The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1920-01-15
THE BEST FARMER WINS
REGARDLESS OF LAND
Continued from page /, column g.

(COuCluuSu lIOlu pdSS L, So1uAih W
responsible for many of the good
fields of cotton was sure land-that
is, land that either by nature or be-
cause of treatment gwen it by the
farmer is uniformly reliable.
There are some lands which.
if the crop is properly hand
died, are capable of coming
through and making a good crop any
kind of year, whether it be wet or
dry. If there is too much rain the
drainage takes care of it and if it is
too dry, with proper handling the
moisture is retained and, although
the crop suffers some, it still makes
good yield. Not only do you find in
dividual farms with such soils, but IN
some counties there are large acres
OF such land.
Marlboro County's Varied Lands.
Take Marlboro county, South Caro-
lima, for example. That part OF the
county which is famous for its high
yields of cotton and its high priced
land is generally rolling, but not so
rolling as to require terracing. The
land has natural drainage and the
water runs off easily, but not fast
enough to gully the land. In most
wet years, therefore, the crops are
not badly injured by too much rain.
On the other hand the topsoil, which
is a sandy loan, is underlaid with a
porus clay subsoil, so that it retains
moisture, and if the season is dry
and the farmer cultivates his land
properly he grows a good crop just
the same. In fact, some of the big
gest crops made in this county are
made in years when the seasonal rain
fall is precipitation below the aver
age.
In contrast with this are other
lands, some of which can be found
even in Marlboro county, which are
level and low, lacking in the gently
rolling topography that is needed to
provide natural drainage. In wet
wears these lands, to use Southern
expression becomes sobbed. The water
stands on the land until it is water
logged and then no crop can make
high. yield there unless it be the grass
crop that farmers don't want. In dry
years these lands make good yields,
but in such years as 1919 the crop US
ually fails to pay expenses.
There are still other lands with a
sandy subsoil that drain we'll, but do
not hold the moisture. In dry years
other lands unless carefully managed,
make poor yields. They lack the clay
subsoil that holds the moisture close
to the surface, and when the water
goes down it goes down so far that it
never comes back for the use of the
plants. Unless the seasons hit these
lands just right and they are handled
by capable farmers, they are uncer-
tain and make good crops only in ex-
traordinary years.
Thus the first thing that is found IN
observing the good crops in bad
year like this is that the reliability
of the land is large factor. Farm
ers who have sure lands have good
crops even though the conditions are
not favorable. If man has such
lands he is in luck, but if he doesn't
have them he is out of luck, that's
all-unless he is an outstanding
farmer. So whenever saw cotton
crop that would make bale to the
acre WI lie in surrounding fields there
was little cotton but plenty of grass
and signs of sobby land, 1 climbed
over the fence and started CONVEX
sation with the farmer.
what makes my crop so good?'
southern South Carolina man said in
answer to my query. "Well, I've
got my land tile drained. I used to
have just such crops as some of these
other fellows round here and, believe
me, such years as this hit me hard!
Sometimes l didn't make enough to
pay the fertilizer bill and I tell you
when fellow gets in that kind of
fix it starts the gray hairs coming!
got to reading, however, about the
drainage. such as is common out in
the Middle West, and tried some of
it. I didn't know much about it at
first, but I soon got on to it and now
I have most of the wet places on my
farm tiled OUT
sWell, why didn't you tile drain
your land sooner?" I said. "Out in
my native State we've been tiling