The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-06-11

ton OF Lee county Having become
thoroughly convinced by the demon
stration plot OF alfalfa that has been
growing on Mr.. II. M. Cooper's farm
for the past two years that alfalfa
can be srown successfully and prof.
tably In that section have decided to
plant alfalfa as regular crop here
after. More than thirty representative
farmers met at Mr.. Cooper's farm
Friday and after hearing an address
on the subject OF alfalfa culture by
Mr.. A. @. Smith, OF the United States
Department OF Agriculture. twenty
eight OF them organized the Lee
County Alfalfa Growers Association,
the condition OF membership being
that each pledge himself to plant one
or more acres OF alfalfa at the next
planting season-september or Oc-
tober-and to cultivate 1t under the
direction and supervisor of the agents
OF the Department OF Agriculture. So
enthusiastic and determined were
some OF the members to leave Nothing
undone that would promote the sue
cessful accomplishment of the under
taking that they pledged themselves
TO pIow up at least one acre Of cot
ton. II no other land on their places
were found adapted to alfalfa, In or
der that the land may be properly
prepared for the sowing Of the alfai-
fa this fall This gives In the fewest
possible words an idea OF the spirit
that animates the pioneer alfalfa
growers OF Lee County. They believe
that the greatest of al forage plants
can be grown as q commercial crop
on their lands ard ere determined to
sivs IL the best possible chance to
mako good. reducing the possibility
Of failure TO a minimum. to the end
that the doubling Thomases may not
have horrible examples to point to
when they make the thread bare ar
gument that this Is a cotton country
and that the man who tries to make
any other crop is either a fool or
worse. They are inspired by the spir-
10 that accomplishes results and works
revolutions I'm agriculture, as well as
In other things 1t IL safe predic-
ton that the Lee County Alfalfa
Growers Association will grow alfalfa
and that the twenty-eight will be
greatly multiplied within the next two
years. for by the expiration of that
time results will convince the less
progressive farmers that II is time to
get on the band wagon OF diversificas
ton. rotation and soil Improvement.
The meeting of Friday was the first
striking result OF the demonstration
work iu alfalfa culture undertaken
at wisacky two years ago BY Mr.. A.
q. Smith. with the hearty co-opera-
Ton Of Mr. II. NJ. Cooper and his son.
hr. X. NJ. Cooper. Jr.. who has charge
OF the farm. One and a fifth acres
OF alfalfa were planted In the fall Of
1910 under the direction of Mr..
smith. The land was selected by Mr.
smith and after having been fertiliz-
ed and lined was thoroughly pre-
pared before the seed were sown. A
good stand was secured and the crop
grew so well that the first season
the spring and summer OF 1s11-the
s,a'd was at the rate OF six tons per
acre. The second season--1sI2-the
yield from the plot OF one and a fifth
acres was 1900 pounds, notwith-
standing the fact that the army
worms destroyed one cutting entirely.
only three, instead OF four cuttings
having been made. This year the
hrst cutting was the heaviest that
has yet been secured. The second
cutting that was made just few days
ago was still on the ground curing.
and the yield could not be estimated
accurately. but Mr.. Cooper stated that
u was not as heavy as the first cutting
this year. as the dry weather since
the first cutting had retarded the
growth. II is this experimental pio.
and an additional four acres that Mr..
Cooper planted last fall that con-
vinced his neighbors that there Is
more In alfalfa than mere talk.
Hence the meeting and the organiza-
tior OF the association.
The crowd began To assemble
about ten o'clock and when Mr..
smith arrived at IL there were more
than thirty gathered In the grove in
front Of Mr.. cooper's home. The first
thing In order was an inspection OF
tho alfalfa fields. In each OF which a
small plot had been left unmowed, so
that the rrnwinr nInntn In hn,h H.