The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1910-08-11
Wilmington Star.

Judging from the columns of our
exchanges, the one crop idea is a
memory in North Carolina and mod
ern farming methods are taking
the place OF the soil impoverishing
farming OF the years gone by.
Not only are crops being diversified
but the soil is being better prepared,
more scientifically fertilized and more
thoroughly cultivated. North Caro-
lima has always had a greater diver
sity OF agricultural products than
any Southern State and very fortu-
nately the conditions prevented the
farmers of North Carolina from fall
ing into the one-crop idea on cotton
culture, except in some OF the eastern
counties more adapted to cotton pro-
duction than some OF the counties in
the western portion of the State.
Most OF the crops and agricultural
products grown in nearly every agri-
cultural country in the world can be
produced in North Carolina, and the
Star is gratified that the agricul-
tural products of the State are even
more generally diversified every year.
The great possibilities OF agricul-
ture in North Carolina may be par
TALLY realized when it Is stated that
the principal money crops grow to
perfection in different sections of the
State, such as cotton, tobacco, pea
nuts, rice, buckwheat, grain crops,
of all kinds, hay crops, truck crops,
fruits, etc. Every conceivable pro-
1,,a% En0rpy t0 I%,,v
can be successfully grown in North
Carolina-from rice in the tidal coun-
try to buckwheat in the mountain
country.
The farmers of North Carolina are
diversifying their money crops more
than ever and it is especially crafty
ing that more attention is being Civ
en- to the food crops. Thanks to the
splendid work OF the State Agricul-
tural Department, North Carolina is
destined to become a great corn
growing State. Not only has the
acreage in corn been largely increased
but methods have been introduced to
largely increase the yield per acre.
Corn-grOwing contests have been or
ganized In 20 counties in the State
and farmers institutes and expert
mental farms have been established
in about so counties. Thus the farm
ing interests OF the State have been
greatly accentuated. and the poten-
tialities of agriculture have been
greatly enlarged. The farmers are
taking n much deeper interest in
their work and are appreciating the
opportunities for instruction in all
the branches of the industry-soil
restoration, scientific fertilization,
seed selection, better preparation OF
lands for cultivation, more improved
methods OF cultivation, and general
economics.
The point which we started out to
make was that a great stimulus has
been given to corn production in the
State on account OF the corn con-
tests conducted under the auspices OF
the State Agricultural Department.
There are a great many more con-
tests than there were last year and
the newspapers all over the State
furnish good news about the pros
poets for corn growers, especially the
growers who are working for the
prizes offered by the Department.
One of the contestants last year was
]. F. Bats, OF Wake county, who got
the first prize for having produced
on one acre OF land 1875 2-3 bushels
OF corn. The contest this year will
be watched with interest and we
shall see whether Mr.. Bats will beat
himself or let some OF the other con-
tests get ahead of him. At any rate
these contests are learning North
Carolina farmers that they can make
more corn grow by greater odds than
they ever grew before on a given area
OF land and that they can make
money on crops other than cotton,
tobacco and peanuts. the great sta
pie crops for which North Carolina
| is lannon's.