S505.C64 Fewer Acres With a System of Improvement (1889)

8/7/2019 S505.C64 Fewer Acres With a System of Improvement (1889)

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PEWE^ M^ES-WITH A-

SYSTEM OF IMPROVEMENT-OR-

TWBI]TY mum TO THE H0^2E-IN ALL-

t/ CROPS, ENOUGH.:h;t 141889 0.'^'

BY ^ "- '''"'^'"J. ROMULUS CLIJVS,

CATAWBA, N. C.

Enterprise Job Office Print, Newtun, Nortli Carolina.


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PREFACE.Knowing the tenacity of the averagesouthern farm-

er to stick to "daddy's old ruts" regardless of conse-quences and in many cases even his own convictions,before entering on the subject proper of this little work,1 deem it necessary that I may show him the folly ofsuch a course, and the more effectually convince hhn ofthe error of his ways, and thereby induce him to pullout and establish a system tending toward the perma-nent improvement of the soil, to devote a few pages ofthis work to a brief rehearsal of our condition as a class,and establishment of its cause, if perhapse I may be able.


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Our ConditionIts Cause.That the condition of the southern farmer as a class

is bad, and from some cause is fast ^rowin^- from badto worse, needs no argument to estabhsh; but is fullyevidenced by the thousands of care worn, haggard look-ing farmers all over the land, with their impoverishedand gully washed farms and their dilapidated ricketybuildings standing as monuments indicating adversityand oppression. With debts hanging over them ofwhich in their honest efforts to relieve themselves, eachyear only finds them more deeply involved.While there are individual farms and farmers, and

even sections of country here and there to which thiscondition in its worst form does not apply, (and wher-ever so, note the system) yet that it does apply to themasses is a fact that cannot be successfully disputed,and one too that calls for the most serious considera-tion and deepest thought of every tiller of the soil.As a rule there is no better ijidex to the condition of

any people than their immediate surroundingstheirhomes.Compare the homes of farmers with those of other

classes. To do this, pass through the country and intothe town or city. Note the difference in their homes andthen settle with yourself the questionwhy this greatdisparity?This is an age of improvement ; and in order to suc-

cess each avocation must move apace with the others ifit would prosper. Let us go back ten years. Think ofevery other business. The successful merchant hasdoubled his stock; the manufacturer has added improvedmachinery and doubled his cai)acity; factories ofvariouskinds have gone up in our midst; railroads are being


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FEWER ACRES, WITH A SYSTEM OF IMPROVEMENT.built; steam has taken the place of horse power inalmost every thing ; improved agricultural machinery isscattered all over the countrydrills, reapers, mowers,rakes, double, tripple, quadruple, and even sextuplesulky plows, sulky turn plows, revolving harrows, andevery variety of improved tools with which one manand horse can perform the work that required two toperform ten or fifteen years ago, and yet with all theseadvantages we have not prospered, we have retrograded.

Is it not strange? And is it not still more strangethat in this progressive age, dating as it were with thevery introduction ol these improved toolsten or fifteenyears agothat instead of advancing our retrogressionhas been so rapid and marked, and that with their usewe have struck bottom as it were so soon ? Look backand take things as they are. Does it not seem thatthey have helped us down the slick road? For does ourcondition show an^^ advantage from their use? If so,where is it? If not so let us find the cause.But before we go further let us bring up another horse

about the same age, but blind in both eyescommer-cial fertilizer.While I do not say that the fault has been in either

the tools or the fertilizers, for they are each a "Godsend," and creatures of an advanced age, either of whichhence forward we can not do without, as I will showfurther on ; but I do say that with these tools in ourhands, a sack of fertilizer on our backs, and in our headsthat infernal greed or disposition to own and cultivatemany acres regardless of the fertility of the soil, we havedrifted into a slip shod s^'stem, that has emptied ourpockets, put us in debt and worse than all, impoverish-ed our farms until four times as many acres as we oughtto, or can successfully cultivate, positively refuse tofeed us.Nor is this all; many of our farms, stock, tools, etc.,

are mortgaged, here and there they are being fore-


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FEWER ACRES, WITH A SYSTEM OF IMPROVEMENT.closed, and the once happy landlord becomes a renterto the money king.To put it in a nutshell, we have killed the goose thatlays the golden egg, and our condition will nottan notimprove until we resuscitate herbuild up these rundown farms and establish a S3'stem tending to the per-manent im])rovement of the soil as tlie iii-st and all-important thing to successful agriculture.Stick a pin here. But to be more explicit, let us re-

turn to those impi'oved tools and commercial ferHlizers.The fact is we have never had a system ofimprovement.Our system has been to takeout and put nothing backto tear down ; hence hei-i' we have alwa^'s retrograded sofar as improvement is concerned. But in the days ofthesingle shovel it was not so perceptible; for as we wouldwear out one field, another was cleared, thus using theoriginal fertility of the soil. The worn fields werethrown out for rest or pasture, where tliey quietly ](\yunder nature's reclaiming process, until the introductionof these improv^ed tools and commercial fertilizer, Avhen,with the advantages of the tools and the fertilizer as a.stimulant to lead us on, together with that greed whi(^hAve naturaly possesed we expanded our wings, reclaimedthe worn lands, cleared the forest and without systemor regard for rotation of crops with a view to fei'tilityof the soil, drifted into that ruinous one crop system,that has moved our smoke house to Chicago, our corncrib to Cincinnati, impoverished our farms, and is re-sponsible for the ills that befall us to day.Proof : If a system of farming is wrong with a single

shovel, is it not doubly wrong with a double shovel?That is, if a single shovel will scratch twenty acres todeath, will not a, double shovel scratch forty to deathin the same length of time?

