Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1911-02-22
BIGGER CORN YIELD FOR 1o11.
An Appeal to Farners--SOme Expe-
rience and Sound Advice.

TO the Farmers of Oconee County:
Seeing the great good resulting from
the wheat, oats and corn contest In
the county for the two last years, the
committee has decided to make it
open to every farmer In the county
for 1911, and have so published it in
our rules governing the same, hoping
thereby to get every farmer in the
county interested in raising more
grain.
We should have from three to Ave
hundred contestants this year; in
fact, we think it would be to the in
terest to every farmer In the county
to enter the contest for one or all the
prizes. 1t will cost only 81 to enter.
Should you fail to get prize you
will be we'll paid for extra expense
and trouble in the extra amount of
corn you will make, to say nothing Of
the pleasure and experience you will
get from it.
Don't stand back because you think
the other fellow has got better acre
than you have, but select your best
acre and go to work now and fix 1t
up. You have plenty Of time, before
time to plant, to prepare and make q
good acre of corn.
will give YOU my experience:
Year before last l planted an acre
that | had built up some with COM
post in the last few years. l made
on this acre 81 bushels Of corn: used
six loads compost and 1900 pounds
fertilizer, also 200 pounds nitrate Of
soda as top dressing. Last year |
planted an acre that had been in cul-
tivation over forty years and had
never had a load Of compost on it;
used six loads of compost, 1.4OO
pounds fertilizer and 200 pounds of
soda, and made a little over 100
bushels. So you see it is not so much
the land you have to start with.
Now, | know you want to plant
that good acre In cotton, but let me
tell you there is more money in corn
at rs cents bushel than in cotton at
II and 13 cents per pound. Besides
we can never be independent as far
mers until we raise our home sup
plies. Plenty OF corn, wheat and
oats means plenty of bacon, lard
horses, mules, cattle, etc., to supply
our farmers at home. Think of the
high priced horses and mules shipped
and sold to the farmers in Oconee
county annually, and thousands of
bushels OF corn, wheat, oats, -four
and bacon. The freight alone would
very nearly pay our guano bills. And
all these products we can raise at
home at cost not exceeding the
freight we pay. Especially is this
true Of corn and oats.
There are thousands Of acres Of
land in Oconee county that will make
20 to 80 bushels Of wheat, SO to 100
bushels of oats, and rs to 100 bush
els Of corn. These facts have been
fully demonstrated in the last two
or three years.
Now, with these possibilities clear
ly proven to us, will you ignore the
opportunity for your independence
and continue to plant all cotton, and
in the fall have to sell often under
cost Of production, or will you act
more wisely and raise home supplies
first, with cotton as surplus? You
can do this and get as much money
for your cotton in the fall as you will
get If you plant all cotton. and you
will have your supplies at home and
feel independent, as all farmers
should feel
Now, brother farmer, make up
your minds to-day that you will get
out of the old ruts at once. You can
do it. You have plenty of time to
commence this year. Try 1T and you
will never regret it. Don't forget to
send in your names for the wheat
and oats contest by the first of
March and for corn by the first Of
May. Send to T. Y. Chalmers, Wal
halla, r. F.. d. No. 2.
A. H. Ellison,
President County Union.