The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-04-13
FINE FARMING SECTION.
Gen. Ransom and His Son Make
Money Cotton Farming Every
Year That Passes


Among the best farms in this section
before the war was that farm near We'll
don known as ''Mush Island now owned
by Senator Cameron, of Pennsylvania,
but then the property Of Col. N. M. Long,
one of the wealthiest planters in North
Carolina previous to and during the fatal
sixties. Another in the lower part of the
county was one of large extent known as
the Jimmie Johnson tract" and which
became widely known through the famous
lawsuit in which Governor 2. B. Vance
and other prominent men of that day
figured. This farm is now controlled by
the State and cultivated as a convict
farm.
These fields, to a large extent, were
the base of supplies for Lees army
around Richmond Their accessibility by
railroads and boats on the river making
them peculiarly fitted for this purpose,
the Confederate Government was quick
to avail itself of this convenient and
we'll supplied distributing point.
Even after the war this intensive farm
ing was engaged in for many years. Not
till the exodus of so many of those who
by nature and adaptability were fitted
begin to be a question as to whether
farming paid or not.
Since that time the most successful
farming has been done by men Of COM
paratively small means, but who by good
management have made money in this
wav.
Among these we will mention Mr.. Ster-
ling B. Johnston, who lives, in Halifax
mr.
is considered a very successful farmer.
Mr.. Johnston says, Il haven't gotten
rich at farming, but 1 manage to make
both ends meet and do not believe in or
practice the mortgage system. l was
born and raised on the same farm which
l now cultivate. l had five brothers, all
of whom have left the country and are
engaged in other business. | stayed at
our fathers and grandfather's old place
| and have never done anything but farm.
l think the farm lands of Halifax county
will produce anything that grows from
the ground. l believe in diversified crops
| on a condensed area, we'll fortified and
| cultivated. l raise cotton, corn peanuts,
wheat enough for my own -four, and all
the vegetables | need. l also raise all my
stock. Have good cows for milk and
! bacon apd even raise my own horses. I
! make cotton and peanuts for market, all
else for my own use, though l have never
planted cotton expecting to make less
| than a 500 bale to the acre. Sometimes
l do not get quite this much, but often
more. l raised tobacco very successfully
until the low price for that article COM
! PEELED me to abandon this product. l find
labor plentiful and reasonably cheap, but
| trihing compared to what it once was"
| Among the farmers of the immediate
vicinity of Weldon is Mr.. Robert Ran
| som, who owns and cultivates the farm
! discarded a fe wears since as con-
vict farm by the State. Notwithstand-
| ing the numerous freshets and continued
rains of the past year, which neceSsi-
tated much more labor than usual, Mr..
Ransom made much money on his farm.
His father. Gen. NJ. w. Ransom, though
| having spent twenty -four years in the
Senate of the United States and two
| years as Minister to Mexico, never gave
up his farm in Northampton county as a
| home. While his five living sons all re-
ceived collegiate and professional educa-
tons, they are all practical and expert
enced farmers. Gen. Ransom owning
about $4,000 acres of land in Northamp-
ton and Halifax counties is perhaps the
largest land owner in Eastern North
| Carolina. This land is divided into sew
eral farms. over which his sons have
complete control, their father retaining
a general interest and supervision.
Some time since the timber of a certain
size only on this tract of land was sold