Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1922-05-10
TIE SOFA BEAN AS A FACTOR
In tho South's Agricultural TIansi.
tion--South Must Feed Itself.
(By T.. p. Latham.)

|
change in the South in its cropping
system, farm management, and the
character and kind Of products pro-
duccd is evident to those who are
studying the trend Of the times.
AS a people we are slowly freeing
ourselves from the call cotton" pro-
gram, and are embracing a saner
system that embodies the require
ments Of producing more and more
Of the home supplies on the farm
| whore consumed.
This change is not the result of, a
sudden desire Of the South at largo
to abandon its delusive idol, but ra-
ther by the force Of changed con-
dition.
The march Of the boil weevil and
the excessive cost Of moving supplies
from the Western farm to that OF the
cotton planter is forcing the wide
awake farmers to think as they new
cr thought before, and they are dis
covering that if the South Is to pros
per il must first feed itself.
In this transition (for such it is
to be) the sofa bean is one Of the
most valuable agents known to the
agriculture Of the South, and If given
half the attention that is now given
cotton 1t will become financial life
net that will save the home Of the,
present Q e-crop farmer when his
unsound structure tumbles, as it
must.
| know Of no plant that will work
into our farm system with as little
friction as beans can be made to do,
nor do i know another single plant
that embodies as many outstanding
advantages for the South/rn farmer
as 1T does, with the one possible ex-
ception Of corn.
There is not farm in the South
that grows cotton, corn, small grain
or livestock that this plant should
not be grown on.
On the cotton farm it will furnish
forage that will keep the mules
sleek, it will make a feed that will
rank with alfalfa in the production
cf milk, cream and butter that you
owe your family.
On the small grain farm beans
will utilize the land from harvest
time until frost, the crop to be used
in any Of above methods, or may be
turned back to the soil, in which
event it will carry with 1t valuabls
amount Of nitrogen that has, been
extracted from the inexhaustable at
mospheric supply and combined with
a vegetable base in the best form to
put vigor in your worn acres.
On the corn farm they fit admira-
bly, and utilize the soil from August
(whcn corn ceases its draft until
frost, producing an extra crop with
little cost except the seeding that
m?y be used in a multiple Of ways,
grazing and fertilization the most
profitable.
Where hogs are a part Of the pro-
gram, as they should be on every
well-regulated farm, you have a COM
bination that will cut deeper into
the ham and bacon bill than any l
have ever studied.
The live farmer who really goes
after results will soon observe that
the acres planted to soy beans will
result in the production Of greater
amount Of milk, cream, butter, ba-
con and feed for live stock than can
be bought with the proceeds from q
like acreage in cotton, with an ex-
pense loss than half the former.
When the habit Of home produc-
ton has by the help Of beans been
established, new ray Of hope will
exist, and it will instil a certain in
dependence that will soon become
the pride Of the farm.
The farmer who will consent to
cut his cotton or tobacco acreage
this year at least one acre to the
mule and plant to soy beans, utiliz-
ing the crop before October 1st, will
have the opportunity Of Immediately
making perfect preparation with lit
tie cost for that permanent pastur-
age that he has been needing and
dreading all Of these years
The above conclusions arc the re-
suit Of some twenty years actual