I know that diversity of opinion pievails even amongfarmers themselves as to the cause of our conditionsuch as class legislation ; middle men ; commercial fertil-


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6 FEWER ACRES, WITH A SYSTEM OF IMPROVEMENT.izer ; what we sell too low ; what we buy too hig-h ; mo-nopoly of capital, etc. adin Jinitum.Strang to say that it never occurs to them that it is

the non productiveness of the soilthat we cultivateabout four acres lor what one ought to ])roduce; forhowever much these alleged causes may oppress us, andhowever much they may seem to cause our oppression,they are only results of the one great cause poor land,and their oppression will vanish as the dew before themorning sun at its removal.For with rich farms, why need we fear any of these?

Our cribs, smokehouses, graneries and barns, would allbe full to overflowing; our pockets would jingle with thecash ; our children would be educated ; we ourselves wouldhave time to post up and become better citizens, therebyexerting an influence to be felt even in our legislativehalls; our legislators would become our servants insteadof our masters ; middle men could be brought to termsor dispensed with altogether and that most desirableevent accomplishedtlie ])roducer and the consumerbrought face to face.Commercial iertilizers could be profitably used or dis-

Iensed with ; what we sell would be high enough, becauseof its abundance and cheapness of production ; what webuy would be low enough because we would have thecash with which to buy, thereby using the advantagesof competition and buying where we jjlease.Last but not least, and the most to be dreaded of allThat king of monstersMonopoly of capitalthemaster ot the poor, and the servant of the Devil, couldnot seriously ojjpress us in that we would have a littleof the articles ourselves, besides being so safely ensconc-ed beliind the breastworks of prosperity and independ-ence. rUit to the subject :THOSE SKIJYJVr FABMS.As a rule the only com})etition with the southernfarmer has beenwho can cultivate (or skin, for that is


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FEWER ACRES, WJTH A SYSTEM OF IMPROVEMENT. 7what has been done) the greatest number of acres.Many times the large ones have felt larger, and thesmall ones been made to feel smaller, when the self im-portant gentleman, leaning back on his dignity, andwith thumbs hooked in the armpits of his vest wouldexclaim: ''I cultivate fifty acres or one hundred acresin corn, the same amount in cotton, in wheat, oats, etc.I pay tax on five hundred or one thousand acres, whenat the same time this individual buys fertilizer on time,and the proceeds of that skinny thousand acres will notpay his store account in the fall.His only craving is all the land that joins him ; this he

would have if he had the money to buy it, or could getit on easy payments.Yet this individual will cry trustmonopoly, when heis into a land trust and poor land at thatone thatdoes not make himself rich, but his country poor.This spiritto own many acres; this lack of enter-

priseinvesting in land because of its safety, regardlessof the prosperity of the country, go hand in hand as theproducing elements in the cause of our condition. Bothare largely responsible for the slip shod system that hasimpoverished the farms, and the thousands that havebeen invested in land merely because, "It is a safe in vest-ment," if put into factories and machine shops, wouldhave j)aid handsome dividends to the investors, and keptmillions among us that have gone to foster the moreenterprising people of other sections.But this spirit does not belong to the farmer alone;

all classes are affected alike ; for even the merchant orthe mechanic if, his business declares a dividend, he putsit into land as a "safe investment."The whole South is land poor. The farmers own and

try to work too much land. While this is the case theywill remain poor. For at this advanced agethis ageof improvementthis age wdierein the capacity of everything except our acres has been doubled, trippled, and


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8 rEWP]R ACHES, with a system of improvement.even quadrupledthis a^e, ^vhen evei-y tiling we use onthe farmclothes, shoes, plows, bolts, horse-shoes, wag-ons, buggies and a thousand and one other things, areall manufactured b^' machinery cheaper than we canmake them ourselves, and must be purchased with theproducts of the farm. Can we do this and farm ])oorland? Under these circumstances can we educate ourchildren and fit them for society with those of otherclasses? And are we doing it? How many farmer'schildren attend the summer school? How many havetime to attend the four months term of free sehool dur-ing a three months winter? Frequently they are keptat home a month in the fall to gather in the productsof that skinny farm, and again in the spring they aretaken from the school anothei- month to go to skinningfor another skinny crop. How long is this to continue?Cotton cards, spinning wheels and hand looms are

things of the past and oui* system of farming ought tohave gone with them. Thei'e is but little difference inthe average southern farmer so far as profits are con-cerned, and the man who would set up a factory, by thepurchase of a hundred cards, wheels and looms, and hirea hundred women to work them. As with the farmer,so with the factory man, some merchant Avould have to"run him."As with the aid of machinei'v and improved tools the

capacity ofman is doubled , so to keep abreast ofthe timesought not the capacity of our acres be doubled? Forhow are we benefited with the use of tools wherewith oneman can do the work that required two to ]x^rform tenyears ago, if our acres produce only one half as much asthey did then? Without the use of commercial fertili-zer, is not this just about the case? Knot why have weretrograded ?Let us make a comparison. A rich farm will pi'oduce

fifty to one hundred bushels of corn per acre; twenty toforty bushels of whea t ; one to three bales of cotton ;


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FEWEIJ ACRES, WITH A SYSTEM OF IMPROVEMENT. -J

fifty to one hundred bushels of oats ; clover and grassin abundance; other crops in proportion. Its soil iseasily worked, retains moisture and is drought proof.The crop is encouraging to look upon, encouraging towork, and best of all it fills the cribs, smoke-houses andbarns ; and pleasure, plenty and profit, are reaped fromits culture.Mor is this all; the premises put on an inviting ap-pearance; the buildings are all in first class order; the

yards are beautifully grassed and sliaded ; the proprie-tor is cheerful and gay ; the wife is happy, not overwork-ed and looks as tidy as the premises ; the children arebeing educated and fitted for society and the variouspursuits of the world, and happiness supreme reigns inthis home.A poor farm will produce five to fifteen bushels cornper acre; four to six bushels wheat; one third bale cot-ton ; oats too short to cut at all ; clover and the grassesunknown ; other crops in proportion. It's soil dries outquickly, bakes, is hard to work, will not stand drought,the crop presents a ghastly picture, is discouraging towork, and the profits of such a farmhard timesarereaped by a majority of Southern farmers to-day. Inthe name of common sense how long is thisto continue?Now friendly farmer, these are true pictures; drawnby a practical and expoi-ienced artista farmer; the onea beautiful thinga superb painting? not overdrawn,but a fair representation of what each farm, large orsmall should be all over this beautiful laud.The other a familiar picture, needs no description and

can be seen from the front door of a large majority ofthe farmers all over the South.With these farms compare yours. Does it stand with

the poor one? Make it richer. Between the two? Makeit richer. With the rich one? Make it richer. Let yourwatchword beImprove the Farm. With this laro-ecrops will follow as a natural consequence; with large


