Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1914-02-13
PLEA FOR BETTER FARMING.
Rrazos County Farm Demonstration
Takes Eagle Ad as a Text In
Plea for Advanced Methods.

In The Weekly Eagle of this week
there is an "ad' that reads as follows:
Henry Wilcox, son of John Wilcox
won s25 prize for best yield of corn
on two acres, making ITO bushels.
Guy Harris, son of ]. w. Harris,
won second prize of SIS for next best
yield of corn, making 106 mushels on
two acres.
Victor Harris, son of j. w. Harris,
won first premium of s25 for best yield
of cotton on two acres, making 1905
pounds of seed cotton.
They used Star Brand fertilizer,
good seed and their heads as well as
their hands. Did you do as well? If
not, why not?"
Now ii is not necessary to say that
this lad" is being run by the Bryan
Cotton Oil and Fertilizer Company.
On reading it there were several
things in it that struck me with a
great deal of force. The first thing
is the remarkable yield of the crops
of these three boys. The writer hap
pens to have been familiar with these
crops, having visited them several
times during the cultural and growing
period and once at gathering time.
Will state first that these three crops
were raised on very light sandy land,
and to make SO bushels of corn on
one acre of upland when the general
average for the county, including bot
tom land, was a fraction over Is
bushels, is something wonderful, and
when the ad states that these boys
used their heads as well as their
hands, it was a fact that every reader
should be sure to not overlook OF
course the fertilizer did its part well
in this production, but were there not
other hundreds of farmers that used
fertilizer that did not make over 20
to % bushels to the acre? We cannot
attribute it all to the land. for there
are thousands OF acres of better land
in the county that were planted to
corn and cotton that did not make
over 20 bushels of corn and a quarter
of a bale of cotton, so il is well for
us to consider the real reasons of
these wonderful yields. In the first
place. the land was put in first class
shape, the fertilizer was applied in
an intelligent manner. these crops
were cultivated intensively which
rendered it possible for these splendid
yields. The ad finally concludes by
asking you this question: Did Won
do as well? If not, why not?' This
is the most important question that
has been asked the farmers of this
county, and the correct and intelli-
gent answering of il is the most i'm
portant thing that they could ever I'M
dertake Did you do as we'll? If not,
why? Your land, perhaps much of It
is better than these boys lands were i;
you had just the same chance of prep
aration, cultivation of fertilization
and yet you did not do as well. Why?
The proper answering of the ques'
lions and the adoption OF the proper
methods will in three years time more
than double the average production
of both corn aud cotton in this coun
ty and there will not have to be one
more lick of hard work struck to pro-
duce these yields than there will be
to keep on producing 20 bushels OF
corn and one-third OF bale of cotton
Besides with the improved methods
the land can be kept better all the
time. while under the 20 bushel yield
the lands are continually growing
poorer.
The progressive spirit Of the man
ager of the oil company prompted him
to offer these premiums, not only to
advertise his special fertilizer, but tc
show what could be done along the
lines OF increased production. He has
done what he has started out to do
and leaves you with the question &c
answer yourselves: did you do as
we'll? II not, why?"
A. W. BUCHANAN.