The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-06-18
Diversified Farming Wins Under
Southern Conditions.

When the influx of the boil weevil
made cotton growing hazardous ana
cattle fever tick eradication began 20
make stock raising prohtaple III
many sections OF the South. the asfl-
cultural agent stepped in and began
to urge better farming methods.
There are many examples OF how
agricultural progress a23 prosperity
have been brought about by follow
ing the advice Of these agents and
other extension workers Of the United
States department Of agriculture and
State agricultural colleges. Here Is
how it worked out in Madison. IenSaS,
and East Carroll Parishes. La. Farm
ing land in this section is: now renting
for almost as much as 1t sold lor III
1914. Land was then selling TOR Sl9
to $40 an acre. 1t is now rehtlng 1of
SO to II an acre. The increase III
the price Of cotton has had something
to do with the increase in land values.
but not sreat deal, as the cotton
acreage is now only Il small part OF
what it formerly was BY Tar the
greatest influence on the increase OF
land values has been the increased
production of crops and the improve
ment of pasture land for live stock.
This territory now not only is falS-
ing its own supply Of corn. oats, and
hay, but some to sell. Particular en-
phasis has been given to improving
seed. One agent reports that the
acreage yield in corn has Increased
more ,han 100 per cent as the result
of using improved seed. Yields as
high as 10 bushels of corn to the
acre have been obtained from seed
which had been field selected for
three years. Since 1915, the banner
year for oats production. when al
most a million bushels Of oats were.
shipped from the three parishes. much
grain and hay have been exported
from this territory During the past
year or two. however. instead OF
marketing the large production Of
grain. the farmers have gone step
further in safe farming by marketing
their grain through live stock.
In 1911, when the farm demon*tra-
ton work was started. comparative
ly few hogs were in this territory,
and almost all of these were native
scrub stock. Hog cholera was prev
alent and the agents began q system.
atic campaign of treatment with an.
tj-hog cholera serum and virus and
for tho practice Of sanitary meas
ures. AS "a result the disease was
brought under control and hog rails
ing made safe. There are now at
least 100 per cent more hogs in the
lnree parishes than there were <in
1914, and the raZorback: is the eNcep-
ton. Last year the farmers ship
ped so carloads OF hogs TO market.
Even greater strides have beer
made in raising beef cattle. Madison
Tensas. and East Carroll were amone
the first parishes in Louisiana to ex-
terminate the cattle tick. which en-
abled them to get an eark start III
raising better stock. In Madison Par
| ish alone the number Of cattle have
increased from about 5000 head te
more than $1,000. head. during the
past five years The increase. in the
other two parishes has been even
greater. In the fall Of 1918 total OF
212 carloads of cattle were shipped
to market from the three. parishes:
Good bulls have been placed on near
V all OF the ranges, and there are now
but few cattle that do not show sood
blood lines Twenty-Five purebfed
bulls have been brought into Madison
Par. L since January 1, 1918.