Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1899-03-23


would be convinced of the wisdcm
OF such a system of upbuilding if he
were to see the fine condition of Mr.
Brawley's farms.
Cotton is Mr.. Brawloy's main
money Drop, OF last years crop, he
has already sold 1914 bales. To pro.
duce this crop he grows s,l Of h;s
home supplies. Besides cotton last
year he raised: 1884 bushels OF
wheat; sufficient corn, oats, barley
peas, clover and grasses for tho farm
hands and stock; 5000 pounds OF
pork sold $500 worth of milk COWS
and sells ten pounds of butter each
week. His purpose is to raise enough
for the farm and have small sur.
plus of each product for tho market
Mr.. Brawley uses tho best and
latest improved labor-saving ma
chinery. His plows are large and
long. They stir the ground we'll and
deep. Under his sheds I saw drag,
disc and oultivator harrow a
guano distributor, which opens the
furrow and scatters the guano at one
and the same time, thereby saving a
hand; q corn planter, reaper and
binder, grain drill, a mower, a
broad-tired wagon, and near by a
corn mill, which grinds the corn and
cob both into rough meal; used to
feed cattle and hogs. The nutri-
ment in ten corn cobs is equal to the
nutriment in the grain from one
cob. Mr.. Brawley saves the cob.
1t makes fine feed and the mill is
easily managed, and not costly.
One of the most interesting fea-
lures of Mr.. Brawley's work is tho
way in which he buys and uses his
fertilizers. He buys the ingredients
and mixes them himself, having a
house for the purpose. Most farm
ers buy their fertilizers ready mixed.
They pay from $18 to $22.5O per ton.
Last year Mr.. Brawley's fertilizers
cost him $1,008.82 laid down at
Mooresville. The ingredients to
make his guanos cost $714.39, and
freight on the same was $214.43.
Besides his cotton seed meal cost
him $72. Hence the cost per ton
was $l5.78. With the aid of bulie-
tins from the experiment station at
Raleigh any farmer can mix his own
fertilizers, and by 80 doing save from
$3 to So per ton. The agricultural
departments of the State and nation
are for the benefit of 30 farmers.
They furnis" all klnus of valuable
information on application. Mr..
Brawley takes advantage of this fact
and consults their bulletins for infor-
nation and advice.
Mr.. Brawley buys farms as an in
vestment. He has proved beyond
a doubt that farm land is profitable
property. Last year he bought IS
acres of land for $3.50 and rented it
out. lie made II per cent. on the
money invested. He got one-third
of the crop and furnished one-third
of the guano. In 1892 Mr.. Brawley's
father bought 1853 acres of land for
$500, rented it out for 500 cash o
year until few days ago, when he
sold it for 81 1900. He made over Is
per cent on tho money invested in
113-acre tract of land purchased last
year. When he rents, the contract
demands that the land be improved.
His system of improvement is en-
forced.
Mr.. Brawley farms with tenants.
They work under his supervision.
When he says 60, they obey. lie is
the boss of the farm. The tenants
seem to be satisfied; they have no
desire to change homes from year to
year. Besides making corn and meat
and keeping COWS, they have o little
money every Christmas.
This is not mere hercsay; it is q
true story. I spent some time on
Mr.. Brawley's farm. He is farmer,
not a politician. He is satisfied with
the world. 1t is true that Mr.. Braw-
ley had money to start on; 80 did
many of the farmers who are penni-
less to-day. How many of thom
mortgaged their land when cotton
was 10 cents pound2 1t is evident
from Mr. Brawlcy's experience that
there is money in buying small farms
and renting them, provided they are
under the direct supervision of some
good man. 1t might be well to state
here that Mr.. Brawley feeds his own
stock, catches and saddle his own
horses, starts his own fire, and tho
like. Negroes arc employed to work
on the farm, not do small turns.
IT, ia much in Mr. Rrouloy'o fouo,