The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1909-08-30
ETTER CROPS
ARE POSSIBLE
proved Methods Bring
Results.
IMPAIRMENT GIVES FACTS
Issues Interesting BulIetin On Farm
Products.
ssusA C.rell.i.n secures Tract Of Land
sa wAieA Rotation of Crops
Preduce Excellent
Preats.
M ALFRED :. sTOrER

Washington. Aug. 2s.-(Special)-
The Department Of Agriculture has Is
sued = bulletin that Is one OF the most
rsmarkabie and interesting ever made
public. It 10 complete description Of
small farm and the methods of man
agement by which II was changed from
= failure to a profitable enterprise
while cotton Is the leading product
Of this farm other things were pro-
duced along with that staple that
greatly helped to increase the profits
The experts of the department dwell on
the fact that this is an illustration of
what can be done to diversity crops In
. section that has been relying mainly
upon cotton. ~
The farm described Is located in the
east central part of South Carolina. II
lies on low. sandy ridge having good
drainage, the land sloping In all direc-
fions from the central ridge like
turtles back. The soil Is a gray,
sandy loan. in some parts quite loose
and almost white In color. 1t Is under
laid at depth of twelve to fifteen
Inches by q yellow sandy subsoil. The
fcrest growth is pine and scrub oak.
There are 131 IA acres only In the
farm, OF which sixty-six acres are un-
der system OF rotation, and thirty
acres are occupied by tenant houses
and their surrounding lots. The re-
mAinder In woodland The farm has
been under cultivation some eighty
years. and for the eight or ten years
previous to the present ownership had
Owner Takes Possesufon.
The present owner Of this farm took
possession In January, 1902. Several
tenant houses were scattered promis-
.-cuously over 1t. number Of bad gull
lies had been allowed to develop, q
swamp hole occupied part OF one field.
and clumps OF scrubby trees, bushes
land broom sedge had grown up, max
l1ng the fields irregular IN shape and
giving the farm q rough and unthrifty
appearance. The fertility OF the soil
had been reduced TO the low ebb of
producing sec ponds OF seed cotton
and hve to eiEf Bushels Of corn to the
acre.
Now this IS all changed: the borders
of the fields have been Strengthened,
the tenant houses moved from the
tillable lands. gullies filed up and the
swamp hole drained. The tillable land
has been divided into three fields of
twenty-five acres each; the farm has
been fenced: and a new house, barn and
other buildings have been erected. The
farm today presents an appearance of
yneatness. thrift and prosperity.
The present owner was q farmer of
lexperience when he purchased the
lplace, and he knew the value Of the ro-
cation of crops. through tiliage. and the
importance of decaying organic mat
-l4er, or humus, in the soil. He adopted
Ia rotation, bought stable manure and
began feeding cattle for the purpose
tof converting part OF the roughage and
grain OF the farm into animal products
and making farm manure for use on
the land. BY this method and by the
I5udicious use of commercial fertilizer
The succeeded In producing the first
year q yield of one and three-fifths
bales of cotton, thirty-seven bushels of
corn and ten bushels of oats to the
acre. These yields have been gradual
~ increased until during the last two
years two and one-quarter bales Of cot
ton, eighty-hve bushels Of corn and
eighty bushels Of oats per acre have
been obtained.
Rotation Of Crops.
The rotation adopted Was as follows.
Wrist year, corn. with cowpeas planted
Between the rows at the last working
OF the corn; second year, winter oats,
Followed by cowpeas for hay. and third
year. cotton.
Mr.. C. l.. Goodrich. the Department
expert. who prepared the bulletin. has
the following to say in regard to live
stock on this wonderful farm:
"A feature Of this farm found on
comparatively few Southern farms is
the feeding Of cattle primarily for the
production of black manure, to be
used under cotton. An average of
twenty-five head of native stock is car
rfed through the year. though the num-
Der varies at times from twelve to nf-
~. according to the rapidity with whic h
the cattle are bought in and turned of.
These cattle average 500 pounos IN
weight when purchased, and are fec on
cotton seed hulls and meal, oat straw.
corn shucks and other roughage. The
cattle have been kept in open yards
until the present year when'a shed was
built for their protection and for the
production OF the manure.
'SThe cattle are given the run of the
EaeIds between harvest and the prepar-