The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1899-08-25


acreage, whose stock was improved
and increased from year to year and
whose farm buildings were kept in
perfect order and added to according
to the ever, r,increasing ratio of his
production. Thus impoverished
lands were built up and made more
valuable from year to year, for the
farmer had pride in his profession
and had Intense satisfaction Of his
skill and ability.
AS 1 haye said, my information
regained at second hand, but through
farmers Of the North was derived in
thoroughly practical way. 1t was
not gained at second hands, but
through personal experience. l know
tat farming Of Il diversified charac-
tor can be maintained and the pro-
ductiveness Of lands Increased from
year to year, because I have taken
part in the work rs it progressed
For years L walked in the burrows Of
Northern farm. | worked con-
stantly from sun to sun and watched
the splendid development that have
described.
Now comes the other side of the
story. After fifteen years of life on
a western New York farm, [ found
myself suddenly transplanted to a
small farm in Cobb County, Georgia.
| awoke to truo realization of the
situation in just about ten minutes
after the terms of my employment
had been agreed upon. I was given
mean looking little mule and a
plow-the like of which I had never
seen beforehand told to break up
piece of new ground [ had plowed
many a day with two horses and
steel plow cutting four inches deep
and ton inches wide, turning the soil
completely over the tapping the fur
rows as neatly rs seems in a carpet,
but the little mule, the "bull tongue"
and the "plow stock" puzzled me.
When [ reached the new ground and
began operations l felt that the real
battle of life was upon me. What
with the innate cussedness of the
mule, the general prevalence of black
jack roots and the seemingly determ-
lned purpose of that bull tongue to
scoot away on mission purely it's
own, to say nothing of the broiling
southern sun, l was soon convinced
that my farming experience of the
past was simply pleasant dream
and that 1 was now struggling with
the real thing. 1t was to me sort
of agricultural nightmare.
remained on the Cobb County
farm for three months. was there
in the capacity of a farm laborer,
and l don't mind admitting to you
that 1 got enough of it. I believe to
this day that did more work during
my three months sojourn in Cobb
County than | had done during the
entire fifteen years spent on the New
York farm. 1t seemed to me that
everything was done in the most diff
ficult way that could be devised, and
then it was such tiresome, monot-
onous sort of work; simply a strug-
gle to produce a given number of
bales Of cotton. Every interest and
evory other crop must be sacrificed
to cotton. This diversity, 80 inter-
esting to boy on tho Northern farm,
was lacking entirely. grew tired
of it and quit.
did what thousands of Georgia
boys had done before. Thousands
have drlfted away from the farm
since They are leaving every day
and they will continue to leave until
revolution is worked in the poll
cies and methods of farm life in
Georgia.
How is this revolution to be worked I?
Diversified agriculture will work it.
But you say that thoro is nothing
new in this proposition, and I con.
fess that you are right. Diversified
agriculture has become q hackneyed
phrase. The farmers of Georgia
have heard little else for tho past
twonty- five years. The wise men
have declared it from the housotops.
Editors have written long articles
| upon the necessity Of diversified ag-
riculture, and ministers of the gospel