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10 FEWER ACIJEK, WITH A SYSTEM OF IM FKOVEMENT.crops, cheap crops; with clioap crops, ])i-ofitable crops;and with profitable crops, ]jros])erity and independence.Yon may talk abont the rate per cent, we pay for

what we bny, even at these enormous time prices whichare rninons and from which tlie country lias suffered somuch, but they sink into comparative r.othingness whencompared to the cost of products laised on a rich farmor on a poor one.For instance: The products of an acre in corn at

fift^' cents per- bushel,


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FEWEIJ ACHES, WITH A SYSTEM 01


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12 FEWER ACRES, WITH A SYSTEM OF IMFKOA'EMENT.])roportion as tlie farm is I'ioh or a loss in proportion asit is poor. This bein^:,' true 1 dopin ir unnecessary totake up fnrtlier time in the discussion of onr condition :for should there be any who mit>l!t differ with me as tothe cause, it is believed that all will a


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FEWEK ArrJES, WITH A SYSTEM OF IMPROVEMENT. 1 ^ia large section of country as the whole South, becauseoi its varieo-ated soil and climate, its ease of cnltiv^ntionadvantages of fertilization and ada])tability to ])articu-lar crops etc, yet for all sections there is an adecjuatenumber of acres beyond which if one goes his fnrin willsuffer in pro])ortion to this excess. But for geniM-alfarming the variation could l)e but littl


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14 FEWER ACJJES, ^\ITH A SYSTEM OF IMPROAExMENT.soil, wliile others ai-e g-reat feeders. All cultivated eropsare exhausters, and should never follow each other insuccession; while on tlie other hand the uncultivatedcrops are not exhausters, yet it is necessary that everyfew years each field should be cultivated or pastured inorder to clean it of filth etc. Hence another necessity forrotationThen we have the feedersthe pea and the clover.

These crops must come in for their full share in the ro-tation on every farm; for without them or one of them,it is very doubtful if a farm can be improved, and if atall, the process would be slow and expensive to say thelea;St. We can not rely on manure alone to im])rovethefarm, as the quantity falls far too short for the acreage,unless it is exclusive!}^ a stock farm, or we have accessto livei-y stables, butcTier yards etc., and then the pricepaid and time taken to haul makes it an expensive })ro-cess.Manure is an im[)()rtant element in the production of

croi)s, and in tlie preservation and improvement of thefarm, and its quantity should be doubled, trippled, yea,even quadrupled on every farm ; yet with all this thequantity would be far too short for our iieeds, unaidedby a systematic rotation of crops. Togetherthey mustgo hand in hand, and wherever so tlie farm will growrich, and an era of ])rosperity will dawn u])on that farm.An exclusively cultivated CT'op exhausts the land in thatit is kept clean of vegitable matter and in consequence,nothing is returned to the soil. I know that it is believ-ed \)y some that it is the continual workingthe turn-ing and exposing the soil to the sun. While this mayha,vc an exhausting effect, it is as nothing in compari-son to the other. Any system of farming that plowsdeep and in which an abundance of vegitable matter ofany kind is returned to the soil will improve a farm, andeventually make it rich. Decaying vegitable matter orhumus is the life of the soil, and can be supplied cheeper


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FEWER ACItES, WITH A SYSTEM OF IMPKOVEMENT. 15throno-h a systematic rotation of crops, in wliicli rro])sfor oreen manuring enter largely, than in any other way.Therefore while it is the farmer's duty to make all th(>mannre he can and to look after this interest with re-doubled energy, lie must not depend on it at a sacrifieeof his rotation of crops, through greed or any oth(Tcause. For as has beini said befoi-e they are both soilfeeders and must go hand in hand. Then we can affordto use commercial fertilizers and then as has been saidbefore we can not do without them. For all knowtheir judicious use on rich land has never been (]uestion-od, but acknowledged by all as a paying investment.A farm is a self feeding machine, and will gi-ow mostwonderfully fat on it's own products and pay back tothe farmer a proportionate superabundance for it, if itis properW treated. .No system is farming, in the truesense of that word, under which a farm grows poorer,but is rather robbery. Every farm is self sustaining asreo-ards manure, but it is the svstem that makes it so.And the system that effects this is the most im])ortantthing of all others to successful agriculture, and as suchis the most perplexing question with which the intelli-gent farmer has to contend.There is no question so impoitant as: How to im-

prove the farm ? There is nothing that i)ays better ; in-deed, it is the very essence of farming and the quintes-sence to its successful following. Therefore a systf^nthat will accomplish this end must be adopted by evei^-farmer if he would succeed. To do this lie must firstadjust his working force and acreage to each other.And then with a careful husbanding of all manures, andthe proper crops ]:)lanted to follow each other under asystematic rotation, with deep plowing and thoroughculture, the desired end will be accomplishedthe farmwill grow richer, and in (/onsequence, the farmer willprosper.Farmer friend, have you a system of rotation? If so


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1 G FEWER ACRES, WITH A SYSTEM OF IMPROVEMENT.wluit is it? If not Si), adjust yonr workino- force to youracres or your acres to your working- force, and, planting;the crojis adapted to your sectiou, try the system asL"iid down in niy little farm of forty acres.Plant one field to clovei', one to oats, one to corn, one

to peas, one to cotton, and one to wheat. These areyour g-eneral crops and should be rotated together.The remaining four acres devoted to truck etc., as fol-lows: One acre to sweet ])otatoes, one to ground peas,one half acre to sorghum, one half acre to Irish potatoes,one half acre to melons, and one half acre to garden.In your rotation let wheat follow clover ; clover fol-

low oats ; oats follow corn ; corn follow i)eas ; peas fol-low cotton ; and cotton follow wheat. Thus we have asix shift system. That is a particular field will receivea particular crop every six years..Only two crops requir-ing clean cultivationexhausters ; and two strong landfeedersthe clover and the pea.In some localities the division might Jieed change.

