The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1905-02-11
FARMER AND PLANTER.
FOUNDATION FOR SUCCESS.
When Shall We Discard the Old and
Adopt the New and Better
Methods.

The editorial in November 18th is-
sue on Laying Foundation for Sue
sess" was certainly timely, and the
opening sentence, THE majority of
farmers are farming by force of habit
or by surrounding circumstances" can
not be too often or too fOrcibly i'm
pressed upon the attention of southern
farmers. While attending the fair at
Macon we had gentleman to give US
his experience, which well illustrated
the case in hand, and made a profound
impression upon us, and we take the
liberty to repeat 1t to our readers, hop
ing it may make a lasting impression
upon some of them and assist some in
making their plans for the new year.
This gentleman said:
II was born and reared in Hancock
county. owned good farm, but
worked it along in the old shallow,
shocking style, went fox hunting ana
took an active interest in local poll
tics, so got badly in debt. In fact,
had to sell land, stock and everything
10 pay out. l came down to south
Georgia, near Dublin, and rented a
two-horse crop ON halves'-just like
any other tenant. A wealthy man
down there saw / was not afraid OF
work and he made me proposition
to oversee for him for wages and to
let my two sons run crop on shares.
| stayed with him three years. He
tnf~ he nf
blowing and high manuring, and
began at once to make large crops
and to clear money each year. Last
fall bought of him 210 acres OF land
and commenced on my own hook
again. ! have 108 acres in cotton,
have ginned 81 bales ana will make
about 120. Have already ginned four
weighing 1920 pounds; will make 30
and 40 bushels of corn per acre. l
used 900 pounds of fertilizer upon
every acre cultivated; bought the in
gradients and did my own mixing;
broke every foot of land as deep as
a two-horse pillow would go. / had
acres for hay. l broke this land with
a two-horse pillow and put 600 pounds
| of fertilizer broadcast AMI planted In
peas and sorghum; have fed away
several loads; baled 125 bales and
have enough to bale that much more.
Under my cotton and corn l put 200
pounds of guano in drill before plant
ing, and 200 on each side after the
crop comes up, and when l work 1t
| the second time. I will clear any
where from $500 to $4,000 on this
years crop"
| Now, this ought to make us think
Here is a man past middle life, with
everything lost by following the "old
methods" in vogue in over three
! fourths of the south. But forced tt
begin life again, he adopted new meth
DDS and his efforts are crowned will
abundant success. The question nov
is, will we wait to be forced, or will
we voluntarily change to deep plow
ing, thorough cultivation and high ma
nuring? All who read and think,
1--WE know the right, and approve 1
too:
Condemn the wrong. and yet tn
wrong pursue"
Now at the close of 1904, and at tn
beginning of 1905, let's omit all half
handed methods-all these spreading
out" scattering over" ways. and be
gin Alright the only true and worth,
way of thoroughness in all our work
And look forward to the only genuin
prosperity which must come fron
well-tilled land and diversified crops
Thinking. more of corn, grain an
stock and less of cotton, and then W
won't be standing around waiting 70
| it to go to ten cents, as we see s
many doing now.-G. F. Hunnicutt, i
Southern Cultivator.~