The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1898-02-22

IN N'tS VS. VI SllnIdl dCtCS III CNG1H |
section of South Carolina. Especial
care has been taken to prepare the toll
lowing comparisons of actual results,
and it is hoped that the information
contained therein may be of value to !
those Mho are interested IN solving the
problem of "five-cent cotton"
Last year Mr.. Johu G. Fletcher, of
amOus old Marlboro County, won The
NeWs and C0urie1's prize for diversi-
fled farming. He was requested to
keep account Of his work for 1897, in
order that the results might be pub.
lislled for the benefit of others. This
was C .rcfulIy done, and below will be
round briet and accurate statements
concerning the work of this strictly
'high grade" South Carolina farmer
Before giving the figures it may be
well to make a few remarks upon MI.
Fleichcr's methods. He has been
farming for over twenty wears and has
never purchased corn but one year, the
year III which he commenced business.
since then he has annually sold corn,
mas never ''run an ACCOUNT pays cash
tor everything, farms every day i'm the
year, has special talent fornot attend.
ing to other peoples aft ,irs, and has
never arrived at the conclusion that he
Is the best man his "deestrict,n for
any and every office in the gift of the
ear people. He owns ITO acres of
iand aud wants no more. This was
waste land" when he bought it, and
now he says that he "wOuld not take
$40 per acre for it.n "A visit here
shows a perfect ccmbinatin of home
and farm. a spaclou,. wcll-furnished
ana most comfortable home is the
feature of a plantation that looks like
II well cultivated garden. And this
nome fills all the wonderful meaning
TO be found in those four powerful lit
TIC letters. All of the comforts are
here, every room is carpeted, books
and pictures arc here, a fine piano and
organ, flowers and happiness and the
true hospitality of nature in man and
his surroundings, greet YOU and abide
with you in this home.
a telephone is bore also, CONNECTING
with Bcnnettsvillc, McColl, Tatum
and Gibson, aud this is Il combinatio.
OF business and peasure-two things
in which Mr.. Fletcher and his famil,
excel. In addition to talking witt
~nelShbors along the lire, Mr.. Flrtche,
unlike MAJ other club meu-usc:
his phone as a means of staying a
home. When he wants Il doctor, When
freight is expected at any of the ad
jhccnt towns, when he wants casl
prices on bagging, ties, fertilizers OF
anything else, his teams keep OF
ploughing, he Stops long enough t,
'alk over the phone, send in his order
and no time is lost. When a MAJ
Ioses time he loses money, as the rccor,
showeth.
"A saw mill, grist mill, steam gin an,
other accessories Of real farmig arc her,
tnd MIR. Fletcher has patented nor,
han one successful farming implement
when L was last with him he wa
fnishing a large two-story "shop,'
right on his place, Tor The mmufactur,
oi these and other utensils and he wa
MS w architect, contractor ant
builder
MI. Flctchcr's methods are rcall,
methods. q do not know his ,spcr
'uaslon," but he would make a fin,
M~ethodist.) He farms with II skilful
adaptation of scientific knowledge an
ana practical finish. He buys acid
meal and potash, and with surf an,
cotton seed neal added, he makes
crlillzer that makes cotton, corr
grain and money. Ills f~avorite com
merclal fertilizers seem to be lhos,
manufacture by the Darlington Phos
Ihatc Co. and these were used in 1897
Ills mixture Of fertilizers was 10 ton
.. acid, . tons of meal and | 1-2 ton
ol muriatc of potash. He paid 81,
per ton for acid, $40 for meal and 81,
Tor potash.
The thirteen acres Of cotton wcr,
planted in checks of 4 by 3 feet, afte
Il thorough preparation of the land
The cut wolms did not neglect so fin,
IN opportunity as was this, and Mr.
Fletcher rcplantcd his cotton four time.
before he secured a 'sstand." Tn.
cotton was thinned by hand, kocd one,
n then fast growing did away witt
the expense Of the frequent hociugs
winch are a costly and recognized
feature o: standard farming generally
ne other crops were given Fletcher
cullvttion according to the regular
John {. Flctch 4 style, and this means
much, as results show. In reply tc
my question Mr.. Fletcher said that h,
: had no idea thai he pal his hands
one-th'rd of their wages IN CASH. rs
he supplied them from his CHARMS and
smoke house with nearly all that they
needed" The proceeds from a fine
garden, orchard, dairy and poul "
yards are not included in the figures
gwen below, though these arc items of
Importance. Two hundred and thirty
hVe dozen eggs were sold in six months.
ana saw 80 g%uincas and innumcrablc
turkeys and chickens. Three hundred
thrcc pound cans of fruits and vegct-
ablGs were put up by Mrs. Fletcher,
one OF the best ~housckecpcrs to be
i"u-G anywhere. Mrs. Fletcher.
among other attractions, showed me a
revolving "grcnn house." viii, had
been made by Mr.. Fletcher. This
was of brick and cement, OF octagonal
shape, with a revolving stand for hold
ing the plants. This stand was so ar
ranged that it easily revolvcd at the
light pull of Il little girl of / years of
age.
Mr. Fletcher c%ultivates only sixty.
eight acres of his land himself and
rents forty acres to tenants The tol-
lowing statements show III condensed
form the re aioos of his successful in
tecSiYe-cXtensiye-M 81