The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-03-14
FARMER BRAwLRY's METHODS.

the ITeQeu Sou0CY MAN " no = aS
Gained Prominence 7 trough His Sue
cess in Raising Cotton at 2 81 Gents
Pound--An Interesting Account Of Mr..
BrawIey's System of arming and How
He Manages Affairs
When he buys a piece Of land, he
opens an account with it and charges
it with all that goes on it and credits it
with all that comes off. In looking
over the accounts of one farm I saw
credit Of twelve rails that were taken
to another farm. In riding over his
farms I was struck with the neat and
healthy look of the land. The edges
of every field were shaped and cleaned.
It was evident from the appearance Of
the soil that it is growing more fertile
year by year. On most farms quite
the rev8rse is true. Mr.. BcAWley buys
most of his land in run down condi
tion for cash, and builds it up. Three
years ego I roCe over his farms with
him. at that time he had lst bought
several worn. out farms. Remembered
one in particular as beipg g badly washed
and cut in sections by gullies. hardly
knew that farm when there the other
day. The thin places have fattened
and the gullies have been filed and the
land levelled. To begin With, the gullies
were filled in, the fields plowed deep
with a two horse plow, and peas sown
with hundred pounds of commercial
fertilizer per acre. Mr.. Brawley's
method OF improving land is after this
fashion: H9 takes the poor land, sows
it in rye with 300 pounds of guano and
and ton Of lime per acre. The lime
is put on in the winter. In the spring
the rye is turned under. The lime
keeps it from souring. After the rye,
COW peas are sown with 400 pounds of
acid and potash per acre. The peas
are moved and the land is sowed in
wheat and clover, with 200 to 300
pounds OF acid and potash. This gets
the land on it's feet again, as it were
From this stage the land is improved
more and more by rotation of crops.
Mr.. BrawIey's system Of rotation is
now under test. So far he likes it. 1t
is a six year process. The first year
cotton alone is grown on the land, the
second year cotton and crimson clover,
the clover being s0wn when the cotton
is worked for the last time; corn and
COW peas the third year, with heavy
spread Of rough stable manure; small
grain and red clover the fourth year;
red clover the fifth year, followed by
wheat and then peas the sixth year. A
person who knows anything whatever
about land would be convinced Of the
wisdom of such system of up build
ing if he were to see the fine condition
of Mr. Brawley g farms.
Cotton is Mr.. Brawley's main money
crop. OflRst years crop, he has already
sold 124 bales. To produce this crop
he grows all of his home supplies Be
sides cotton last year he raised: 1884,
bushels of wheat; sufficient corn, oats,
barley, peas, clover and grasses for the
farm hands and stock; 5000 pounds of
pork; sold $500 worth of milk COWS,
and sells 10 pounds of butter each
week. His purpose is to raise enough
for the farm and have small surplus
of each product for the market.
Mr.. Brawley uses the best and latest
improved labor saving machinery. His
plows are large and long. They stir
the ground we'll and deep. Under his
sheds l saw a drag, disc and cult
vator harrow; a guano distributor,
which opens the furrow and ecatters
the guano at one and the same time,
thereby saving hand; a corn planter,
a reaper and binder, a 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 nutriment
in ten corn cobs is equal to the nutri
ment in the grain from one cob. Mr..
Brawley saves the cob. It makes a
dne feed and the mill is easily man
aged, and not costly.
One of the most interesting features
OF Mr.. Brawley's work is the way in
which he buys and uses his fertilizers.
He buys the ingredients and mixes
them himself, having house for the
purpose. Most farmers buy their fer
ttlIzers ready mized. They pay from
$18 to $22.5O per ton. Last year Mr..
Bcawley's fertilizers cost him 81, ,OO8 80
laid down at MooresviIle. The ingre
dients to make his guanos cost 1874 80,
ard freight on the same was 1914 43,
Besides his cotton seed meal cost him
S72. Hanca the COST ner ton was 215 Is