For instance ; a crop that groes to perfection might beincreased to the diminution of another not so wellada])ted to that locaHtj^; or a crop niay l)e discardedaltogether and the acreage of others increased as thecase may demand. For instance, in the Northern ormountainous sections, cotton must be discarded, otliercrops taking its place adapted to the locality.The same in other sections with wheat oats clover etc,but the old "stand by"corn, by far the best of all

crops (for the farmer suffers more in consequenceof its shortage than any other,) will grow anywherethis side the Artie Eegions, and should be grown inabundance on every farm. It fills the crib, the granery,the smoke house; produces milk and butter, poultryand eggs; makes fine stock, and, in fact is the veryback bone of the farmThe j)ea will gi'ow any where in the South, and is an

important crop in the rotation not only for the grain it


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FEWEll ACRES, WITH A SYSTEM OF IMPROVEMENT. 17produces but also for the fertilizing qualities it possesses,and should occupy a permanent place in the rotationon every farm. It is a farm feeder, will grow on thepoorest soil, and in a few years bring- it up to a highstate of cultivation.Just here I will say, that in the present poor condi-

tion of our land, clover will not grow as a paying crop,and the peamay occupy its place in the rotation until thefertilit^^ is sufficient to grow clover; thus devoting twofields to the pea until this is accomplished.Or when the farm becomes rich, the pea may be dis-

cai'ded, clover and the grasses taking its place. In eitherinstance the farm may be divided into five fields instead ofsix for general farming. But I mucli jjrefer the divisionas it isone third of your general farmingland occupiedby feeding crops. This will insure a richer farm. Ofcourse this farm only represents the arable land, and itis presumed that there is an orchard of two or threeacres in the best variety of fruits, wood land to supplyfuel and a few acres of hill land for permanent pasture.There should also be an acre in clover near the barn

for soiling purposes, and an acre of rye to be used beforeclover comes in.These can be rotated with each other, and as soon as

the r3^e is off, this lot may be planted in drill corn forcows in fall. This represents an up-land farm and it ispresumed that if one is so fortunate as to own bottomlands that he will know what to do with them, and willdivide and arrange his farm accordingly. Much of ourbottom lands that have been considered inexhaustablehave long ago yielded to the exorbitant exactions of anexclusive cultivated system, and to-day are but little ifany better than the avei'age uplands.They too must bo built up, for which purpose a sys-

tem of rotation mu.st be adopted for their special use,as some of the crops suited to an upland farm are notadapted to bottom lands.


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18 FEWER ACKES, AVITH A SYSTEM OF IMPROVEMENT.Divide 3'our bottom land into two plats. Plant to

corn and oats, and rotate together ; but immediatelyafter cutting your oats each year, sow to peas. In fallor winter, turn under your pea-sward prejjaratory toanother corn crop. Thus continue year after year andyour lands will grow rich.While this farm is cut and sliced for the average

southern farmer, it is not to be presumed that all twohorse farms should be the same size for reasons otherthan those already given. For one man might workfifty acres under the same system with more ease andbetter success than another would work forty.Then again a very "Go ahead man," with a num-

ber one team (not brood mares,) and a big force, mightwork sixty. But he would always be in a stew and afret, never having time to go to mill. Unless he hiredhis force, could not send his children to school, and thewhole thing would be unsatisfactory and unenjoyable.Whereas a man and boy can work this little farm of

forty acres with ease, and without the unnecessary ex-pense of a hired hand.The children can be sent to school through the sum-mer as well as winter and the most desirable object ofall accomplished. The children educated and the farm-ing world on the high road to prosperity and intelli-gence. This it will lead to, and until this is accomplish-ed we will have hard paddling to keep our heads abovewater. But hj combined effort and strict attention tobusiness under an improved system, with our childrenin the schools and being fitted for society with those ofother classes, we will soon begin to command respect;and the next generation will be an age of educated far-mers. Cut this country up into such farms, and whocan doubt the assertion? What imagination can evengrasp at the condition of things then? Who would bethe underlings, and what class would be the controllingpower in this country? Ah! tlien our impositions will


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FEWER ACRES, WITH A SYSTEM OF IMPROVEMENT. 19have passed away one after auotlier. For as we havebecome more intelligent the forces that were arrayedao-aiust us are broken and gone, and the very powersthat oppressed us will seek our counsel. Educated far-mers will represent us in our Legislature and in our Na-tional Congress, and thousands will be able to stand upfor our rights and defend our cause at all times and un-der all circumstances. This is no idle fancy but a solidreality, that is sure to grow out of the system. Andthis is as it should be. For why should not the farmerbe educated ? Why should not the rural districts be dot-ted with comfortable school houses, and showy acade-mies and colleges? Why should not our homes bebeautified and their surroundings made attractive?Why should not the farm itself be a thing of beauty tocatch the gaze of the weary traveler's eye as he passesthe way? And last but not least, why should not thefarming classthe class that feeds the world and thesource from which all wealth is derivedthat deals withNature and whose business is as it were in copartner-ship with Nature's God, be equal to that oi any otherclass mentally, morally, socially and materially ?

