The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1914-02-21
Successful Farming in the Lespedeza
Belt of Louisiana.
Modern Farming:

|
parish and the two Felicianas, that sec
ton has come to be known as the Les
pedeza Belt of Louisiana" and a num-
Der of the farmers of these parishes
longest engaged in the raising of the
Japanese clover have built up enviable
regulations for their production of high
quality seed and hay.
Among the Oldest growers of the
plant, which as soil 'restorer Is doing
fmuch toward building up of the old
worn lands of East and West Feliciana
particularly, is a native born Scotch
man, Kenneth Mckay, who owns a
farm near Ethel, on the dividing line
between the two parishes. The success
of Mr.. Mckay as lespedeza grower
is 80 we'll known that detailed informa-
ton concerning his operations was Sc
cured for the benefit of Modern Farm.
ing readers.
At the outset, it is to be stated that
Mr. Mckay learned farming a genera
ton or more ago under the Iamented
]. Burruss McGehee, of West Feliciana,
who did more than any one man to en-
courage lespedeza planting in Louisi-
ana and Mississippi When branching
out into farming on his own account,
Mr.. Mckay first bought an 80-acre
farm, seventeen years, ago, where his
present homestead is located. He ac-
quired the original tract on credit, add
ing to his acreage from time to time
out of the farm proceeds, until to-day
he owns highly improved 600-acre
place that is all paid for and he Is
otherwise comfortably ahead of the
game in worldly possessions This
farm, though not so named, might be
appropriately designated as Scotland,
for good Scotch-American that he is,
Mr.. McKay's field force consists of
eight men he brought over from the
old country. This limitation in num-
bers, by the way, shows how the pro-
prietor has profited by such labor.
saving appliance as the traction pillow.
Besides being lespedeza grower,
Mr.. Mckay also specializes in oats
production, he growing that crop and
lespedeza on the same land. And with
the idea of diversifying his interests
In most profitable directions, likewise |
maintains dairy and is now milking
40 graded Jerseys, shipping the milk |
to New Orleans. In connection with |
the feeding of the dairy herd it is to |
be mentioned that the owner greatly |
reduces their cost of upkeep by using |
150-ton silo, the animals being fed |
on cotton seed meal, silage and mo-
lasses; and, in passing, it may be re.
marked that he finds the feeding Of |
silage as good for the cows in early
summer as during the winter. While
always growing certain area to corn
for conversion into silage, for grain it |
is raised to but limited extent to pro.
vide feed for the few mules on the
property, the horses, chickens and
hogs. Mr.. Mckay, being a disciple of
modern farming, uses tractor for
breaking his ground, and utilizes but
six mules for general farm work to
which the tractor is not so we'll adapt
ed.
Through the conservation of natures
own fertilizer, the barnyard manure,
Mr.. Mckay is constantly increasing
the fertility of his soil This is shown
by his yields improving from year to
year, and by using as stable bedding
the waste straw from the lespedeza
crop grown for seed, he is enriching
the land for years to come, with the
addition Of acid phosphate to the ma
nure. A definite improvement in yield
as result of this enrichment of the
soil has been shown by the consist
emily large productions attained; the
best patch of corn grown on the Nc
Kay farm last year, for example, re-
turned an average of go bushels from
Z acres. During 1913, 800 loads of ma
nured straw were returned to 81 acres
OF land, together with a liberal appli-
cation Of acid phosphate; that being
all the fertilization these lands ever
receive, the beneficial effect of which
lasts for five or six years.
Mr.. McKay's system of farm man.
agement in the raising of lespedeza
and oats is best told in his own words.
he saying:
My method is to plant oats in Octo-
Der or November, in which grazing of
stock can be allowed during December
and January. When ready to SOW the
lespedeza in the oats, which is done in
February or March, the oats ground is
narrowed and the seed sown at the