The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-12-20
NO FAKE ABOUT CORN CROP On SAND HILLS

busy trying to tind out what was he-
ing done, but could discover onlv
tne TACT that someone had an option
on o,ooO-acce tract OF land out at
Leavitt. six or seven miles from
southern Pines. Severa. times it was
stated that the deal had been closed
but the next thing was always p de-
NAL. News was mighty scarce. but the
silent man now confesses that such
gossip as escaped cost his company
$500 or $4,000. No wonder he re-
fused to talk and muzzled his local
agent Things are now in shape for
publicity, and Mr.. Cover visited the
Tourist office the other day and sub
mitted to an interview which will be
read with interest. and which Incl
dentally, will throw volume OF iighl
on the veracity of the Tourist $ farm
facts.
Mr.. Cover is what Is termed pro
moter. He is Western man; is g
mining engineer; was with Hill on the
Great Northern and the Northern Pa
cifc, first in the coal department and
later in the land department. He was
with Hill for years, which is a certifi
cate of ability. for while many mer
work for Hill, only those who can de-
liver the goods stay with him.
Two years ago Mr.. Cover was dowr
in this section buying railroad ties
and lumber for the Philadelphia and
Reading Railroad Company. While
browsing about the woodlOts, he be
came SO impressed with the farming
and fruit raising possibilities OF thi
with the Reading and began an effor
to interest big capital in the develop
ment Of the sand hills.
Mr. Cover IS an Iowa man. II,
knew that Iowa farm lands were sell
ing~ on an average. at s125 an acre
and he knew too, that the time hao
come when Western farmers haf
taken about all they can out OF the
soil without putting something back
In other words, the man who buys
Iowa lands must pay at least Sl25 Ar
acre and verv often much more anf
| then fertilize just as Eastern farmer:
do. He found that the cotton grow
ers of Marlboro county ) e, fht
richest cotton section Of the SoutE
were leaving that splendid county and
| coming to Moore county and othe'
sections of the sand hills because theS
could buy land here for 50 or SO al
acre and in some cases less. which
would raise lust as good cotton anc
! fully as much Of It, with proper treat.
ment. as the lands of Marlboro county
| for which they must pay anywhere
from $75 to 5000 an acre. He learned
that Mr. Shelly had had the soil o.
Marlboro county and that Of Moore
county analyzed with the result thai
the Moore county dirt was found te
| he every bit as good as that Of the
famous South Carolina cotton county
ua nicked up the same information
that the Tourist has been printing
| and which larger papers have reprint
| ed and given wider currency. unit
he satisfied himself that this section
might be made, not only great fruit
! growing center, but that Its agrlcui
turaI possibilities were every bit al
great
| Mr. Covers next task was to satlsf,
can;tal of these things. Up in Ne"
York. with headquarters in Bfoac
street the financial center OF America
was Mr.. Eugene l.. Ashley. Now Mr.
Ashley is one OF the men who pu
through the Hudson Valley Power
Company, which has spent sl5'ooo'
900 in developing the water power
around GIenns Fails and High rams
~ Y. Another project Ia which he ::
deeply involved Is the gathering u
,na combining of tAr water powers