Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1911-09-14
Ne Urges GTOEiag Cotton.
Editor The Gazette:

nave space in your valuable paper &
10 express myself 20 the citizens OF
your town and county. especially Z
10 those who are interested in farm
log. l hope you and the readers ,
viii excuse this long letter but il is
important for me to explain myself
as I go. l am glad to say that
enjoy several mechanical trades r
which demand a good salary at this
day. but, there is none so pleasant
10 me as farm life. In 1894 I began
farming for myself; in 1897 bought
a farm for 81 per acre. 1 began TO
grow cotton on that farm and sell
the cotton at 8 lie. a pound. IN
1900 I sold cotton for IS cents al
pound. On August 1st I sold the
farm to the same man I bought il |
from at S1OJ per acre and it is 81
miles from town and railroad.
Now. Mr. Farmer. you see
change and where and what has
caused this changer Has your lano
increased in proportion to that7
Yes. I will answer. for two years I
have been looking tor . farm in the
southern states. and a good location.
So February /. 1911. saw War
IInr' farm for rent-5OO acres for
/ $500 a year. I came on the next
/ train and rented at once. I recog.
nized the fern was in bad conoition.
oul I saw a beautiful soil and after
examining it l decided We would
plant a small patch Of cotton and
encouraged our friend, Mr.. L. T.
Hankins, 70 DO likewise.
Cotton should have been planted
lsi Of Nav. but owing 10 my sick
ness At the time. il was not planted
until the 18Ih. and then twas plant
Ell by those who had never planted
any before and the ground was SO
. dry that some OF it never came "
in twenty days. Yet with ell tha'
and many other unfavorsble circum.
stances which ] might mention. W,
nave the promise of a good averag,
crop. More than so days behinC
= in planting and coming up. but OIL,
! o days Ia blooming The soil her
p is earlier. and will mature a crol
r 20 per cent. quicker than Nortl
: Carolira. The experiment static
{ shows that the earliest variety O
j cotton is 90 days from planting t
< boiling We claim that we beat thai
p Mr.. Farmer. have been acquainr
al ed with cotton all my life and bee
IN growing it for II years and I hay
As been the owner and manager of
TX cotton gin for s years and I fe
sc safe in saying that this Peninsula
70 one of the best farming lands f,
variety have seen.
~ We bought the best variety
d cotton seed that we could get ar
OF we have the cotton. We invite +;
y. to come ard see our cotton while
al is in FULL bloom and let US talk tn
'h' over. This is a staple crop aud
1y money crop. It costs less to gro
Oe this crop than it does the pear
Ie' crop and we can easily raise a bs
" per acre. worth today-cotton a
Oi seed-about $500. Cost of pic
iey ing out and gining $40. and thea
'aY crop of crimson clover on the sal
''y land. So we want to hear from y
on this line soon, either throu
" this paper. by letter or in pers
We want to see how many acres
Can get subscribed for next ye
- We viii be only too glad to adv
you how 10 plant and cultivate I
- crop and we will slso hsvs a gin
- Gin this crop. Il is a crop that J
have from September 70 January
~ pick and II months &c sell in. VIII
can You beat this9 Cone. let
get together and learn from G;
other; read our home paper. r,
= in some good farm papers. read