The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-06-22
The Farming of Mr.. John CrakOre.

The Farming of Mr.. John CrakOre.
1t was early in September, and here
and there over the cotton field the
bolls were opening their snowy fruit.
John Crakore sat on his porch TAX
ing rest with his pipe, when his old
neighbor Jim Mulekin, came up.
John, have come over to talk
more about this improved farmin
you're doin'. We-alls down at the
store have been discussin' it, an we
hev come to the conclusion that We
alls have got to go to farmin' some
what in the same way if we are to
make anything.
They say you made a bumper crap
OF oats. an your corn was something
wonderful. Now, 1 would like to
know how much fertilizer and what
sort you put on the corn and the
oats"
Il did not put any fertilizer on the
corn at all; that is, no fertilizer out
you know. on that field last winter,
and all witer long, whenever 1 could
haul on the land with a manure
spreader. I spread the manure made
by my horses, cows, and beeves, and
when the clover was perfectly mature,
turned the whole under and prepar-
ed the land for the corn. Then I cut
the corn off at the ground and cured
1t in shocks and disked the land fine
and sowed oats in September, using on
the oats 800 pounds Of acid phosphate.
| made this year nearly 70 bushels of
oats an acre. My corn now Is be-
ing treated in the same way, and as
we have a beef club. as you know.
have still some cattle in the stalls,
and now 1 am cleaning the manure
out and this afternoon will start to
spread 1t between the cotton rows"
"Manurin' cotton when the bolls are
heginnin' to open?" said Jim.
Well 1 do not know that the man.
ure will do much for the cotton; but
1t VIII spoil in heap, and / am going
TO SOW crimson clover among that
cotton shortly, and while 1 can not
use the manure spreader there, I
Know that If / scatter the manure be-
tween the cotton rows, it will do no
harm to the cotton and will certainly
help me to get good catch of clover.
Then next winter the manure will go
on the clover for the corn next spring.
You see my corn this year, and every
one says l will make at least rs BUSH
els an acre, and in a few more years
of this sort of farming | hope to get
an average of 100 bushels an acre.
Then after the oats YOU see | have
a splendid field of peas for hay.
put 500 pounds of acid phosphate and
20 pounds of muriate of potash an
acre on the peas. / will sow crimson
| clover after the peas are cut, and will
turn it in spring for cotton and ap-
| ply 400 pounds an acre of acid phos-
phate only on the cotton land broad
cast. and plant on the level, harrow
and use the wecder as usual, and the
riding cultivatOr. and ! am working
for two bales of cotton an acre. ana
from the looks Of the crop, will get
almost there this season"
II begin To SOC it," said Jim. M,
and my old mule viii make about one
third OF "a bale an acre this year. and
it VIII take IT all to settle mp at the
store AMI pay for the fertilizer. And
YOU amt nuyin' any rr1dy-mixcd rrr-
tilizcr at am"
"N". have long ago found out that
I can got AN The ammonia / need.
and moro thon I would buy u II mis-
cd fertilizer. hy growing the peas aul
clover and feeding tho p,l hav arI
corn St"''r to stock and getting IN,
manure for the corn. Thor. is Moth
'ng like stable manure 10 make corn.
especially when YOU have crimson
clover 90 put it on and turn under.
You will SEQ that my corn is green -
| the ground. while ] saw yours fired