THE CULTIVATION OF CROPS.That the benefits to be derived from the system of ro-

tation may more readily be seen, we will presume thatthis is the second year and will enter upon the mode ofpreparation and cultivation of crops.THE CORN CROP.As corn follows the pea crop, and knowing the benefits

of the pea as a feeder of the soil, it will be a pleasanttask for the intelligent farmer to prepare the land forthis crop.In fall or winter break eight or ten inches deep withtwo horse turn plow, turning under everything that wasleft on the land by the pea, and the deeper the better, as


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20 FEWER ACRES, WITH A SYSTEM OF IMPROVEMENT.there is no plant in our catalogue that requires deeperbreaking than corn, especially on upland for which thismode is intended. In lact it is the only way we canraise it successfull}^ Deep breaking is a preventiveagainst drought, the greatest drawback on upland corn.Harrow two or three times previous to planting, and

if land is level, lay off each way rows three to three andone half feet apart, or wider according to fertility ofsoil. The furrow in which you drop the corn, lay offwith two horses to ten or twelve inch shovel plow, or aneight inch shovel with a ten or twelve in(ih following insame furrow, with one horse. This is done to get adeep clean furrow in order to get the seed as deep in theground as possible, the nearer the hard pan below, thebetter.To fertilize with stable manure or compost, drop ahandful in furrow on each side of hill ; with guano orphosphate alwa,ys drill in the row, as then the plant willfeed on it even until the vei-y ear is made. Cover lightlywith double shovel plow on which are two very smallshort bull tongues. This leaves the surface of theground that covers the corn if ])roperly done three tofive inches lower than the general surface; which is thevery thing 3^ou want for an easy time working, and aprevention of drought. First working use two horseharrow running with the I'ows in which the corn wasplanted. This will work just enough dirt to the littlecorn to cover all vegetation that may have started, noteven scratching out a single stalk, leaving the cornstill a few inches bejieath the general surface. Nextworking, use side cultivator the same direction as before,which will again work just enough dirt around the cornto hoe the cro]), covering vegetation etc., still leavingthe plant below the general surface.Continue with the cultivator at short intervals until

laid by, which should be at least four times in all, whenthe last workino; will find the arourxl level, in fine con-


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FEWEK ACItES, WITH A SYSTEM OF IMPUOVEMENT. 21dition to stand drou.o'ht and in the very best conditionto receive the next crop. Under thismode ofcultivationthere is ni) use for a hoe in the field , except to ch opbriars, sprouts, etc., as the cultivator ifrun at regular in-tervals effectually' works every hill and if not kept outtoo long at a time, scarcely a sprig of grass can be seenin the field in the fall. There is but one system to woi-kcorn, and that is the dirting systema continual work-ing dirt to it ; but that end is accomplished in two waysdirting up or dirting down. The one is to plant inshallow farrow and continually dirt up with twister orturn plow ; the other is to plant in a deep furrow andcontinually dirt down with very hght cultivatoi'. Theone the ridge system, tlie other the level system. Eachhas its advantages in the different soils. In low bot-tom laud the ridge system, but on uplands the level sys-tem always; and should be adopted by every farmer whocultivates upland smooth enough on whicli to use theside harrow. The harrow- is a five tooth implement andif properly made will thoroughly clean the land andsweep a row at a round.Another mode for planting is to bed laud as for bot-

tom, and then plant in water furrow ; a very good modeexcept that the plant will not start off as fast in a poorwater furrow, but will come in on the "home stretch."Anotherstill ; especially whereground was broken early

and has become grassy before planting, is to bar off"your laud with twistei' or turn plow, leaving an imagi-nary row and completely covering up the middles, thenwith an eight or ten inch shovel break out this imagina-ry row and drop your corn, covering as befoi-e. This youwill observe requires three furrows to the row, but effect-ually covers and freshens up the entire field, leaving adeep furrow in \\hich to plant the grain, and I believethe very best plan to follow even in all conditons. Ishould have said above, at second working, thin to onestalk in the hill.


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22 FEWER ACRES, WITH A SYSTEM OF IMPROVEMENT.THE WHEAT CROP.

As wheat follows clover, where the land is in conditionin August or September, (the sooner the better,) turnyour clover with two horse turn plow 8 to 10 inchesdeep thoroughly covering all vegetation. Near seedingtime, (whichin this latitude is about the first of October)and when the land is in good working order harrow twoor three times leaving a good seed bed to receive thegrain ; letting the last harrowing just precede the sow-ing that the land may be fresh. Sow with drill, using100 to 200 lbs phosphate per acre, and one to one anda half bushels seed. Or better still, if land is level, sowboth ways, using half amount of seed and phosphateeach wa3'. This will insure the largest yield as the seedwill be more evenly distributed over the land.

If not convenient to drill and fertilize, sow broad cast,using same amount of seed, and harrow in or plow withdouble shovels using bull tongues. On such land as willgrow a good clover crop, thoroughly pi^epared, andwell put in, under either mode of seeding, a yield of 20to 40 bushels per acre may be expected.THE OAT CROP,This crop folloAvs corn. If you wish to sow in the fall

which generally is best, in September or October,afterfodder is gathered, sow among the standing corn oneand a half to two bushels per acre, harrowing in withside harrow or cultivator, running with the rows veryclose to standing corn in order that all the seed may becovered. If corn is in hill the harrowing can be doneboth ways ; but one way is sufficient.To sow in spring, sow one to one and a half bushelsper acre and plow in nicelyvery nicely. As this cropmatures in a very short time the land must be well cul-tivated and thoroughly cleaned of filth etc.As a choice between fall or spring sowing, any condi-tion of land,filthy or clean,can be sown in fall;but none but the cleanest may be sown in spring. If as


