Year: 1875

AS tue tiuhe Is approaching lot our
agricultural readers to begin to pre-
pare their grounds for planting and to
put in their seed, we would urge upon
them to spare a little of their rich
Soil for something more profitable
than cotton, and to make an effort to
produce something for their own
tables, as well as material for the
Lowell spindles. We copy the fol-
lowing correspondence Of Our Home
Journal and Rural Southland on the
subject of one important and valuable
article of food, which always sells
well and produces most abundantly,
and ask them to read it:


Mr.. EDIToR-I intimated in my
last communication that | might make
further remarks upon the capacity and
fitness of our soil and climate for a
varied and successful agriculture, and
gave as an illustration of the fact.
that last year raised forty barrels of
potatoes and fifty bushels of corn on
the same acre of ground, and remark
ed that | did not consider that as a
maximum result, but that tie land
under favorable circumstances of
seasons and tillage, could be made to
double that yield.


l wish to be precise, and will make
no statement that is not perfectly clear
to my own minG and susceptible Of
demonstration and that my brother
farmers, who are ruined by their erro-
neous system of farming, may be con-
rinced and induced to adopt differ
ent plan, that will assuredly make
them self-sustaining and independ ent,
if not rich and prosperous, will give
a case in point


Mr. c. w. Alsworth and brother,
at Scott's Bluff, in the parish OF East
Baton Rouge, planted last season two
barrels of Early Rose potatoes. The
area of ground on which these two
barrels were planted is not definitely
known, bnt as it is estimated that it
requires four barrels to the acre for
ordinary planting, it is assumed that
about one half acre is the extent; but
will make it my business, as soon
as l conveniently eau to measure the
ground, and have that accurately
fixed.


Well, now for the result. B, sides
eating them occasionally while grow
ing, and retaining others after being
dug for family use, which they esti-
mate at not less than two barrels,
they shipped thirty-si barrels Of good
merchantable potatoes.


This, it is seen, doubles the quantity
raised by myself. 1t is to be regret
ted that they did not then put corn in
the same grouuG to test its capacity
for raising that grain for a secon(
crop. the potatoes hav ing been remov
ed sufficiently early for that purpose
but they having air eady pitched ,hei
crop of cotton and corn, did not fee
they could impose upon themselve
additional labor, and hence my illu:
tration is imperfect except as regard
the quantity of pot atoes that can b
raised to the acre, or from give
quan tity Of seed.


Now, naturally, Mr.. Alsworth
land was no better than mine, bot
being bigh-ridge land, moderated
fertie-each encountered the sam
extremes of wet and drouth, and pei
haps about equal preparation an
cultivation, and yet his yield double
mine. And wherefore Now this
the important question. And her
are the facts, which 1 wish ever
farmer to indelibly impress upon hi
mind, for right here rests the secre
of successful farming in the Soutl
1t is nothing more nor less than y
ducing the area Of ground culhratet
and putting that little an The best poss
Ole condition, and cro,oding 1t to d
almost capacity Of production. Ih
is high farming, and it will pay,
fairly prac.iced.


The site chosen for the planting
these two barrels of potatoes was o
ground occupied years back by co
ton gin necessarily. the ground wa
pretty thoroughly infused with ii
debris and elements of decompose
refuse cotton seed and notes, rende
ing it very friable and rich. In add
tion to this. when the potatoes wei
planted there was scattered in th
burrows with the potatoes 400 pound
Of cotton seed meal. The afte
cultivation was what is usual only
Barring of, scraping, hiiling up, an
keeping the crop while growing Gle;
of grass and weeds.


Now it will he seen at once thu
the only conditions in this case d
ferent from mine, making the vie
double, were the richness and friabi
tysof the soil from the incorporate
of decomposed notes and cotton see
and the liberal use in the drill of CO
ton seed meal at the tiu,e of plantin


That these conditions are attain
BILE by every farmer, with suitab
exertion and perseverance, cannot
disputed. and that this kind of fari
ting ,ciU pay, is susceptible Of ca.
demonstration.


My heart warns with this sub;et
aad would fain press its consider
tion upon the attention Of eve
cultivator of the soil in our prostrt