The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1908-05-22
With the Farmers.

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Editor Herdid;--I have spent week
with the farmers and at this season
when busy is the word. | never knew
them TO be so cheerful, so hopeful, so
happy, and Of course this means they
are a. rule prosperous. Perhaps the
good prices Of the past season are en-
couraging in some instances 10 over
cropping and this is in many instances
sad mistakes. | am glad 10 say, how
ever, this is by no means general. |
am impressed with the fact that fertil-
izers are being used as never before in
the history of this section, is being
used on corn as well as tobacco. On
asking a reason for this / have been
told that with the scarcity of labor,
guano and improved machinery must
come more and more in use, aud all
this means that the time has come
when thoughtful farmers are deter
mined TO make one acre do the WORK
of two to ten, and this some Of them
are already doing.
On all up-to-date farms the glowing
Of grass and the killing Of grass go
hand i'm hand. German clover is be-
ing largely cultivated and though
when in full bloom il seems pity to
cut ii or pillow il under, it is on all
sides falling beneath the knife Of the
mower or the turn OF the pillow. l
have been told by more than one
farmer that there is no better prepaFs-
ton for the corn land. And along
with the clover, fertilizer is being gen.
erously used in addition. There has
been no intimaiiOn Of scarcity OF
plants. The beds literally groan be-
meath the plant-burden and many Of
them were ready long in advance OF
the season for planting.
Labor isn't a. scarce as | expected
to find it, and yet on some farms OF
broad acres find but one man "be-
hind the plow,n and this reminds me
OF what my old friend, Ned Price,
once told me. lie was going from
Farmyille 10 Petersburg on horse, and
passing large field Of corn in which
an old negro man was plowing alone,
asked him show he was getting on?',
10 which he promptly said, "l'm one
negro, every row is his" Not so with
an old veteran Of the late war who
found with no companion save his
faithful gray mare on large farm,
and when | expressed surprise that he
should undertake such a crop single
handed, he laughingly said, "Why, |
fatten on it," And the gray mare was
fat too, though the fields were being
well aud thoroughly cultivated.
The most perfect farm-combination
| ever met with found in three stall
wart brothers all working In harmony
on the same farm and such crop AS
they had pitched IL never did see."
They laugh at the old rule Of ten thou
sand to the hand and will more than
double it. Make money? OF course
they will, and a goodly sum of II, and
they are not going 10 suiler for "crea-
ture comforts" while they hold the
plows. There are few hands to be
found longer on any Of our farms.
Thorough preparation before planting,
constant narrowing and blowing af-
forwards and the grass just can't in
trude.
/ rejoice at the good things which
are coming To our farmers, and may
not be permitted To mention meal
had with one of them? Here is the
bill of fare:
Midling and early cabbage, mashed
potatoes, chicken pies, thin cakes OF
corn bread made from an old-time
country mill brown, crisp, excellent;
a big pitcher Of buttermilk, big bowl
Of cracked ice, pickles, "serves" and
apple pies.
Fit for king. Fit for the gods. The
Jefferson is.i't in it. Happy farmersl
My sincere congratulations.
o. +. q.