Grainger County news. (Rutledge, Tenn.) 1917-current, 1921-02-16
SUCCESSFUL FARMER
TELLS HOW He ROTAIES
CROPS AND GETS RESULTS
John Hitch Of Blunt County Says No
Man Should Undertake To Farm
~ Without Good System of Rcta-
tion-Live Stock Play I'M
portant Part.

John Hitch, of Bl0unt county, is one
of the most successful farmers in Ten
nessee. Hundreds of farmers from
surrounding communities and coun-
ties visit his farm each year to study
his methods of rotation and to see his
splendid crops and livestock.
Last year when the East Tennessee
Farmers Conveation held its annual
meeting he addressed the farmers on
the subject of livestock and Crop
Rotation"
Mr.. Hitch stated that he started out
with a small farm, feeling that farm
ing wasn't dumping ground but an
industry made up of real men engaged
In a great business, and an ambition
to be good farmer. His farm had
lot of gullies and most of it was very
poor, he said. So he saw at once that he
must do something to improve the soil
and at the same time stop the wash
ing. He said he knew that manure
would build up the land so he planned
system of crops conducive to live
stock farming. More land was bought,
increasing the size of.his farm to 100
acres which was divided into seven
fields Of equal size.
After trying out several different
rotations for a period Of ten years he
finally settled on the following sys-
TEN: Two years clover and grass;
one year corn one year wheat and as
soon as wheat is taken off, prepare
ground, manure, lime and SOW barley;
then back to clover and grass.
Mr.. Hitch, stated that this rotation
suits him better as it gives more leis-
ure, does not require too much plow-
ing, leaves plenty of roots and Vege-
table matter to keep the land from
washing and gives an opportunity for
lining the soil. He said that livestock
played an important part in his rota-
| ton. When he first started farming,
he stated that he did not keep much
| livestock, but soon he bought some hill
land on which cattle were kept during
the summer, bringing them to the farm
for the winter. He says that more
feed means more cattle on his farm
and that cattle makes it possible to
grow more feed.
According to Mr.. Hitch, no man
ought to undertake to farm in Tennes-
see without we'll balanced system OF
farming and by this he means the
growing of several different crops in
rotations for livestock production.
His advise to, the Tennessee farm
ers is to cut the farm into fields of
equal size, rotate crops, keep the kind
of livestock best suited to existing
conditions and keep at it. By doing
this he says the farmer will make a
living and his family will be content
ed and happy.
In reference to the East Tennessee
Farmers Convention Mr.. Hitch stated
that it had done more for the develop.
ment of agriculture than any other or
ganiZation in East Tennessee and that
it had been a great help to him. He
urged the farmers to attend the con-
venti0n each year as well as otheI
farmers, meetings and take home from
them the many lessons and put them
into practice. BY doing this Mr.. Hitch
said that Tennessee could be made to
blossom like rose which can only b
done by putting systems into farm
- operations. -..--.......-,-.-... -