Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1937-01-08
1886 Was Good
Farming Year

The year 1886 was a good year
for farming in North Carolina. Yet
no one would have dared predic,
such a thing last January.
The Supreme court invalidated
much of the AAA program, doing
away with government regulation
of crop production and causing
farmers to become concerned over
a prospective unrestricted growth
of the principal cash crops.
There was almost continual rain
fall, snow and bad weather fol
farming from the beginning of the
year until the early spring and the
new conservation program was no,
offered farmers until March.
Following the rains of the late
winter, and before farmers had
time to prepare their land for
spring planting, the season turned
unusually dry. The drought held
sway over most of the state until
in late May. 1t is true that in some
sections there were occasional show,
ers but these were not general and
consequently few farmers were able
to get a stano c. c~--o .ooacco:
or corn. Many farmers replanted
their tobacco as much as three
times, exhausting their own supply
of plants and those of their more
fortunate neighbors. The stand of
Nicco was spotted, with fields
showl,..- some we'll grown plant,
along wit; ~~wly set seedlings in
the same row.
The cotton f:eils resented a
dreary aspect. Many farmers re-
planted at least twice; some plowed
up the cotton seed and planted corn
in the same furrow to secure the
advantages of the fertilizer already
applied. Then when the rains final
ly came, fields would show a row
of young cotton with other seed
terminating all about over the
surface or there would be a row of
corn and a row of cotton with the
landowner in a quandary as to
which to ave and which to destroy.
The total yield of wheat and hay
was cut seriously. Such wheat as
was produced had short stems due
to the dry Weather, though the
heads were filled and the grain was
of high quality. Practically no
spring oats could be planted and
all kinds of spring hay was serious
ly injured.
But, beginning in June, the rains
came at needed intervals and soon
the situation changed. Farmers of
eastern Carolina began to report
the best prospects for corn that
they had had in years. County
agents said that more legumes were
planted than at any time before in
the history Of the state and the re-
suit was a tremendous crop of feed
stuffs in spite of the poor start.
This was not wholly true of areas
in Mecklenburg ond adjoining
counties, and in one or two of the
northwestern mountain counties,
in Caswell and in Pamlico counties.
The cotton crop is another ex-
cellent measure showing a better
condition among growers this year
as compared with 1885. Julian
Mann, in charge of extension stud
les at the college, finds that North
Carolina in 1885 produced $4,000
bales valued at $685. 900. This
cotton was grown on 100000 acres
and the average yield was 294 lbs
an acre which sold for an average
price of l1.49 cents. This past sea-
son, 1886, DR.. Mann figures that
North Carolina farmers grew 612,-
600 bales valued at 1867 900.
The cotton this year was grown on
95S,000 acres and the average yield
was sos lbs. per acre which sold for
12.71 cents a pound.
In spite of the late season in the
spring, conditions in the fall were
ideal for the, maturing and harvest
ing of the crop. A frost in early
November fastened the opening OF
the bolls and the late cold weather
permitted the production OF an ex-
c~ellent crop. The acre yield was in
creased by II pounds of lint over
1885 and there was over a cent a
pound improvement in price. AS a
.....14 NIa..1 Ca.o1-. f~a,o~c =,