The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1904-06-03
TIE ONE-HORSE FARM.
Ar Interesting Clemson College Bui-
.e.in By Prof. J. S. Newman.

II >
The chief enemy to progressive
farming in the south is the one-horse
farm, equipped generally with.
cheap mule, poorly fed. "a boy Dixie
and a scooter plough. This. in the
hands of one ignorant OF the very
fundamental principles underlying
successful agriculture. is a guaran-
tee OF failure and Of soil deterioration.
The history of southern agriculture
illustrates and subStantiateS these
statements. What is the remedy:
The landowner has the matter large
ly in his own hands. Self-preServa-
ton demands that he stop the present
practice OF superficial preparation.
ignorant and wasteful use or tertl-
lizers. and cultivation destructive.
rather than conducive 10 plant
growth and production. The average
landowner tenants his land to any IT
responsible person who can secure
supplies from a merchant only by
mortgaging crops not yet planted,
and buy on credit a broken down
mule, also blanketed with a mortgage.
This is suicidal policy and practice
on the part of the landlords who ac-
knowledges that the returns will not
pay for the land deterioration. The
tendency of the age is toward con-
centrated efforts combined with ad-
vances and economic machinery.
Farming must keep up with the pro-
cession. We find no one-horse cotton
mills. or oil mills, or railroads. We
never hear any more Of the whip
saw of fifty years ago. but the one
horse plough is still in evidence.
Land owners can protect their
land, increase their products and
benefit their tenants by requiring un-
ion in preparation, etc. The writer
did so thirty-hve years ago, and ten
ants complained in spring. but thank
:. ed him in the fall. The best invest
ment a ore-horse farmer can make
is the purchase of another mule.
Land cannot be prepared properly
by 2 single team. nor can the most
economical implements be utilized
with less than two-horse powe-.
With improved implements such as
the Chattanooga reversible disc
plough. the Mallory plough. the disc
harrow and cultivator. the mower.
etc. better and cheaper crops can
;! be grown.
Improved preparation will reduce
the fertilizer bill and increase the et-
= fectiveness of that used by enabling
: soil to absorb and retain more moist
~ure. and render droughts less lnJur-
,iouS. Again. more work can be done
at the proper time. Two mules will
be able to cultivate crops more
promptly after rains, and thus dis
pense with much hoe work. More
than twice the load can be carried on
a. two-f1orse wagon than on a one
horse wagon.
One man with two mules can do
more and better preparation than two
men with two one-horse ploughs.
One man on mower is worth hve
men with scythes. BY using double
team. without increasing the areas
twice as much soil is made available.
its moisture capacity is quadrupled.
and injury by excessive rains or
droughts greatly lessened, thereby III
sufing larger and cheaper crops.
Thorough and deep preparation. to-
sether with judiciouS rotation. in
creases annually the productiveneSs
of soils. A three-year rotation IS
here suggested for profit and soil rem
ovation.
First year: Field A. 20 acres cot
ton: Field B, 20 acres corn and peas;
Field c. 10 acres small grain. follow
ed by peas. 5 acres sorghum, acres
hog crops.
Second year: Field A, corn and
peas; Field B. small grain, followed
BY peas, sorghum and hog crops;
Field c, cotton.
Th;,5 war. Field small grain.