The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1919-04-01

on Inc IdTm was PioHtSu w
melons Of which the yield was ~
carloads, 10 OF which Melted $a43.42
rer car 4. o. b. the farm, and the
remainder Of the crop Of that year
averaging about the same. This year
about 800 acres will be allotted. each.
to watermelons and to corn, 160
acres to velvet beans and the same
acreage to cowpeas. these on newly
cleared land.
Then, too, 1t has been found advis- |
able to keep some poultry and hogs,
there being SO much feed and forage
available, all otherwise practically
waste. Manager Haldeman now has
foundation stock of four pure-bred
Duroc hogs and fifteen pure-bred
turkeys of the Bronze variety. Some
Of the association members are In
favor of more extensive raising Of
cattle on the farm, but this Is not
favored, at present, by the associa-
ton and the management. In this
connection 1t is interesting and In
structive to quote from letter re-
ceived from a member residing in Ok
lahoma, who says: while at Natal,
Mr.. Haldeman showed me some cattle
that had got into the Natal hay fields
at the railroad crossings. Some Of
these, he said, had been there for four
or five weeks. They had fattened ur
nicely. and seemed ready to ship to
market: while the cattle on tho out
side Of the fence in the woods no.
ticed were in poor condition with not
much to live on, except wire grass,
this time OF year. hope our direc-
tors will fully consider the possible
ity Of having some stock on the asso-
citation farms for the coming year"
This, of course is an unintention-
tell only Of some things that have
al testimonial in favor of Natal grass
as a forage crop for live stock.
1t is the purpose of this article to
put forth what has been ac-
complished on the Natal hay
associations property, leaving out
entirely discussion of the merits Of
the proposition, or enterprise. which
is something for those Interested to
do for themselves. 1t is all "open and
above board
Grass was first sown on the orig
inal 800 acres, made ready by cultiva-
ton, in February of 1917, although
Only a small portion OF this was seed
ed early enough to benefit from the
seasons growth. In that year 100
tens OF Natal hay were sold, and not
withstanding that the quality was not
as good as that now being produced.
nor the production up in quantity tn
that now made from similar acreage.
Il hroneht s25.s0 per ton Z. o. b. Ma.
tai station. Better prices have since
been realized and maintained In fact.
tho dnnand for Natal hav has in
creased to such extent that one con-
rern has made offers for the entire
e"'rrt something that the association
does not favor as 1t prefers TO sell
In distributed market and thereby
realize top-notch prices. In mis- they
are encouraged by the fact that the
'0~'""' eo~ Notal hay exceeds their
ability to supply.
No~a~n- Tolaomau has also
learned, by experimentation. how to
reotn Rorv inrreose production per
acre, such as disking the sod fields,
end b. the application of other COM
raratively inexpensive methods
Costs o. onerat'on have also been re.
drced all contributing to increased
income for the cooperative owners.
who, by the way, are given a war
ranty deed for every forty-acre tract
which they purchase and thus are as
sured of a land or real estate asset,
although hay-growlng might at any
time give way to any other agricul-
tural crops, which is not likely, judy
ing by experiences up to date and in
view OF. the net income derived thus
far from the property which, to q
large extent has not emerged from
the experimental stage.
This may be said, in conclusion,
That hay farming is simple in opera.
ton. requires neither constant re
planting, or seeding and the need O.
cultivation is practically eliminated
after the ground has once been seed
| ed. Grass, like Topsey, is Jus
| growed," Practically the only labo
| 'T~o'ved after a stand has been so
| cured, is that needed to harvest ant
| n''~'yot re c-ons, three and four cut
tings from the farm being possihl
: md Drar4icabIo IN , ,o.r.