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FEWER ACRES, WITH A SYSTEM OF IMPROVEMENT. 23a choice of evils 3^ou have to sow filthy land in spring,alwa^'s burn off nicely all trash.THE COTTON CROP.As soon as the wheat is cut start the plows to sow

peas on the stubble at the rate of one to two bushelsper acre. Plow in nicely ; if double shovel will not doffood work, use single shovels and plow thoroughly.The better the work, the heavier the sward, and that iswhat you want to improve the land.During the wintersay December or January break

deep turning under every thing thoroughly. Previousto planting harrow fine, after which lay off rows withlarge shovel plow three to four feet apart according tofertility ; the richer the land the wider the row ; deep fur-rows; in these drill your manure and bed on it with turnplow. Plant at proper time, covering lightly and justbefore the plant is ready to come out, run over withdrag pole taking two rows at a time. This flattens therow on top, kills all vegetation that may have started,leaving the land in the finest order for the side harrow,which should start as soon as the plant begins to ap-pear above the ground. Continue to harrow at short in-tervals, never letting the grass appear among the cot-ton, remembering that you have but to stir a seed inthe sprout to kill it, otherwise nothing short of thehoe will do it.Early thin to a stand and if the harrow passes atshort intervals very close to the little cotton, little

hoeing will be necessary. But woe unto you if yourcrop gets grass3^ which I have told you how to prevent,but if through carelessness or any other cause it doesappear, do the best you can under the circumstancesand help yourself, for I am at too great a distance tolend a helping hand were I ever so willing to do so.THE CLOVER CROP.

Clover can be sown with about equal success either infall or siDring, sa^^ September or March.


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24 FEWER ACUES, WITH A SYSTEM OF IMPKOVEMENT.While there may be some disadvantage as regards fall

sowing-the risk of freezing out during the* following-winteryet notwithstanding this, there is a great advan-tage to be derived from it, in that the plant is well root-ed the next spring and frequently a fair crop is cut thatseason ; which rarely ever occurs with spring sowing.In any event your farm must be well up and in a fairstate of cultivation before yon can grow this plant toany profit except as an improver of soil, and this willbe a slow process if your land is very poor; for it is hardto get it to catch on poor land. Clover will make richland richer and produce a paying crop at the sametime; but land that is too poor to receive this crop hadbetter be brought up with manure and the pea.If sown with or immediately^ after the grain, sow tenor twelve lbs of seed per acre and brush in with a pret-ty heavy brush. But if grain was sown in fall a.nd it isdesired to sow the clover seed in the spring, sow sameamount of seed, but harrow in with heavy two horseharrow; if land is hard, harrow twice.Cover well ; and if land is sufficiently fertile, a good cropmay be expected. Cut for hay when % of bloom has

turned brown. THE PEA CROP.As the pea follows cotton, the thoughtful or rather

the brainy farmer, in August or September sowed hiscotton field to rye, sowing Yzto % bush els per acre cover-ing with the cultivator running between the rows. Af-ter the cotton is picked, ^vhich generally is about Christ-mas, turn on your cows for winter pasture, and nowlook out for yellow butter, and at the very time that itbrings a big price.About two weeks before you Avisli to turn for peas

say about 1st. to middle of April, take oil join- coavsa,nd let it grow, to turn under. At proper time turnunder the rye, cotton stalks and all deep and thorough-ly, harrow hue, and about 1st. to middle of May sow to


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FEWER ACRES, WITH A SYSTEM OF IMPROVEMENT. 25peas, one to one and a half bushels per acre ; harrow inor plow with double shovels. Now let them alone, theywill take care of themselves until i>'athering time, whenI will tell you what to do further on.As the peas are wanted for hogs, sow the whippoor-

will variety as they bear much better than other varie-ties when sown broad cast.But if from any cause you plant the other pea, plantin drills and cultivate two or three times.SWEET POTATOES.

Select for this crop sandy land of medium fertility,rather poor, but deep soil. Break land deep in fall orwinter ; alter which lay off rows three and a halt to fourfeet apart, deep furrow; drill heavily in this furrowwoods mold, fence corner and barn yard scrapings, orany conceivable decaying vegetable matter to be foundon the farm. On this put a light sprinkling of ashes orphosphate, throw on one furrow and let it lie till spring,or about planting time, when run through this masswith bull tongue plow, in order to mix, and completeyour beds with turn plow. Do not draw up dirt witlihoe, but set your slips on the beds as the plow leavesthem, continually drawing up the dirt with the hoe ateach working until laid by, when you will find that yourbeds are high enough, and the cultivation was mucheasier than if they had been drawn up at first.GROUND PEAS.

Select medium land. Prepare as for cotton, open bedswith small bull tongue plow. Drop two "nugs" twelveto eighteen inches apart, cover lightly and cultivate assweet potatoes.

If desired for market a light colored sandy soil shouldbe selected, as the color ot the soil has much to do withthe color of the pea, and the color of the pea much to dowith the price. But for hogs any color of soil will do,but a sandy soil preferred for any purpose.


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26 FEWEK ACIiES, WITH A SYSTEM OF IMPROVEMENT.MOLASSES CANE.

Select strong land. Alluvials or bottom lands best.Prepare land and plant just as cotton, covering verylightly with a board. Work with side harrow and thinto hoe width one stock. Last working throw np dirtwith double shovel. When seed are ripe prepare thecrop for the mill. Let two hands cut cane; one gathera bunch in his hands, and the other with grass or brierscythe cut the bunch off close to the ground and throwon piles.This done cut off seed heads, and tie the stalks in bun-

dles of convenient size to handle, tieing at both ends.The cane is then ready to haul to the mill. If no one inthe neighborhood follows the business of making up thecane for the neighbors, let several join in and buy ahorse mill and pan, and each make his own molasses,charging disinterested neighbors one eighth for use ofmill if they wish to make. Farmers, raise your ownmolasses. It will grow any where in the south, and isthe best paying crop for consumption on the farm thatwe can raise. The seed is worth about as much as cornwould be, grown on the same land, and the molasses aclear profit. Try it.IRISH POTATOES.

Select medium land, break deep, harrow fine and layoff rows three to three and a half feet apart, deep fur-row. Plant good size tubers cut into four pieces, 15 to18 inches apart, two peices to the hill. Manure heavilyin the drill with well rotted stable, or better still hogpen, manure. Bed on this with one horse turn plow,and let it remain somiddles unbroken till potatoes arenear ready to come up, when harrow crosswise Avithtwo horse harrow, reducing land to a level. When theplnnts are all up, cultivate with double shovel workinga little dirt to the plants each time, until last working,when throw up pretty well and lay by.


