The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1908-07-03
BIGGEST FARM IN THE SOUTH
Ex-Gov. Smith of Georgia Has 5000
Acres Under Fence

/ EN-SoNs SmlbH OF SCOT9td ndS OWN
Acres Under Fence
| Georgia has several big farms. One
Of the largest in the state, embracing
some 5000 acres in one body, is the
property of James NJ. Smith of Ogle-
thorpe county, and the fame of Col
Smith as a farmer has spread through
out the state and illustrates what can
be done on the average Georgia land.
Re turning from service in the Con-
federate army at the close OF HOSTILE
ties in 1865, Colonel Smith began
farming on a few acres of poor land
with but a single mule to aid him in
the wO. K. and himself between the
plOW handles. After laying by" his
crop each year in the later summer,
/ Colonel Smith. driving the same mule
! peddlej tinware and other cOmmOdi-
ties about the country. Upon one of
his annual trips he displayed his
wares to a wealthy neighbor, who not
only refused to purchase, but with a
mistaken idea that Colonel Smith had
/ inglOriOusly abandoned the field Of
agriculture. reprOached him with
leaving such a noble calling and pur-
suing the life Of a peddler.
Give me time answered Colonel
Smith, and l will own calf pasture
as large as your entire farm"
Twenty years later Colonel Smith
entertained his neighbOrs at a barbe-
cue. and among the guests were his
! former critic. After dinner the assem-
bled friends strolIed over the farm.
viewed the fields with their promise
Of plenty, admired the herd of thor
Oughbred registered cattle and finally
stopped at the gate to the calf pas
ture. Turning to the friend who had
once so misunderstood his purpose,
the colonel remarked:
Il believe you farm so many acres?"
Yes, that is correct" answered the
friend
II
pasture. remarked Colonel Smith.
His Own Efforts
II Colonel Smith has not disdained 20
read all the reputable writer's on ag-
riculture and follow their advice
whenever it appeared to suit his con
ditiOn and environment BY studying
the soil and supplying necessary and
proper elements of plant food, by the
diversifcation and rotation Of crops
or in other words mixing brains with
the work of his hands. and personal
supervision Of every operation, Colo
mel Smith has year by year added to
his wealth and possessions until his
"One-mule farm" of 1866 now covers
thirty square miles of land and gives
employment to 1900 men, women and
children.
For years this land has made an aY
erage of thirty bushels of corn. TWEEN
ity bushels of wheat and 1850 pounds
of seed cotton per acre.
For many years Colonel Smith has
kept a herd Of 500 head of cattle
which on account of the mild winters
he has only to feed for some three tC
four months, and then only on cotton
seed bulls and meal mixed with for
age raised on the place; pasturing the
! herd eight to nine months of every
year. He sends to market about 1O(
head of cattle per annum, without di
minishing his herd. The dairy hero
numbers from IS to 100 head of Jer
seys, DevOns and HOlsteins, some o
pure blood and others of grades. These
! cows produce each year from 20,00C
to $4,000 pounds of butter, bringing 2
cents to % cents per pound wholesale
The>cattle serve a double purpose OF
! the Smith farm. He pastures them il
enclosures of about fifteen acres
changing frequently, and every month
or so turning the land. Thus he en-
J riches his soil. and from several hun
dred acres makes thirty-five to fort!
bushels of wheat per acre, two bale
of cotton. or seventy to seventy-fiv,
bushels of corn per acre
Watches Everything
Colonel Smith OverlOOks nothing
With agriculture on a large scale h,
combines manufacturing. and turns
the raw material produced from hi!
. soil into valuable manufactured pro
ducts by means of steam ginneries
oil mill and fertilizer factory. A saw
mill cuts the timber for various use:
about the place: a brick yard turns