The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-06-17
ADVICE TO NEGRO FARMERS.
Address Delivered to Anderson Coun-
~ Farmers Union By X. w. West
berry, Demonstration Agent for
ColOred Farmers i'm Sumter COun-
ty.
10 the Anderson County Farmers

To the Anderson County Farmers
Union:
Friends and fellow farmers: 1t
| is to me a great deal of pleas
ure to speak to you concerning the
better methods of farming. No
greater commission could have been
given to me by Mr.. Bradford Knapp,
who is special agent in charge of the
Farmers Cooperative Demonstra-
ton work of the United tSates De-
partment Of Agriculture, than the
privilege l now enjoy.
The farming industry was among
the last to be helped by our great
government. 1t might have been for
the want Of man to champion the
| cause. The man was found in the
person of the late Dr. Seaman A.
Knapp, who through demonstration
agents to large extent has changed
the old methods of farming to new
and more successful system.
This work is being carried On now
by his son Mr.. Bradford Knapp, who
is fully able to do the work and we
believe will carry it on to success.
TWO years ago last March, through
Mr. Ira w. Williams, State agent for
the Department of Agriculture. | was
appointed to carry on demonstration
work mong the colored farmers Of
Sumter, Kershaw and Richland
Counties. Since the close of 1910
| have been relieved of two coun-
ties. Now l am only working Sum-
ter County. Wherever ! have car
ried the work. farming has been i'm
proved. Many Of my demonstrators
have doubled the yield Of corn and
increased the yield Of cotton 40 Der
cent with about the same amount of
fertilizer. New bitches have been
dug and the old ones re- opened. The
sobing of land is being pushed to the
rear and becoming past history; the
old common plow stocks are being re-
placed by new and better ones. and
assisted by harrows and weeders
horses are being replaced by good
mules and more of them.
Deep plowing is taking the place Of
shallow; s and 10 inches deep in
stead of and inches.
They are buvine two-horse plows.
disk harrow and smoothing har-
rows. seed patches are being plant
ed 2nd better planning seed being Sc
i"cted every year They are more
careful IN giving the rows proper dis
tance according to the grade Of land.
Shallow anad intensive cultivation
Is practiced during the growing pc
riod of the crops and a systematic ro-
tation of crops are being made every
year. Build up your land by the
use Of leguemin ous crops, such as
COW peas, soy beans, velvet beans.
peanuts. clover, etc. Put humus in
the soil and it will prevent stiff land
from compacting and hold the mois-
ture in light lands.
Raise all the food that Is used on
the tarm. 1t not only becomes
cheaper than buying it from another
mans crib, but it is much more con-
venient and saves much time. The
time lost buying food that Won can
raise often makes it more expensive
than you imagine. Keep an account
or all you raise on the farm. 1t is
OF great importance to the farmer
to Keep an account Of all his expense
and to know about the net gain of
all that he plants. The art Of mix
Ing fertilizers should be known t.
every farmer. 1t saves the farmer
from 20 to 40 per CENT. Money
saved is money earned. The prices
OF mixed fertilizers are from s25 to
$50 per ton. while the unmixed such
as acid phosphate, cotton seed meal.
and potash or KANT the prices are
from SIS to $40 per ton.
one OF the secrets Of success Is.
TO save all that you can of what
you have and spend only that which
Is necessary for the desired purpose.
The farmers have more time to mix
their own fertilizers than they have
money to pay the merchants or
manufacturers. Why the farmers
DO not practice mixing their own fer
tilizers? Among some Of the reasons
given: First because the mixed
FERTILIZER is better and produces bet
ter crops; second, because the plant
Ioou IN inc prepared fertilizer is diff