The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-01-31
Other Big Crops.

Other Big Crops.
In addition to these importa mt
crops we produced last year 5000 600
bushels of sweet potatoes. 5,775.o00
bushels of peanuts. $4,000. 900 bush
els of apples, 150, 1000, 900 pounds of
tobacco. and $4,000 tons OF cabbage.
Why should our oat production not
nave Increased at all? Why should
we not have kept pace with the rest
OF the country in the production of
hay? Why should we only produce
l,S62.oo0 pounds of wool?
Oats are now selling throughout
FirgNta at as to 30 cents per bushel,
and at this price 1t is one of the most
profitable crops that can be grown
occupying as tt does the land for only
Tour months and giving the farmer an
excellent chance TO grow q second
crop on the same land We cannot
increase our live stock production
without hay. Excellent hay can be
produced, not only from timothy,
clover and alfalfa. but afao from cow
peas, and especially from soy beans
Number one hay will now bring the
farmer, anywhere in Virginia. prop
erly baled. sac per ton at his barn.
Is 1t not then as profitable to grosv
this crop as 1t is to grow wheat or
corn?
The imperative necessity In Virginia
is to increase the production of live
stock. Meat will never again be cheap.
and at the present high prfces Of
commercial fertilizars We mast main.
tain the fertility OF our soils and pro-
duoe our grain and hay crops with
faE1nyard manure. We should increase
our live stock materially this year.
especially poultry, hogs and sheep
virginia should be the greatest sheep
raising section, on it's farms, in the
United States. Over twenty-five years
ago g. distinguished authority said:
above alt other animals. however
sheep offer ths highest Inducements TO
the hsrdsInen In Virginia Tue hills
ara covered with natural xrass and
millions OF sheep will br1se upon then
whenever suitable laws for their pro-
lection shall be passed. The number
OF sheep and lam be- Killed by doge is
so great that the farmers ars deferred
from keeping flooks In spite OF the
fact. that their lands are admirably
adapted to sheep raising"
We Increase I'm FT0czxm.
Yet this same condition exists today.
In ali these years focks have not been
Increased. Indeed the fact liz, they
have decreased. / know of ono case
where nifty sheep. worth $1,000, we're
killed in one night by two worthless
ours, / know OF another case were
fifty sheep of less value than these,
last year, brought in to their owner
s9e0. And every sheep raiser In Viz
stnia knows that the manure from
these sheep and their capacity TO keep
DOWN weeds. probably compensated
their owner. fully. for their keep. IT
is the very height of economic imbe-
ciiity that condition which prevents
four-fifths of the farmers in Virginia.
from keeping sheep shall he permitted
to disgrace and discredit Virginia any
longer. with n proper and effective
dog law. We can and will. increase
the number OF sheep in Virginia. In
another ten years 500 fold.
The fertilizer question is perpiexing;
the high price of farm implements, al
most deters us from trying to buy
them. the labor situation la serious,
but with all these drawbacks, since
when have the farmers OF Virginia,
when thsy had once put their hands
TO the pillow. turned back.
increasing wheat Acreage.
Last fall amidst weather drawbacks,
we aasreaSed oar wheat acreage ten
per e@st; the rest OF the country oniy
four. RI cur man in stniwart health