The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-07-06
KNOWS HOW TO FARM
SOME VALUABLE LESSONS FROM
A GOOD FARMER
Who Came From Ohio in Search of
Health and Settled on q North
Carolina Farm.

Mr.. a. l.. French recently told a
Progressive Farmer reporter, who
visited Sunny Home Stock Farm, an
interesting story Of his success on
North Carolina farm, which the
reporter writes up as follows for his
paper:
Mr.. French finished putting up 60
tons of hay at G:30 one morning and
caught train at Q o'clock to begin
mis- institute work. At one Of the
first Institutes, after Mr.. French had
finished talking, an old man back in
the audience arose and said that the
speakers were not farmers at all, but
men who were talking OF something
of which they had no practical
knowledge. Mr.. French's reply was
brief and to the point, II will show
fists with you," he said, extending
his hand calloused by the toll of the
nay field, "and the people who are
here can judge which of US has been
doing the most real farming lately.
Mr.. French's farming might teach
some lessons of great profit to many
of the men who seem to think they
are practical farmers because they
have to WORK so hard to make
living OIL their farms.
in the first place, Mr.. French's
farm answers the question, Can
farming be made to pay?" Coming
from Ohio eight years ago on ac-
count of his health, he bought place
Of 240 acres for s12 per acre. 1t
was orcrgrown with weeds, briers
and bushes except where a hard, poor
soil refused to grow anything but
poverty grass. Portions were so
rocky as to be almost untillable. Mr..
French now values his farm at $50
per acre and has refused SIS for 1t.
This improvement has been made
from the farm itself. 1t has paid its
own way.
Mr.. French, it seems to us, has
also answered the question, How
shall we build up our poor lands?'
We rode over q field that was pre-
pared for corn, deep, loose, mellow
and full Of humus, good for SO to 60
bushels per acre. When Mr.. French
got the farm it is doubtful If the
field would have made 10 bushels
per acre. We walked through an
other field where the clover was
thick, deep and luXuriant, telling of
profitable crop this year and in the
years that are to follow. When Mr.
French got the farm much of this
field was absolutely barren; and yet
he has never applied one bit Of COM
mercial fertilizer to it. Indeed. in
the eight years on the 240 acres, all
of which are cultivated, he has used
only $3.50 worth Of commercial fer
tlizers, practically all of which was
acid phosphate.
This farm has been built up, as
we believe many others could be, by
the growing and feeding of live
stock. Mr.. French had on his farm
at the time OF our visit SO cattb:,
70 head Of hogs and about 1lO sheep.
He expects to fatten so to 100 hog
next fall. and he keeps practically
the same number OF cattle all the
time and from 60 to $50 sheep.
Another question to which It
seems Mr.. French's experience al
fl rds good answer is the qu 'slinr
as to what it takes 10 make profit
able farm. The answer indicated IS
"a piece of land and man who
knows how to handle II"
Eight years ago he brought .hc
first two-horse planter into his neigh
borhood. One OF his neighbors, who
is himself very good farmer, came
over in few days and saw the ma
chine.
French" said he, Il have always
heard that you Yankees were hard
working people, but it seems to ME
that you spend most OF your time
trying to keep out Of work. > Or
course, as good Southerner, this
nciEhbor would not be outdonc by
Yankee, so he had Mr.. French to
order a two-horse planter for him,
and now there are six or seven in
his community.
The second year Mr.. French was
on his farm, his father and mother
came down from Ohio to see the
place he had bought in the South.
His father, who was used to the
fertile lands of northern Ohio, went
out and looked over the place, then
went in the house TO tell his wife
about it. The wife of our Mr.. French
heard the two old people discussing
the farm, and Nh French. Sr., said
sadly, Mother. ] never thought We
should ever raise such fool.
Today this fool" has farm which
would be an object lesson to thou
sands Of farmers in orr territory, he
has increased the value OF his place
many fold, has made 4 reputation as
a breeder OF fine cattle, and as
writer and speaker on agricultural
subjects. This is what real, sure
enough, intelligent farming along I'M
proved lines will do on the poor
lands OF the South.
Sunday School Picnic.