Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-09-23
aMistellansous Rraains.
sTUMPS, BRUSH, WEEDS, GRASS.
They Cost the People More Than Is
Paid For All Things Else.

We pay larger tax every year for
stumps brush, weeds and grass than
Is required To support our municipal,
county, state and Federal govern
ments, to endOw all the colleges and
educate all the youth of the land: and
we get no return. A stump not only
occupies valuable space but 1t pre-
vents the use of improved implements
for better and more rapid tillage of
the soil. The cost of farm labor is on
the increase with the certainty that
this will continue till the equation OF
wages on the farms and In the town
or citv is more equal. The remedy
for higher priced labor on the farm
is the use of more and better teams
and implements. II the day wage on
the farms of the south advances from
$O.75 to $3.50 then each farm hand
must plow. plant, and cultivate twice
as many acres in day as he did be
fore and this Is an easy problem. But
the StumpS must go, and the FARMER
who does not try to get rid of them
will soon be n back number. The
stump farmer pays about $500 an
acre every year for the privilege or
having stumps in his fields. In addi-
ton, there are generally a few teet
of untitled soil around every field
stump which produce foul weeds and
grasses to seed the land.
What has been charged against
stumns applies with still more torce
to trees. shrubs and brush patches In
the field: dig. burn, destroy: they are
natural enemies of the farmer.
Straighten out the sides OF the field,
square up the corners and avoid the
short rows as much as possible tney
increase the work OF tillage.
hnnnTnn
ed to fighting weeds and grass In the
cultivated fields that they regard II as
a matter of necessity. They think the
land Is full Of foul seeds and OF course
thew will terminate when Ii rains.
When virgin soils are first placed In
cultivation they are comparatively
free from weeds and grass, and that
they become foul is due to faulty
management on the part of the farm
ers. 1t is not difficult to discover the
real causes. First, careless cultlVa-
ton. which allows weeds and grass 10
mature seed in the cultivated helds.
Second, little attention is paid to the
highways. the brush patches, the fence
corners and the pastures, and they are
almost universally breeding grounds
for foul weeds and grass. 1t has been
charged that the southern farmer IS
careless. 1t may be true In some
things, but in one thing too many OF
them stand first among the farmers
of the world, they never fail 10 raise
a crop of weed and grass seed large
enough to seed their own fields ana
their neighbors.
The cost of this universal weed ana
grass seeding amounts annually -
more than five dollars for each acre
in corn, and ten dollars for each acre
in cotton. In 1909 in the states OF
Alabama. Arkansas. Florida, Georgia
Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carroll
ma, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Ten
nessee. Texas and Virginia, there were
40. 965. 900 acres in corn and 3O'69o,-
600 acres in cotton, which would snow
a yearly loss of over 511 millions OF
dollars. This loss can be greatly re-
duced by intensive cultivation contin-
ued as late in the season as possible
and by moving the roadsides; Al
first II seems like a waste or lapor,
but its beneficial effects soon become
apparent. mazda ,d
A persistent war on weeds ana
grass. stumps and brush, in the helds
is one Of the great progressive move
ments necessary to progress In agri-
nnItnre s. A. KNAPP.
Special Agent in Charge.