The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-03-17
fRy BION II.

a success. If il is it will set an ex-
ample for agricultural expansion
that is rather unique in farm practice
in this State if not in most of the Uni
ted States.
Last summer some of the Hoke |
county people who are trying TO de-
wise schemes to put the count faster
to the front, became enamored OF the
idea Of planting tobacco. The Aber-
deem and Rockfish Railroad folks lent
a hand and a government expert was
brought down to look owe the land.
IN report was favorable, and n lot of
talk followed. but not much that was
significant Of action. 1t looked like
an oversupply of words and a limited
amount OF anything doing.
About that time A. c.. Johnson, OF
Wake county. happened to be visit
ing r.. Il. Upchurch, and as the to-
bacco talk was rampant on all sides
Just at hat time Mr.. Johnson heard
a lot OF it. He is a tobacco man, and
he at once fired the enthusiasm by
saying that there is no better tobacco
land on earth than here in Hoke coun-
~. and ne made q proposition to
lease a thousand acres and plant to-
bacco if the people would secure the
and.
Fo" q time the enthusiasm did not
reach the point Of providing the land,
but q few active fellows took up the
matter, and in the course OF a few
weeks Mr.. Johnson had secured much
more than the thousand acres wanted.
and the project was launched.
1t was not just an ordinary burst
of mporar encouragement To the
local farmers to embark in a new line.
1t was a systematic plan to plant to-
bacco on a large scale. and it rested
wholly on the shoulders of A. G.
Johnson to plant the tobacco and
make good his proposition.
A. G. JOhnston's Activity.
johnson went out into the tobacco
counties of the State and laid his
proposition before tobacco men. He
told them of the character Of the
land and of the prospects in Hoke
county. He showed them that mer
who wanted to buy tobacco land could
buy il at a price hat looked good. II
offered to rent lane to men who pre-
ferrcd to rent. He hired several ex'
~perienced tobacco planters to serve a.
his lieutenants in his campaign.
Where men wanted to buy land III
helped them to find it. Where the.
wanted to rent it he found the place
: for them. He aided in every way t
get practical tobacco planters located
In Hoke county. and so thorough wa
the manner OF his work that whel
the time came to burn the weeds an'
sow-the seed it was estimated that be
tween fifteen hundred and two thou
sand acres of tobacco was cOntem
plated by the various planters of tn
county including what Mr.. Johnsot
and his tenants will plant.
The movement was backed up by bi
men like John w. Moore, j. w. John
son, T. Is. Upchurch. r. r.. Gatlin, tn
Blues, Shaws, and others in their elias!
and the most thorough arrangement
were made to prepare for the crop.
From the beginning the influence c
the new feature began to be felt. TIL
hotels were filled with new faces. .
the streets Of Raeford were men frol
various sections OF the State. TT
talk of tobacco interested men in otf
er lines of farming, and many WI
am to Hoke county to inquire in
the changed situation remained to b.
come cotton farmers. New lines
merchandise came to the stores. Ne
advertisements appeared in the villas
paper. for it was a new thing to 81
tobacco bed anvas advertised, al
tobacco flue building and tobacco in
plementS.
Talk Widcns Out.
Men began to talk about tobac'
barns. and prizing houses. and war
houses. From cotton and gins al
things OF that tenor the talk cor
menced to include bright leaf al
suckering and pole construction OIL
the price of wood.
The contagion spread. Cumberlal
county observed the practical mann
in which Hoke county had set out
plant obacco. and a start was ma
over there To- interest the farmers. :
expert was engaged and various me'
ings held and interest awakened. un
Cumberland will plant a lot Of
bacco. The same systematic plan L
not been arranged for Cumberla
county. hut there seems little doJ
but that the entire area will be inf
enced by whatever success attends I
Hoke county movement. for Hoke
determined to make Raeford the &C
ter OF q big tobacco industry. and
courages the development OF the
dustry in the adjacent counties as W
as in Hoke.
Moore county is arranging for
considerable creage n the pr
poets are tina several hundred &C
will be planted this year in Mo
county while owe the border in II
nett county a big lot OF tobacco '