The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1921-08-19
Opportunities for Young Men
BY T. F. PECK
Commissioner of Agriculture

In my opinion no better opportunity |
is open to Young men with a prac-
tcal knowledge of agriculture and
character of soils than that of buy |
ing neglecred farm lands and improv-
ing them, either for permanent homes
or for developing the farm and selling.
A farm in a good state of cultivation
will sell for far more than the price 1t
can be purchased in its neglected condi-
tion and the cost to put it in good
state of cultivation, | know this IL
true, because have repeatedly bought
neglected farms, improved them and
sold them for more than dOutle the
price | paid for them, | alec made
the crops cultivated pay practically ali
the cost of pstting them in condition.
When began my capital was small
and | had to begin in small way. |
remember my firstpurchase was seven-
ty five acres. | paid SITS for the tract
built cottage for Sl25 and my own
labor; cleaned up the'plsce, cnItiva.
ted one crop on it and sold it for $1,000.
My next purchase was 65 acre tract.
I put it In shape aud cleared $4,000 on
it. Ny next purchase was farm OF
373 acres for $4,000. | kept it three
years, improved il, made the money on
it spent for improvement, and sold 1t
for $l1 900. Another tract | bought
for $4,000, doubled crop production on
il per acre, and sold it for Sl0.60O.
Either Of the last two farms mentioned
would today sell for $4,000. have
bought and scli more land than the
ave rage business man, and | 60 not
koow of person l sold to who did not
sell for profit if they wanted TO sell
OF course, it is necessary to know
soils and how TO build them. There is
land that lies we'll that | would not
buy, because it is hard to rebuild and
hard TO hold when rebuilt. There is no
unlimited possibilities tor developement
in our red clay or limestone soils, |
have taken fields that bad been allowed
10 wash in deep gullies, filled the gullies
with brush and plowed them in until
could cross them with any team and
plow, would locate hillside bitches to
take care of the water to prevent
washing, break and subsoil the land In
the fall and seed to rye and crimson
clover, using every .uunce OF manure
could get, spreading It broadcast, work
ing it in the surface wnen preparing
the seed bed. Iwould get some pssturs
during the winter when the land was
DRY enough. taking everything of fol
the spring growth; this | would turr
under early in May and seed to coy
beans u.ing $50 pounds Of l6 per cent
acid phosphate. When the beans wer'
ready to turn under in the fall. wouls
plow them under and apply two tons Of
ground limestone per acre and seed &
wheat, using $50 pounds Of l6 per cen
phosphate. Oa one plot | threshed 4
j bushels of wheat per acre. found
lcouId take q good clay subs oil. break !
deep during the fall. apply manure 4
lhelp out the rye and crimson clover. lie
the frost aud sol water disintegrate th'
subsoll and make available plant foo
bs growing rye crimson clover ln win
ter and soy beans or ipess in the sum
mer, turning all under and thorough
mixing the vegetable matter with tn
broken up subsoiL | could have a sol
that | could grow profitable crops in
short time.
. T. Nature teaches rs some v Alnabae LEI
. sons il we will. iook for them. Whel
land was cheap. 1t was the custom
! clear uu fresh land and crop tito dealt
and abasdsu i,, and clear up more
last as,soou a. we ahsndcnedit. nstus
stepped in to rebuild it anu. make
! | fit for cultivation.
II Prices of land during the war perio
were inflated, but | found that periS
a a good time to sell. but now land CO
be bought Ut prices that with INTEL
gent methods of farming can be mad
TO pay q profit on the inves.men
1 Neglected lands can be bought moi
' advsntageously than those IN . hit
state of cultivation. and ultimately
!. greater proportionste profit can be r
, alized. never see neglected far
/ with a good subsoil without wanting
E get hold of il and make it what It cou
e and should De. As our population
lcrsssss. the demands for food ai
|. clothing will increase. We cannot
{ as our forefathers did. take up >
e clear virgin land. 1t is ell taken .
Is Our task will be to rebuild the .negle'
ed land. II inteIligently done. Ut c
lie made profitable. To the man v
knows soils | repeat there 10 great p
sibilities for profit and such work Is
distinct service to the community .
-. St.Aa 1 want 10 see al {