Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1909-11-09
RAISING CORN IN THE SOUTH

For long time the idea obtained
that the soil and climate of the South
were not suited to the production of
corn, but in the last year or two this
idea has been completely exploded as
result of the depredations of the
boil weeYil low prices for cotton and
high prices for grains which forced
Southern farmers to turn their
attention to other crops than
cotton. In Terrell County,t Geor-
gia, this year as high as 120 bushels
was raised on an acre in a competi-
tive contest In Sumter county we
have known of so to go bushels to the
acre where properly fortified and cul-
tivated. In other sections of Georgia
corn has been grown that will COM
pare with the best produced in Iowa,
Kansas or Illinois, and other Southern
States have made record equally as
good.
The Columbia IS. c. State recently
called attention to the fact that a
farmer of Sumter county in that State
made this year an average of more
than lie bushels to the acre on ordi-
narily good upland, and that in a corn
growing contest in 1905 a farmer of
Clarendon county won first prize with
a yield of 1872 bushels to the acre. But
the man with his average of lie bush
els to the acre made the best showing,
and it is evident by his system of fer
tilizing and cultivation he got more
actual cash value from his land than
he would have done had he raised cot
ton that brought him ii cents a pound
The fact cannot be questioned that
what the most progressive farmers in
some counties of Georgia and South
Carolina are doing can be done by the
farmers in all the Southern States. But
the important fact that has been clear
ly demonstrated is that the lands in
the South when properly treated and
cultivated will bring jusct as much
cash value to the farmers as the best
corn lands in the West.
In Virginia" says the Richmond
News-Leader, "the awakening among
the farmers is wonderful. The cities
no more can claim monopolies OF the
enterprise and progress of the State.
In fact, they cannot claim even lead
ership. In many sections the farmers
are pushing to the front, thinking fur
Their ahead, taking hold of new things,
faster than the city people. With re-
markable promptness they have abol-
ished the habit of regarding with dis
trust or rejecting everything that is
new. They have adopted The improved
methods of corn breeding and corn
raising almost before the masses of
the city people knew that such things
existed. With much pleasure we OBJ
serve now that the Southwest Virginia
Farmers Association, organized
year ago, is growing in numbers and
strength. 1t has arranged for its
November meeting not only a discus
sion on horse breeding, but corn
show at which each member will be
required to exhibit six ears of his own
corn
When the farmers of the South come
to clearly understand what can be
done with their own soil they will en-
ter upon an era of great prosperity.
The one-crop system will become a
thing of the past and hundreds of mil
lions of dollars will be added to the
wealth of this section, because vast
sums of money that are annually ex-
for corn and meat produced
in the West will be kept at home
There is no reason why the South
should not raise her own supply of
corn, beef and pork. AS matter of
fact it is being done now in some of
the states this side of the Ohio and as
soon as our farmers adopt policy |
hat makes for bursting corncribs and |
FULL smokehouses they will all be out |
If debt with plenty Of money in the |
banks to provide them with the luz
aries of life. The fact that some of
the leading farmers of this county
nave corn enough raised this year to |
carry them for twelve months or more, |
sffectually discredits old ideas as to |
he impracticability of raising corn In |
his section.
Rea+ cnlfaoaa gc vard Wartioh,~