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FEWER ACRES, WITH A SYSTEM OF IMPROVEMENT. 27ANOTHER WAY. ~Check land three feet apart each way, plant three

pieces, and manure in the hill.A LAZY BED.This is especially recommended when one is short of

land and desires to make a big yield to the acreage.First break very deep ^vitll two horse plow and harrowfine, then rebreak with one horse plow planting in everyfurrow about 15 inches apart as the breaking goes on.When completed the land will be level. Cover the entirepatch heavilythe heavier the betterwith strawyleaves, pine tops or any available trash to be found onthe farm, and let it alone, the potatoes will take care ofthemselves until digging time. When, go in with a plowand after raking off the trash, plow them up as youplanted them, letting the hands follow to pick up thepotatoes. By this plan I believe twenty to thirty bush-els could be planted on an acre.But do not conclude from the name that it requires

no work to grow them this way, for you will find if youtry it that it takes quite as much labor under this planas it does to cultivate them. The great saving is in theland which of course is very important. Besides this,in extreme drought the crop will be more sure as thecovering promotes moisture in the eai'th.MELONS.

iSelect land with a, deep sandy soil. After breakingdeep lay off rows eight feet a]iart, then place your hillseight feet apart in the row, by shovelling out a largebasin shaped hole some what deeper than the breaking,in which put from a gallon to a peck of well rotted sta-ble manure, on which draw three or four hoe fulls ofdirt, and mix thorougldy. On this mass draw up a hillof i)ure dirt, somewhat higher than the general surface,and shai)od like an inv(.'rt(vl basin. This should be donesome weeks before planting. Dro}) your seed on the liillnear the center and press into the ground with your fin-


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28 FEVVEK ACREH, WITH A SYSTEM OF IMPROVEMENT.ger,the depth of the first joint, or barely one inchrake the holes shut, and gently pat to firm the soil.When up commence cultivating, and as soon as out ofdanger of bugs, thin to two or three vines to the hill.Cultivate frequentl,y until the vines are too large, whenlay by. Remember never to cultivate when the dew ison the vines. THE GARDEN.Last, but not least conies the garden; the wife's

farm. But a mean man is he who makes his wife workthe garden. I had rather work a small farm than agarden the ordinary wayall hoe and no plow. Fiftj^yards square is a very pretty size for a garden ; or bet-ter still forty by sixty. A garden should occupy an ob-long square. Run your walk through the middle length-wise ; and let your rows run with this walk. Plant everything in rows through the garden. If one thing or cropwill not fill out a whole row, fill out with somethingelse that will need work about the same time. Plowevery thingonions, peas, beans, beets, cabbage,everything. You will be surprised at the hoe work it willsave. Work the garden once a week, or better still, afterevery rain ; never letting a crust form, and your gardenwill never suffer with drought. As one crop maturesand is used up remove the trash, re-plow, mnnure, andplant in something else. There should be somethingcontinuall.y growing in the garden . Onions can be gath-ered the 1st of July ; gather and plant to corn for late"roastneers." After gathering early roastneers, removethe stalks, break deeply and manure for turnipsfirstharrow fine. After digging potatoes, prepare and sowto turnips also. Don't be afraid of having too manyturnips. They are good hog and cow feed. Now youhave two strips through your garden in turnips ; leaveone of them for "greens" or "sallet" in the spring. Afterwhich plant for late "roastneers."W^hen vou work the garden take all hands, start one


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FEWER ACRES, WITH A SYSTEM OF IMPROVEMENT. 29plow on one side, and the other one on the other side, andlet the hoe hands brush it up with the hoes. The wholething can be done before breakfast any morningandwell done. The wife will prepare you a good breakfast,and say thank you sir, and perhaps give you a kiss.Try it.There is a big living in a garden ; or, rather poor liv-ing without one. This part of the farm is too often

neglected, especially in the country. Our town friendsexcell us in gardening. This is a result of few acres.The garden must be rich or made so witli manure. Eachyear it must have a heavy application. Vegetables re-quire the richest soil for their growth and will only re-spond when such is the case. Apply youi- manure dur-ing the fall or winter that it may rot and become morethoroughly incorporated with the soil.

STOCK.On this farm I would keep two strong brood marcs,four good milch cows, a flock of sheep, a brood sow andten or twelve porkers, and all the poultry I could possi-bly raise.From these I would expect to raise two colts a yi^ar,four calves, milk and butfer in abundance for family,pigs, and market, mutton and wool for family an


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30 FEWER ACRES, AVITH A SYSTEM OF IMPROVEMENT.gathered what peas you need for family use and to sowyour next year's crop, and when about one third of whatremains in the field are ripe, turn your ho^'s on this.They will eat the ripe peas, never disturbing the greenones, but will eat them as they ripen. When this iseaten out, and after digging or fencing off part of yoursweet potato patch for family use, turn your hogs onthis ; and when they have completed their A\ork here,and after gathering what goobers the family mightneed, turn them on this. This done you certainly cankill ten or twelve head of hogs weighing three hundredpounds a ])iece, and that could not have possibly costover four cents per pound. But if desired to harden andflavor meet, put in close floored pen and feed one ortwo bushels of corn pev head.Your sows should be managed to farrow about the 1st

of July, giving them close attention until the pigs areweaned, and then giving the pigs the run to the orchard,corn field etc.This will bring them up nice thrifty shoats in fine con-

dition to be carried over the winter. During the winterpasture on rye and feed well on corn, sour slops made ofbran etc. THE COW.The cows can have the run on the clover with the pigs.

But in case it gets short, soil them from the acre nearthe barn. When this is too old, soil from the pea field,and late in the fall from the drilled corn. In winter feedclover hay, bran, ect., and pasture on rye. Salt s^elland milk clean. SHEEP.Let the sheep have the run to the permanent pasture.A good pasture of sliort nutritious grass, with plenty of

pure water and shade is all they require in summer.Although if possible frequent changes of pasture is rec-ommended. In severe winter weatlier, shelter them andfeed on hav.


