The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-06-12
SUMTER CROP PROSPECT GOOD.
Editor of Agricultural Magazine Sees
What Sumter County Farmers arc
Doing I'm Way of DivcrsificatiOn and
Stock Raising.

agricultural journal published i'm At
lanta. with between $4,000 and 1OO,-
600 circulation. was given an automo-
bile trip through the greater portion
of Sumter county yesterday by Mr.. j.
Frank Williams, Farm Demonstration
agent for this county. accompanied by
President r. B. Belser and Secretary
Reardon of the Chamber of Com
merce.
Different sections Of the county
were visited. north, east, south, west,
and central sections. A number Of
stops were made at poultry. live stock.
truck. grain and general farms.
Among the principle places where
stops of thirty minutes each were
made for inspection purposes may be
mentioned the following: John X.
Jennings. j. +. Williams. II. II. Rogers,
3. +. Moore. Andrew Vinson, w. r.
Wells, 5. j. White. X. b. Belser, l.. ID.
Jennings. Bernshouse truck farm, and
number OF short stops were made
from time to time along the route.
During the course of the day Mr..
Nivens was given a splendid idea of
what Sumter county farmers are do
Ing towards increasing the number of
cattle. hogs. turkeys. and chickens.
Many hundreds Of these farm pro-
ducts were seen either grazing in OLD
or newly made pastures and in farm
lots! The trip demonstrated the fact
that live stock. such as hogs and cat
tie are being raised by the thousands
I'm this county. as well as chickens and
turkeys.
Thousands Of acres of oats and
wheat were being harvested and the
fields along the route OF the marty
were spotted by hundreds Of piles Of
the golden colored wheat and oats
just cut and being hauled in. The
fields contained hundreds Of men, wo-
men. boys and girls. Many hundreds
Of acres OF beautiful vetch, clover, al
falfa. rye, and pasture grasses were to
be seen on all sides.
Thousands Of acres OF tobacco were
seen In splendid state OF cultiva-
ton. with good stands and excellent
prospects for the biggest tobacco crop
ever grown In the county.
Notwithstanding the recent unfavor-
able rainy weather the thousands OF
acres of corn and cotton are in good
shape, and the lands have dried off
exceptionally quick. While grass has
made big headwsy. nevertheless the
unusually quick drying OF the land has
enabled the farmers to catch up large
ly with cultivation Of crops.
A great many new tobacco barns
dot the landscape by the side Of the
roads and further out In the fields
nearer the farm houses. Many va
rieties of tobacco barns are being or
have been already erected. while many
old barns have either been or are be-
ing prepared for 1916 curing.
Generally speaking, the agricultural
sections of Sumter county have never
in the opinion of Secretary Reardon.
presented such a splendid and pros
porous outlook owing greatly to wide
spread diversihcation.
1t appears that less than fifty per
cent. Of the arabic land of Sumter
county has been planted I'm cotton, and
that the reduction in cotton will be
fully fifty per cent. for 1915. due to
reduction of acreage and reduced use
OF fertilizers.
Fully five thousand acres of wheat,
forty-five thousand acres of oats and
eighty thousand acres Of corn, with
not less than FIVE thousand acres Of to-
bacco. together with probably an in
crease OF one hundred to two hundred
per cent. in the production Of
vetch, alfalfa, clover. and other COW
er crops or legumes for forage.
The amount of vegetables being
grown Is amazing. Great attention Is
being given to fruit trees, orchards,
peanuts. and berries too.
Perhaps the most interesting and
promising outlook for the agricultural
districts was the greater interest in
raising cat .lc. hogs. and poultry. And
plenty of corn. vetch. alfalfa. clover,
and peavine hty, and oats to feed the
stock and poultry besides Bermuda
grass pastures.
Everywhere stops were made, the
farmers talked OF live stock. diversih-
cation. chickens. truck. and the bene-
fits of the live at home" methods on
the farm.
Farmers generally were optimistic