The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-08-28
DIVERSIFIED FARMING PAYS.
What Thrifty Community i'm Sum-
ter County is Doing.


section of country known as Trinity
Cross Roads and was forcibly struck
with the evidences of prosperity on
every hand. This section is situated
in a narrow part Of Sumter county
that Is bounded by Lee. Florence
Williamsburg and Clarendon counties,
is eight miles from Lynchburg, eleven
miles from Mayesville and twenty
three from Sumter. The nearest
railroad point is Lynchburg on the
Atlantic Coast Line, and to and from
there the farmers haul their products
and merchandise.
A little over five years ago this en-
ire section was owned by two men,
Messrs. Jacob Keels and John Player,
and at that time only a small part Of
the land was under cultivation. The
rest was in timber and lying out. At
the death of these two men the land
was sold by the heirs and the larger
portion of both tracts was bought by
Messrs. E. T. Mimms and Frank
Dennis. who cut 1t up into medium
sized farms and sold 1T out to hard
working farmers. Now on every side
upon which are built comfortable
dwelling houses and barns; some of
the old log houses are still standing
and are occupied and form a marked
contrast to the newer and more
comfortable houses erected in late
years.
Three years ago a very pretty M.
E. Church was erected and it and the
neatly kept cemetery adjoining make
very fine appearance. The church
Is now In charge of the Rev. Mr..
Beaseley, and has a membership Of
65. The school house nearby was
erected about the same time and is
built from a modern plan, and will
compare favorably with many of the
city buildings. The school runs nine
months out of twelve, and is in
charge Of three teachers Last ses-
sion the enrolment was 116 pupils.
The store owned by Messrs. Mimms
& Dennis carries a large stock of gen.
eral merchandise and is we'll patron
lied. sovtr the store is lbnilt a, hail,
which is used by the woodmen of the
World camp, which has a member
ship Of 65, and by the Farmers Un-
ion, which also has large member
ship. This year -four and grist mill
of the very latest make and with a
capacity of 100 barrels per day, was
erected by Messrs. Mimms & Dennis,
and is running every day. Many Of
the farmers last year planted part Of
their farms in wheat and the yield
this summer averaged about 80 BUSH
els per acre. Mr.. E. T. Mimms thresh-
ed 176 bushels of Appler oats from
two acres Of land. One Of the farm
ers, Mr.. Kirby, owns grain thresher
which is run by gasoline engine, and
goes from farm to farm threshing ont
the wheat and oats. While the farm
ers In other sections are paying 81
and 50 per barrel for -four, these
farmers have their own supply raised
on their own land. On that same
land from which they harvested the
wheat and oats they now have grow
ing corn and peas. and though the
corn is somewhat later than other
corn, 1t looks as If 1t would average
about SO bushels per acre. The farm.
ers all raise their own hogs and cattle
and they say that with meat in the
smoke house and flour and corn meal
in the bins they will live no matter
what the price of cotton, nor how
much of crop is made.
The cotton crops look as If they
would yield from three-fourths to
over bale, and the corn is looking
well. Mr.. John X. McElveen has one
field OF seven acres, which will av-
erage 100 bushels to the acre.
The land is productive and with
the proper attention will grow anv
crop they plant, and by diversifying
the crops the farmers make upon one
what they lose on another. The whole
neighborhood bespeaks prosperitv
and the farmers appear happy and
contented. To a casual onloker il
certainly looks as if diversified farm
ing pays.