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FEWER ACRES, WITH A SYSTEM OF IMPROVEMENT. 31CALVES AND COLTS

can also have the run to this pasture, but in case it isnot sufficient for all, soil them night and morning.Feed all slock plentifully and keep the young stockgrowing. The stock on any farm is an importantitem, but especially on this, as under the system itis intended for a money crop, and one of the best pay-ing departments of this farm, besides the advantages tobe derived from the manure.Stall all stock at night except sheep and keep stalls well

littered, and you will be surprised at the amount of ma-nure that can be made on this little farm. Until you getaround with your rotation, and get your farm built upand a bountiful supply of humus in the soil, distributeyour manure in the drill. After which scatter broadcast, and use commercial fertilizer in the drill.Manure never was intended to pass through a man's

fingei's. It requires too much work and makes farmingtoo bungiesome, but in the present condition of the soilwe are obliged to apply it thus; our land being toopoor to afford the use of commercial fertilize!'. But ashas been said before, commercial fertilizer is a ci-eatui-e ofan advanced age. So it is, and our farms must advanceto it. Then we can use it profitably. Then we can notdo without it. For it pays well, as all know to use it'onrich laud judiciously. Our rotation of crops and ma-nure products of the farm will supply the vegetable mat-ter or humus to the soil, and in connection with this wecan well afford to buy fertilizer^he chemical parts.Put your manure out to the land fresh from the stalls.

Never throw out to rot on a pile or in a pen and, therebyloose by ovei-heating or leaching by excessive rains itsmost valuable parts.While clover is a biennial, and will yield a paying ci'opon the same land for two years, I believe that it will pay

best, especially as an imjjrover of the soil, to turn eachyear and sow another field ; thereby passing it around


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32 FEVVEll AGUES, WITH A SYSTEM OF IMPROVEMENT.more frequently in the rotation and as a result improv-ing your farm the faster. Let it follow in the rotationeach year just as any other crop.THE SYSTEMHOAV TO ADOPTITS PROFIT.Will it enrich the farm ? This is the first question to

be asked by the entelligent farmer ; but the same brainthat propounds the question, after a mere glance at itsworkings, answers: It will. But says one, in the pres-ent poor condition of my farm, how can I adopt it?How can I make the start? So few acres will not feedme, much less yield a surplus. This depends largely onthe man. There is an old adage that says : ''There ismore in the man than there is in the land," and it is noless applicable to this case than an}' other, but rathermore so. For now you are entering upon high farmingbrain farming. Farming upon business principles-building u]) the thing that feeds you and thereby in-creasing her capacity to yield up the rich things sobountifully stored in the bosom of a rich farm.Then do not think that because your farm is small

you will have little to do, and in consequence reap little;for the very first year with a timely start and well di-rected labor, judiciously applied, your little farm willyield quite as much, if not more, than twice as manyacres under tlie skin system.Your acres being few you will have time to thor-oughly prepare, thoroughly manure, and thoroughly

cultivate. For a few ^ears at least your guano billcan be dispensed with altogether, Y^our attentiongiven to the nmking of manure, your little crops canall be manured in the drill, and each acre made to pro-duce at least, double what it did beforeand that less aguano bill.Another says I run a two, four, or six horse farm.I have to mortgage my crop for srq)plies on which tolive while I am making it. My supply bill is large. I


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FEWEll ACRES, WITH A SYSTEM OF IMPKOVEMEA'T. 33

must cultivate many acres in order to meet it. To tliiaI say reduce your supply bill by selling some of yourstock, and running on the money for a year and getdown to your right capacity. If you can't run a sixhorse farm successfully, trim down to a four horse farm ;and if you can't run that trim to two, and if you can't]-un that trim to one; get down to what you can man-age (or rather u])) for I had rather run a one horse farmand pay as I go under a system of improvement, thana six horse farm under the old skin and credit system."A word to the wise is sufficient."' The start can bemade. WILL IT PAY?

Ill th.(Uong run it will for it enriches the farm. Rutcan I live and make money on this little farm? Your] )ro fits will inci'ease year after year. The only troubleyon will have is to get over the first year. Let us seewh.i.t can be done as regard .s this.

^\'ith a strong team and following the instructions asheroin laid down, the products of every acre can bedoubled as to the yield under the old sytfnn.Then of corn we may expect 30 bushels per acre, 180

bushels ; of wheat we may expect 15 bushels per acre,5)0 bushels; of oats we may expect 30 bushels per acre,180 bushels; of cotton we may expect three fourths of abale per acre, 4 bales; peas, sweet potatoes, goobersl)ork, 3,000 Itis; two colts worth foO.OO apiece, flOO.;foitr calves worth 15 00 apiece, 120.00; eight hundred])Ounds of butter worth twenty cents per pound, flGO.Now leaving all grain crops, one thousand pounds of])ork and four hundred ])ounds of butter, to run thefarm the next year, let us see what is left.(Jotton -IPIOO.OO.Two thousand lbs of pork 0' 7 cents 140.00.Two colts at 150.00 each,.., 100.00.Four calves at |5.00 each, 20.00.


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Fcwi^n AciJKS, AVirri a s^vsthm of imi'kovemext. .34Four liundred lt),s of butter Oi 20 cents. 80.00Total $500.00.

FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS!!Thr^ rei-y fii'st year, to say nothing" of the profits of

poultry, eji'Lis, iimtton, wool, and four to six lunidred])ounds of ])0]-k that should be made from the waste,slops, ete., from every farmer's kit(;heu. ilesidcs the im-provement of the farm, which in itself is the most im-jjoitaut of all as under the system each year these prof-its will be increased and ultinmtely our farms will j^rowlich, our c'lildren will be educated and thefa]-niino- worldon the hi,i;'h road to ])ros[)erity and intcllectnai su-premacy.


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S505.C64 Fewer Acres With a System of Improvement (1889)

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