The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-03-23
For the INTHLLIGENCEn.
Diversified Farming.

OlEeTslIylnS crops, unue ? iudiciOus
system Of rotation, is Il subject that ought
o claim a mach larger share of attention
from Southern farmers thar it does.
That we In the South are welded too
much to kind of crop goes without
saying. Until we get divorced from il
II turn attention to other necessary and
paying products. We will never ue the in
dependent and prosperous people we
ought to be. by diversifying crops, of
course we mean the cultivation of all
kinds Of profitable farm products, with
their alienation upon different plats of
ground. In this category we may place
corn, wheat, oats, rye. barley. peas, rota-
toes. sorghum, and even king cotton.
Besides these field crops. every farmer
should have a good garden, growing all
kinds Of vegetables needed for family
use, and some to spare for market. How
often is it that many do not have q gar
den worth the name. They live OH bread
and meat, much OF which comes from a
distance, and often at high figures. Be-
cause this is naturally a cotton country it
does not follow that we are to neglect
Otu6 LUlIIHS Vi al tluCu, u u1OTV, value
Many other crops will do and pay al we'll.
or better, in our climate than . cents cot.
ton. Some Of the benefits and advant-
ages Of diversifying crops may be now
mentioned. And first, by this system
our lands do not become exhausted of
any ono element Of fertilization. All
plants vary In their elective capacity to
<Ik,;, 49, f-~-o tI,n ,o;I ,,1 &c
continued for "A time on the same plat &C
ground they exhaust it of the elements
upon which they chiefly feed. In thir
case a change Of plants becomes neces-
sary. In many instances also u Kind
of crop prepares the way and il helpfnlto
another kind. This is true of peas. rye.
clover, and even cotton. 1t is we'll
known that corn, wheat and oats do well
after cotton. This may be due partly to
the lane being clean, out no doubt large
ly to tho cotton, in is growth, leaving
the elements needed by the grain crop in
the soil. Peas obtain much Of their nj
troEen from the atmosphere, and thereby
help to furnish this element to the sue
ceeding crop. Besides. this land run ex-
- IA IA hlhu vi StOR "
years, especially in what we call clean
crops, is deprived q: vegetable matter sc
much needed to create humus, and there
by rendered them more uuproductive.
Again, by diversifyipg our crops, We can
have something coming In the year
round, either for home consumption or
for the market. A rye Or barley crop. for
;Dstopra romoo ~, xuoI1 in tho arrinO and
so of whe.. :a Tho summer, wnen bread
is needed, cash in scarce and credit pretty
we'll exhausted. The farmer who de-
pepds upon one or two kinds OF products
only will often find himself in straitened
circumstances. lie may be compelled to
run up q large supply ccoun that may
all his hardly earned cotton. But
with constantly maturing crops he can
easily bridge over many a hard place,
and hold on to his fleecy staple for other
:,ssa a diversity Of crops gives also
profitable employment the year round.
This Is an item of much Importance to
those hiring wage bands. When only
a few kinds Of crops are grown much
valuable time is either wasted or only
nominally employed. IN cultiva,ing
and gathering simply crop Of corn and
not mora than six or seven :nun.!ie
the year arc put in. y freedman the
day said the first of March was
enough for him tn begin to work.
and thM' he made "a good crorsa as any
body. Well, no doubt his entire cyop
consisted chiefly OF cotton and 4 few
acres of yellow, grassy corn, with now
and then a pitiful looking pea vine.
Diversity is also u safeguard against
~un.avorab!e seasons. 1t is rare in Ibis
country To he blessed with favorable
seasons for all kinds Of crops in the same
a Sometimes n are cnt on, whiio
others do well. Last year. III many sec
lions, peas, pea vines. oats, hay and po-
were q complete failure, while the
corn. wheat and cotton crops did we'll.
Where, therefore, there is a diversity Of
products AMI sumo fail, Others succeed
ing will supply their places n possibly
prevent suffering. It is furthermore be-
that if diversified farming was
practiced more in this country it would
lend a charm to farm life that it does not
now possess, IN the all cotton plan. 1t is
wonder that u young men, reared
on The farm, seek other vocations. II is
all cotton. Cotton preparation ofground,
cotton hoeing. blowing, picking, ginning.
hauling TO market, and all for the pitiful
sum OF s., for u hundred pounds Of the
break back stuff. There is no charm in
variety--no,hing inducing to an
aspiring young man. Yea. OLD me-: get
Tired Of the apnua routine-the almost
monotony. Variety is said
to be the spice OF life. If 40, farming in
this country needs to have a good deal of
spice put into it to make 1t go down
we'll. The writer. understand, is not to-
tally opposed to cotton, for 1t is good in
it's place, but he sees no reason for allow
ing 1t 20 supplant everything else that is
good. He does not "love Cesar less hut
more" NEW FoOY.
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