The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-12-28
A Winter Selling Crop Mt DOwnup
Farm.

1t has been twenty years since that
splendid picture of intelligent South
ern farming first broke upon our de-
lighted gaze. 1t was Dec. "a, 1881. 1t
was the great year of small grain in
the South. We have had nothing like
it since. There was more spirit in
farming then that there seems to be
now In Middle Georgia, especially,
there was widespread enthusiasm
among farmers in regard to fall-sown
grain There were grain clubs every
where and much friendly rivalry as to
who could grow the largest crop of
oats and wheat on one acre of land.
We have before us now records of some
of the competition. There was no stint
of manure. 1t was applied recklessly
to many single acres and without re-
gard to net profits. 1t lacked, there
fore, in practical significance, but we
found one acre that year that taught
lesson of value. 1t was Marteis acre
of mixed grain No. l There We're two
acres and We stood with the host in
the middle of the waving blades. 1t
wa a glorious sight A crop of pea
Vi, q had been cut off in September
4 sand turned with shovel and rows
l<H off at three feet. There were
NA nty rows, 40 yards long. Into
~ burrows 500 pounds of bone dust
(raW bone) had been spread. Into the
first row barley had been drilled; into
the second row rye, in the third oats
and in the fourth wheat, and this was
repeated with every four rows until
all were planted. Ii was to be prac-
teal competitive test of the four grains
as winter SOiling plants. 1t happened
that it was the year of the autumn
army worms and in immense numbers
they attacked the two acres of grain
few NrnakG a ftpr If had nm
Strange to say, the only harm done
was to the wheat.
By Dec. "A the growth of grain was
so rank it presented the appearance
from a little distance of being sown
broadcast. Though the rows were three
feet apart the soil was completely hid
den by the luXuriant leaf growth of
the grain, except in those rows that
had been cut and fed to the stock.
Cutting began early in December. A
man with a long, sharp sickle and a
big cotton basket in a very few min
utes cut enough to supply ration to
several head of stock-all that they
would eat morning and evening. 1t
was not cut too close. The renewed
growth was wonderful as a result OF
the rich soil, and there were three or
four cuttings of it before the close OF
the season in June. The owner of this
grain claimed and we could easily be-
lieve it, that this two acres of green
selling forage had been worth to him
more than hundred dollars from first
to last. His horses and cow were as
fat and sleek all during the winter as
they ordinarily were in. the summer
Gme.A During the time iF was fed only
one fhird the uusal quantity of grain
was given the stock, and yet they kept
strong and healthy The milk flow
was the same as in summer.
Is ii not true that what one man can
have so can smother, and what's been
done once can be done again. 1t is
not difficult for a Southern farmer to
have green soiling crop not far from
the barn and worth to him just as
much as the two acres above described
Barley, rye and oats are all good for
the purpose, but better than these
would be an acre or two in alfalfa.
Treated properly, II would continue al
least five years from one sowing OF
the seeds. one rich acre of il would be
worth more than 500 year after II
had once become well established. II
needs only TO be established Just right
and then properly treated to make 1t a
great blessing on a Southern farm.
After one acre has been properly es-
tablished II will be sure 10 lead to other
acres. Twenty acres Of alfalfa for
soiling and twenty acres Of Bermuda
for pasturage or hay win some OF these
days be the sure foundation of that
money-making little stock farm that
VIII mark the happy home OF thousands
81 prospecting small white farmers. Ia
whom alone we must look for our conn
I'm uHssHa1 fss..