The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-02-23
Talks Concerning Farming.
By 8. c. $.
TALK NO. 1

TALK NO. l
/ Mr. Editor: / yield to the oft re-
peated solicitations of farmers to sub
NIT tc print what ! know about farm
ing, and the practical use of ferti-
lizers.
NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL PLANT FOOD
The farmers "new ground" needs
but little artificial fertilization; be-
cause iu this new ground there are
ever present, more or less, the three
essential requisites for plant food,
viz nitrogen, pbosphoric acid and
potash After continuous cultivation
for years these life properties become
extinct and the soil thereby becomes
impoverished But the wise farmer
readily sees the necessity of replen-
| ishing his land by restoring to it
these essential ingredients by arti6
scial fertilization For in our Southern
tarms, especially in South Caroline,
I'VE cannot rely upon domestic ma
nures, ae the average farmer keeps
only the necessary stock abou. his
premises needed for farm and do
mes.ic purposes, consisting of a one
to q four horse farm. Hence he can
not rely on at.ble manure and leaf
mould with which to replenish his
worn lands This fact compells him
10 look elsewhere for relief. Just
here comes in the old. old maxim.
"the demand suggests supply"
and science places at his command in
easy reach an abundance of these
identical essentials, nitrogen. phos
phoric acid and kainit, also ammonia,
nitrate of coda, dried blood, bone
and many other varieties at very rea-
sonable prices
COTTON.
/ heartily join the universal hue
and Cry for reduction in cotton
acreage But | cannot close my
eyes to the fact chat this old
pride of the south 80 long
known and honored the world
over as liking cotton" is now
SIS ever essentially the poor mans
crop No. longer can the farmer of
Sumter County practice his ante-bel
lum custem of large acreage in
rice, corn and the cereals for market.
10 see rice field or oat patch now
on farm is more an exception than
rule and as general thing the
negro farmer is an absolute failure as
corn or grain or potato producer,
| and still more so as vegetable and
meat raiser And as nine tenths of
she farm land in Sumter County are
in the hands of the negro farmer, it
behooves him to handle just such
products as be can best and surest
pav bis rents and liens with This
crop is the cotton crop A bale of
cotton will bring $25 or $50 dollars
spot cash anywhere in Sumter County.
This is not the case with any other
farm product. OF these nine tentbs pot
more than tvo thirds ever rise to the
average standard. 400 pounds of aeed
cotton TO the acre. and six bushels Of
corn to the acre. The relative market
prices CT these products average $25
o bale OF 500 pouods lint aad for corr
80 oepfs per busbel spot cash-botb
cvoos placed 10 d.he market in the Fall.
l. requires four acres TO make s25 10
cotton but the same amount Of land
makes only 81 20 in corn. AS an
Offset to the fodder apd peas we have
cotton seed The difference therefore
is about $3.50 cents in favor of cotton
If. therefore. tho best of these Sum
ter County farmers average only cne
bale to four acres. or twenty four BUSH
els of corn TO fcuc acres. is it not more
thao probable that the primary secret
of all our 6oancial distress right bere
10 Sumter County exists 10 agricultural
ieporauce Presuming this to be true,
and knowiog that Ignorance cannot
stand the light Of science 10 any de-
partmsnt Of knowledge. | will offer a
few salient points to the landlords and
ten ants of Sumter County through your
valuable columns; relying upou a
forty years. experience 10 ''soil cul
sure" and sincere anxiety to see 6
healthier system Of farming ADD hap.
pier condition Of our people generally.
az we'll as the kind celebrations Of
friends as sa opology for so doing.