The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-09-29
ADVICE ON NEXT YEARS CROP,
Mr.. williams Advises Farmers on
I1anting Of Grain and Cotton.

to be satisfied. | hear so many
farmers regretting that they did not
plant more cotton this year, and they
hld no right to increase their own
crops without expecting their neigh
bors all over the South to do likewise
If two million more bales cotton had
been produced this year than have
rbeen produced, instead Of regretting
you would be rejoicing over not hav-
ing planted any more cotton. 1t is
Eabout time to begin planning for next
years crop. l think the demand for
cotton will justify slight increase i'm
the crop for next year. On my own
farm / think shall increase the crop
enough to cover the amount of land
planted to tobacco. Tobacco like cot
ton. is robber crop-that is, it does
not take any nitrogen from the air like
peas and the legume crops. l do not
care to plant robber crop without
being reasonably sure of making O
profit. If there was any profit in
growing tobacco this year the other
fellow certainly got my share. AS to
wheat, peanuts. sweet potatoes, sor-
ghuri, oats, rye, and corn, think that
it will be good business to grow good
quantities of each, at least enough to
stpp1y home consumption, if we hayt
an unfavOrable season, and some to-
spare, if the seasons are good. l have
seen good crops of corn, peanuts, po-
tatoes and peas grown after wheat
this year. In the up-country whera
they plant wheat, they consider thai a
crop Of wheat makes the least drain
upon the soil Of all the common crops
that, We plant. We have two roller
mills in the county that make just
as white flour as can be purchased
anywhere, if the wheat is good. q,
L have heard some criticism about
the amount Of toll taken at the Lenpir
roller mill. All successful roller mills
are operated on a basis of exchange.
No man wishes to have his team with
n wagon load of wheat wait all day, to
have 1t ground, neither does it suit
him If he lives some distance from
the mill to leave the wheat and re-
turn for the flour. In Pickens county
the roller mills give 34 pounds of first
grade flour and IA pounds of bran in
| understand that Mr.. Lenoir is giving
in exchange sc pounds of flour and
ten pounds of bran. This is on ex-
actly the same basis. A pound of first
grade flour is worth two pounds of
bran, l have been told that the Man.
ming roller mill gives 35 pounds Of
flour and twelve pounds Of bran,
which is on the same basis. 1t must
be remembered that there is from two
to three pounds of dust and chaff and
waste that is taken out of wheat that
| is thrashcd by the common separator.
On every farm enough wheat should
he sown this fall to easily supply the
farm. The bran is very valuable for
stock food. We shall have to learn to
take good care of the wheat and to
treat the seed for smut before plant
ing. We have two remedies, blue
stone and fOrmalin or formalde-hyde,
either of which will kill the smut.
There arc several good varieties of
wheat to plant in this country. After
observing all of the varities Ngrown i'm
the county. | am n little partial to
Leaps prolific. There is some advan-
tagc i'm planting Il bearded wheat
when we have heavy rains during the
towering stage of the wheat
There is the largest crop of peavines
that | have ever seen grown i'm the
county. This is going to help us Il
great deal for it is going to be yer!
hard to secure fertilizers. Let all OF
the farmers see to it that they make
and save as much stab manure thi.
winter as possible, under shelter. II
we can make two or three more crop.
rs. ,cheaply as we made the one tha
VIC are harvesting, the farmers %
Sumter county will he independent
There Is being seeded the largest crol
of crimson and bur clover in the his
tory of the county. There is also he
ing seeded great deal of rye an,
rape for winter grazing.
j. Frank Williams.