
watched the experiment there and
and carefully read the reports made
on same, procured his seed from the
station and determined to see what
could be done with crop on a ten-acre
hillside. He Is thoroughly satisfied
with his experiment and will make
still further experiments next year, as
he is not only benefited in financial
may, but believes he is doing his
HClB ii DOTS anu lFlcnuS laNOr Dy snow
ing them what may be done.
In preparing the land for his crop
this year he made the terraces so that
all the rain which fell would be retain
ed on the land and not wash or break
over and damage any land below. lie
then planted and cultivated the land
under the direction OF the experiment
station, using exclusively stable
manure and fertilizers made on the
place by mixing acids, cotton seed
meal and potash. The stable manure
was put in the burrows and then listed
upon. In the early spring this furrow
or ridge was opened out and from 300
to 500 pounds Cf the homemade ferti-
lizers put in per acre. The seed we're
then put in and in due time they
germinated and came forth il a
| healthy stalk that grew ana brought
forth much fruit under the careful, in
telligent cultivation Of MIR. Rusk and
his help. The cotton matured two
| weeks earlier than other crops in that
| locality, and the bolls were 80 large
and stalks full that moro Of the staple
could be picked in day than of other
varieties. The lint was better, too
than other cotton, brought higher
price and the seed was sold at so cents
per bushcl, while the seed from other
neighboring crops sold at from II 20
10 cents per bushel Mr.. tusk, how
ever, selected about twenty bushels Of
seed from the ten acres which he viii,
use himself next year and they cannot
be bought at $5 per bushel. Seed cot
ton is generally considered to do we'll
when it yields one-third lint. but ,030
pounds of Mr.. Rusk's crop nettcd him
loo pounds of lint, as the seed are very
small and easily Tinted. Mr.. Rusk
believes Kings improved cotton seed
to be specially adapted to this section,
and his experiments this year with
this ten-acre liver bluff satisfies him
that money can be made on cotton even
at cents per pound.
Mr.. ESusk does not make speciality
OF cotton, but his other crops, corn,
wheat, oats, peas, etc., also show q
corresponding yield and that he puts
much thought, Industry and intelligent
effort in the preparation o! his lanGs
planting, harvesting, etc. He also has
large pen OF hogs each year, and he
is, doubtless, the only man in Georgia
who has hog pen fl0ored with brick
and kept in a remarkably clean ant
odorless condition. He has ten ne
healthy porkers this year that will ne
) him 5000 pounds of meat.
Mr.. Rusk has neighbOr who is alst
deeply interested in improving hi
la. DIS and the condition Of the farmer
by making tests and experiments will
q view Of getting the best results il
the cultivation of any and all crops
l and these two men, working together
. comparing notes and experiments an,
j ideas for preparing land, planting
, etc, have already been the means @
4 benfiting themselves and others. Thi
t neighbor Is James Isham Brown, an
;. he and his crops also deserve specia
j. mention.
Truly the man who makes two blade
u of grass grow where only one gre
II before is benefactor OF his race.
Mr.. j. Elmore Martin has bee
appointed sheriff of Charlestnn Cou,,t