The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-12-09
n GEORGIA FARMER.
What He Accomplished On a Bleak
Hillside.

What He Accomplished On a Bleak
Hillside.
The Atlanta Constitution says that
Cherokee county, Georgia, has several
famcrs within its bounds who arc
leaders among their fellows. One Of
these, Mr. John f.. tusk, who lives
on Little river, near Modesto, in the
southeastern part Of the county, has
this year set worthy example to his
neighhors in the matter OF cotton cul-
turc. In the preparation OF his lands,
in planting, in fcrtilizing, in cultiva-
tloD, in harvesting and marketing he
leads, others follow.
This year he planted Il tcn-acre ter
raced hillside in cotton and cultivated
same according to directions from the
experiment station. from which he has
marketed ten bales Of 100 pounds each
at an average OF Il cents per pound, and
sold 200 bushels of seed at 80 cents per
bushel, receiving therefore about $3.50
from this tcnacro 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 yield the
owners nothing whatever, but MIR.
Rusk went to work and tcrraced 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 onc-fourth Of the land is taken
up in terraces, the yield is indeed
marvellous and may appear to the
thriftlcss, thoughtless farmer as cx-
aggerated, 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. tusk really
got ten bales of OF seven and half
acrcss Of steep hillside.
MIR. Rusk, however, planted Kings
improved cotton seed, which had been
thoroughly tested AT the experiment
station, whore Kings and Jackson's
were run side by side. Mr.. Rusk
watched the experiment there and
and carefully read the reports made
on same, procured his seed from the
station and determined to SEQ what
could be done with crop on a tcn-acrC
hillside. He is thoroughly satisfied
, with his experiment and will make
still further experiments next year, as
he is not only benefited in a financial
may, but believes he is doing his
neighbOrs and friends a favor by show
ing them what may be done.
In preparing the land for his crop
y
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
! II hn nn,1,, - IL;
or ridge was opened out and from 300
to 800 pounds Of the home made ferti-
| liZcrs put in per acre. The seed were
| then put in and in due time they
gcrmlnatcd and came forth in a
healthy stalk that grew and brought
forth much fruit under tho careful, in
tclligent cultivation OF MIR. Rusk and
his help. The cotton maturcd two
weeks earlier than other crops in that
| locality, and the bolls were 50 large
and stalks full that more of the staple
could be picked in Il day than Of other
| varieties. The lint was better, too,
than other cotton, brought u higher
price and the seed was sold at SO cents
per bushcl, while the seed from other
nelghboring crops sold at from - 20
- cents per bushcl. Mr.. Rusk, how
ever, selected about twenty bushels Of
seed from the ten acres which he will
use himself next year and they cannot
be bought at So per bushcl. Seed cot
ton is generally considered to do well
when it yields One-third lint, but ,O3O
pounds OF Mr.. ltusk's crop nettcd him
loo pounds Of lint, as the seed are very
small and easily Tinted. Mr.. Itusk
believes Kings improved cotton seed
to be specially adapted to this section,
and his experiments this year with
this teE-acre river bluif satisfies him
, that money can be made on cotton cvun
at 5 cents per pound.
Mr.. Itusk does not make q specially
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 lands,
planting, harvesting, etc. He also has
a large pen OF hogs each year, and he
Is, doubtless, the only man in Georgia
who has hog pen iloOrcd with brick
and kept in u remarkably clean and
0dOrless condition. He has ten fine,
healthy porkcrs this year that will net
him 1900 pounds Of meat.
| Mr.. RuSk has a ncighbOr who is also
deeply Interested in improving his
DIS and the condition Of the farmers
by making tests and experiments with
a2vicw Of getting the best results in
the cultivation Of any and all crops.
and these two men, working together,
! comparing notes and experiments and
ideas Tor preparing land, planting,
etc, have already been the means Of
| bentting themselves and others. This
ncighbor Is James Isham Brown, and
he and his crops also deserve special
mention.
Truly the man who makes two blades
OF grass grow where only one grew
! before is benofactor OF his race.
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