The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1904-09-20
Specialization In Farming.
Editors Progressive Farmer:

Editors Progressive Farmer:
Something I think that our farmers try to do
too many things. There is no other business in
which, success requires such skill, experience and
knowledge as farming, when the several branches
are carried along together as is commonly done
by our country people. What / mean by branches
is such as sheep raising, the raising of swine,
the growing of tobacco, etc. Of course, it would
be impracticable to take only one branch, and
it is just as unreasonable to try to succeed by
taking them all.
Let each farmer carry along the crops and raise
the stock that is necessary to sustain the farm
and then make a speciality of some crop that he
thinks most profitable to him. In making your
choice, you should be very careful and use your
best Judgment. You should not only think con-
siderably over the subject, but consult statistics
and experienced men, for on this crop depends
your profits and losses.
Now suppose, for example, you have had con-
siderable experience with onions. All right, we
will consider that crop. First, does it suit your
land! Get your Bulletin on Truck Farming. if
you haven't learned by experience, and see. You
ind the crop grows best on a mellow loan per-
tanning to sand. That suits your farm. You
have averaged growing one hundred and thirty
SIX bushels to the acre, or you have seen from the
twelfth census that the State averaged one hun
dred and thirty-nine bushels and your county
averaged one nunQreQ ana forty. One hundred
and t~hlrty-six bushels, at seventy-fve cents per
bushel, equals one hundred and one dollars per
acre (seventy-five cents being the value of onions
in this State according to the twelfth census).
Compare this with some other crops.
Again you notice there were about u, 000,0 900
bushels raised In the United States in 1899; and
~5,20O,OOO bushels, or nearly half of the total crop,
was raised in twenty-five counties. These figure,
show a great concentration of the crop to a
limited area that makes a speciality of growing |
this crop for the general market. This proves
tnat some one is making a profit by specializing
on this particular crop.
These twenty-five counties are found MOSTLY
north the Mason and Dixon line" or west of the
MISSISSIPPI. thus not interfering with our trade
very much, as is shown by the difference in value |
IN the different States. In Vermont they are
hfty..slx cents per bushel, while in Georgia and
FLORIDA they are one dollar per bushel.
Ihese twenty-five counties also average 800
bushels-double the number of bushels per acre |
OF all the other counties of the United States.
Does TINS suggest that by proper preparation and
cultivation of the soil that YOU can double your
crop per acre! l should think so. Then we have
TWO hundred and seventy-fve bushels at seventy |
nVe cents equals two hundred and two dollars.
No" recompare your crops and decide which |
is the most profitable. For instance. if Won com
pare with tobacco, take cost of commercial fer |
chlzers' WORK, time of harvest, consider If If inter |
&c WIN tne harvesting of the corn, as tobacco |
~ ~ enects on the soil, advantage and dis
aovanIage OF the rotation of the different crops.
danger In failure of crop. MARKETING ;nooypa
etc. lncome'
Ii above Is simply a method of considering
any crop. l believe if it were adhered 70 oloso11
me- u crops would be more varied. orr farmers
woulo specialize more and have, greater Success
along their several lines. ouccesS
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