The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1918-11-14
d. +. HOUSTON,
Secretary of Agriculture.
HINTS TO HELP MOUNTAIN
FARMERS

Washington, d. C-Three million |
five hundred thousand people live on ,
100000 hill farms in West Virginia, !
Kentucky, Tennessee, and the western !
portions of Virginia and North Caro-
| lima, and gain only a scant subsist-
ence from their farming operations. |
On many of these farms the average |
annual receipts from the sale of live |
stock, poultry, eggs, and butter ag-
gregate only 800. Most of the farms
are from ten to thirty-five miles from
the railroad; rough mountain roads
which are impossible during the
worst season of winter are the only
outlets which connect these hill farm
ers with civilization.
1t is the desire of the United States
Department of Agriculture to render
every possible assistance to these
mountainers in order that their farm
ing operations may be conducted more
proftably. With this end in mind the
Federal specialists recommend that
the farmers of the southern noun
tains should grow three or more crops
in rotation, including clover, in order
that the individual farmer may be able
to produce larger crops and make
more money, and keen the majority of
the crop land under cultivation all the
how In,r t1nt
more cattle. hogs, and sheep should be
maintained, as such live stock will not
only increase the cash income. but al
so will help materially in improving
fertility conditions which, in the long
run, will make for the production of
larger crops. A four-ytsr rotation of
soy beans. rye, clover, and corn is well
adapted for use on these southern
mountain farms.
Sell Animal Products
1t is urged that each farmer prac-
tice a system of management which
will allow him to convert his surplus
grain and roughage into such concen-
trated marketable produce as cheese,
butter, bacon, hams, and sausage. as
the comparatively high value of these
commodities per pound makes it pos
sible to transport them long distances
over rough roads at a profit to the
producer Recommendation is made
that all the mountain communities
which are not readily accessible to
markets should organize and operate
cooperative cheese factories, wherever
possible. The cost of equipping one of
these small factories rarely exceeds
part of twenty farms of only $50
apiece. The whey, by-product of the
cheese making, is a valuable food for
hogs.
"Resting" Land Improbable
The common practice of letting the
land lie idle for a few years to rest"
after it has produced a crop of corn
is not necessary. Under the usual sys-
TEN of farming in the hill country
even the rich coves on mountain sides
are seriously depleted in fertility af-
ter three or four years. Rotation of
crops keeps up fertility as well if not
better than letting it rest" and grow
up to weeds. At the same time this
practice brings farmer more money,
since it keeps the land busy all the
time.
practical rotation can be begun by
cropping one-fourth of the tillable
area in the spring to soy beans, which
may be harvested for hay. Suisse
quently the bean stubble can be har-
rowed and prepared for a crop of win
ter rye. The clover should be sown
on the rye land during the late win
ter or early spring, so that the field
may remain in clover for two years
At the end OF this period it should be
broken and cropped to corn and then
the rotation should be repeated Man
aged in this way the average farm can
carry two TO three cows, five to six
young cattle, and a SOW with FIVE or
six pigs. Several sheep may also be
Small patches of alfalfa or sweet Glow
er may also be grown whenever pos
sible for hog pasture,
Under this new system of manage
ment without an increase In the til
lage area or a change In the market