The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-08-30

e 441Gl the QEtQSe- w lCNlD 3NDIT@r mile
or so another dam had To he erected.
and after fye miles were cut the to-
tai drop Of water in that distance was
discovered TO be twelve feet. an av-
eraGe Of more than two feet per
mile.
since then many other canals and
lateral bitches have been cut. the
former carrying the water out into
the PunSo river. other dredges were
built 10 continue this work. two or
them being constructed in the woods
At Nilkinson's Station. from which
point they dug their way out into the
river. They were set TO work on the
surface OF the ground right
where built. and as a canal
was cut it filled with water
from the saturated soil and then the
oredses floated in it. after which it
was easy for them to cut and cut
and advance. with plenty Of water 70
swim in The digging OF the canals
reveals beneath the soil extensive
mari beds, the shells eff which turned
out upon the parallel roads. made -
the dredges. Will aid in providing ssaN
nor highways. Occasionally vhois
oysters we're ~eXcavated, indicating that
IN the past ages the entire region was
submerged hy the waters OF Pamlico
Sound. yct cow the land lies Is feet
above its level.
one of the most interesting parts
ol lie ldnd reclamation work IS its
preparation for farming. This worn
begins Immediately after the market
abe timber is cut and taken out. Then
the ground is left covered with stumps
besides numerous small trees and
underbrush. together with some coca
sional large timber, not fit for lumber
manufacture, and not worth the cost
Of removal. All this material, which.
If it could be profitably gathered and
marketed, would supply a good sized
town with kindling wood for a long
time, is then burned just as it lies de-
stroylng weeds and other obnoxious
groWths, after which corn is planted
BY a primitive method. that of polk
ing holes in the rich soil with a stick
and dropping in the seed. This is the
first years crop, and it has yielded SO
bushels of corn to the acre, the stalks
growing up amid the stumps and
fallen timber promiscuously, and
more or less irregular, but strong and
flourishing. The next year, it being
still impossible to use the pillow on
o Of remaining stumps, occurs
is again had to the stick and hand
method Of planting, but by the time
a third years crop is to be put in,
blowing can be done and the ordinary
farm machinery used, because the
stumps have decayed and no longer
constitute obstacles to cultivation"
Continuing, the Manufacturers
Record describes, as has been tod
above. the unusual fertility of the soil
and the greater possibilities. Two
crops or three can be produced. For
instance continues the article.
large quantities of vegetables
may be grown. gathered n shipped
in the early spring, and then. in
May, corn or cotton can be put in.
Yet it is also possible to obtain
three crops in one year. Thus a
crop Of zoo bushels of potatoes per
oo-o h,r hoor -atIo~aI b- Tho yy;IYrt
son from one field, after which corn
and peas were grown together IN the
same land, the peas being sown be-
tween the corn rows. Corn has yield
ed 100 bushels per acre and cotton
two bales per acre. AS many as 165
barrels of potatoes { two and a half
bushels to the barrel) or a total OF 400
bushels have been raised on
one acre of this rich deep soil. At
least IS barrels, or from It's to 100
bushels per acre, can be expected. 1t
is said. There may also be grown
from 1900 to 1000 pounds of seed
cotton per acre. The cotton stalks
are often eight feet high, and the corn
stalks are so tall and strong that a
full grown raccoon has been seen
to climb them and cling thereto While
comfortably dining on choice roasting
ears.
"A singular thing about this rich
farming country is that little hay is
grown by the Some of them
raise none at all, but buy it from dis
tant points, paying for it from s1.25
to $50 per 100 pounds. The VIII
kinSons raise some hay, but most OF
the farmers devote their attention to
! cotton, and the c~ultivating Of other
farm supplies is also neglected for
the one crop that is peculiarly South
ern. This experienced agTiculturlsts
condemn, arguing that the farmers
| should supply the home demand for
AGRICULTURAL products first of all,
| looking to other markets only after
local needs are supplied. The neglect
of hay growing is only one in
! stance Of the Indifference Of
| Eastern North Carolina farmers to
meeting local requirements, and
of the disposition of southern agri-
c~ulturalists generally to reject profit
able advice that they diversity their