Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1927-01-27
County Agent Bright Mcconnell, OF
Richmond County, Tells How
John r. McElmurray Sue
ceeds ON Five Hundred
AnrA Fam

John r. McElmurray is perhaps the
most outstanding and prosperous far
mer in Richmond county, and this
distinction is due to diversified farm.
ing and his willingness to cooperate
with. the program outlined for this
county by the extension division OF
the state college of agriculture.
Mr.. McElmurray, to begin with, en-.
gagged in practically every phase OF
farming, viz, cotton, grain, hay
truck, dairy, hogs and poultry.
This year, on 600 acres in cultiva.
ton, he had 225 acres in cotton, zoo
acres in corn, 14O acres in oats, 10
acres in Irish potatoes, and 20 acres
in truck, including practically every
vegetable grown in Georgia. In adj
dition to these crops, he had 240
acres in johnson grass GAO of this
following oats) and S acres in home
orchard.
The 225 acres planted to cotton
was discussed and agreed upon, by
county agent and Mr.. McElmurray,
as normal and proper acreage for
this farm (25 horse and within one
mile of negro sections of Augusta,
where labor was available for chop
ping and picking). We ordered
through the county farm bureau three
years ago, 100 bushels of College No.
| and so bushels of Wannamakers
Cleveland Bib Boil Cotton Seed and
each year he has selected seed and
kept the variety pure and improved.
The amount and kind of fertilizer
was called to the county agents at
tention and due to the low river bot
tom lands, we suggested 12-4-4,
which was used at the rate of 600
pounds per acre. When cotton was
less than knee high, the boil weevil
made their appearance and he pur-
chased 20 pounds Of Calcium Arse
nate per acre, busting with three Per-
lection busters he had ordered CO.
operatively two years before.
The 225 acres made 22O bales of
cotton, the greater part was deliver
ed to the Georgia Cotton Growers
Cooperative Association, of which he
had been member for five years
and already renewed for seven years.
Mr.. McElmurray was in the Five
Acre Cotton Contest and made ap-
proximately 700 pounds of lint cot
ton per acre. The record books, in
Guiding the cost of production, net
profit, ETC., are due in the county
agents office by December 18th.
The 200 acres planted to corn was
from corn grown and improved by
selection from last years crop with
the exception of bushels of Hast
ing's Prolific and bushels of What
ley's Prolific ordered comparatively
through farm bureau from the ORR
ginal breeders. Mr.. McElmurray en-
GSTGu GIIC live dC1C SOIIl SOilOSoC anu
planted Whatley's corn after gather
ing his Irish potatoes that had been
fertilized with 5000 pounds per acre
of a 7-5-5 fertilizer. He used 200
pounds of Nitrate Of Soda per acre
as a side application when the corn
was waist high. Dry weather severe
ly cut the yield, but record books
show GO 1-2 bushels of corn per
acre.
We sold the oat crop of 5000 BUSH
els that was grown on the 40 acres
by Mr.. McElmurray for 2 IL per
bushel more than he had offered land
decided to accept) by local firms.
One tract of land containing 10 acres
made an average of 70 bushels per
acre. One field of Is acres had hairy
vetch seeded with the oats that we
purchased comparatively for the
grower.
The ten acres planted in Irish po-
tatoes made only forty barrels per
acre, due to the extereme dry wealth
err, but were sold on local market I'M
til price fell from $500 to $500 per
barrel We then called the state bu-
reau of markets who sold one car to
wholesale grocery at Rome, for a net
profit over what the local market was
and it helped to prevent local mar
ket from going lower.
When asked if the 20 acres of
highly MANFRED truck crops made any
money, he replied: "They make more
profit than any of the other farm
operations" He very modestly in
formed the county agent that be-
tween $4,000 and $4,000 profit was
made in 1925 from the above acreage. |
We assisted in obtaining the very
best seed, sprays, insecticides, and
the latest data from State College of
Agriculture and u S. Department of
Agriculture on controlling the various |
insects and diseases Mr.. McElmur- !
raw is ever alert to get the best meth
DDS of doing anything pertaining to
agriculture and gives much of his |!
time to reading state and govern
ment bulletins, magazines on research
work, etc. and in our opinion his sue
cess is greatly due to practive..
There is perhaps no farmer In the
Augusta territory that grows more
and knows better how to grow, cure