Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 169, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 July 1916 — MAKING WORN-OUT TOBACCO LANDS PRODUCE MOST PROFITABLE CROPS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

MAKING WORN-OUT TOBACCO LANDS PRODUCE MOST PROFITABLE CROPS

Maryland Farm of 164 Acres of Rolling Land Made Fertile by Intelligent Care and Use of Lime, Acid Phosphate, Legumes and Live Stock—Larger Part of Crops Grown are Fed to Farm Animals—Rotation of Crops Is Practiced.

(By G. H. ALFORD. State Demonstration Agent, Maryland.) J. C. Greenwell of St. Mary’s county, Maryland, Is making good soil out of poor and making money at the same time. Because of the work of restoring the worr., gullied lands is a fundamental process in remaking the tobacco districts, and because Mr. Greenwell has done such notable work along this line, I thought it worth While to pay his farm a visit. There are few farms which would more richly reward a farmer for a visit One hundred and sixty-four acres of rolling land and every acre showing the effect of intelligent and loving care. On all this farm there are not more than ten acres that hafe not been made fertile by lime, acid phosphate, legumes and live stock. Few gullies have”h6Cbeen reached; but there are broad acres where clovers and grasses grow luxuriantly, which still bear evidence of the time when they were marred by gullies. Simple, Essential Process. How Is he making the soil more productive and adding to his bank account every year? By the simple, but essential process of lime, phosphorus, legumes and live stock. He grows crops to enrich his soil on a large part of Ms farm and feeds the larger part of all crops grown to good live stock. The gullies were filled with the plow and scraped and plowed over, of course, but the real work of reclamation was done by the crops which were plowed under or fed to live stock and the manure spread on the poorest

spots with a manure spreader. Cowpeas, soy beans, crimson clover, red clover and alfalfa have all been grown; even a growth of weeds is considered helpful. Mr. Greenwell says that the main trouble with the worn-out tobacco lands is lack of humus. He grows legumes to fill his soil full of humus and nitrogen and to furnish valuable feed. The policy of furnishing the soil an abundance of vegetable matter is pursued on every part of the farm. Such crops as the clovers, tobacco, corn and wheat are grown in the rotation. Crimson clover is always planted in the tobacco and corn at the last working. The idea of keeping the soil full of decaying vegetable matter is always kept in mind; and the rough feeds are almost entirely consumed by live stock, the manure going onto the poorest spots. It is this policy of persistent soil feeding that has Increased the productiveness of this farm until it yields an average of more than 2,000 pounds of tobacco, two tons of hay, 45 bushels of corn and 30 bushels of wheat. Followed Sane Plan. This is the great big lesson to learn from this farm. Mr. Greenwell realized that the most Intelligent farmer will fail on poor land unless he builds ft up, and set out to make his soil very productive. He did net attempt to do this by the extravagant use of commercial fertilizers. He followed the sure, sane and economical method of good plowing, phosphorus, lime, legumes and live stock. Of course he believes in commercial

fertilizers, but he is not afflicted with the notion that land can be profitably or permanently built up with commercial fertilizers if the life of the soil—a supply of decaying vegetable matter —is lacking. His success as a soil builder appeals to me. It would appeal to anyone who could see as I saw the beautiful stretches of tobacco and pea meadows, the splendid reaches of corn and the broad wheat fields.

Mr. Greenwell grows practically all of the feed and food consumed on his farm. He does not send money to other sections of the country to pay for corn, hay, bacon, lard, canned goods, mules and horses and other farm products. He stays out of debt and it is not necessary for him to dump his farm products on the market when prices are low. There is a large fertile garden just back of the dwelling. The soil is very fertile and plants are grown practically every month in the year. As soon as one crop is harvested, another kind of vegetable adapted to the season is planted in its place. In cases where a vegetable occupies the soil for a considerable time, the succeeding crop is planted between the rows, or even between the plants in the rows. He not only fully realizes the value of a systematic rotation of crops, but he also knows the great Importance of a rotation in the garden and the keeping of a supply of fresh vegetables all the year round. The average farmer gives little attention to the garden and on many farms if the mother fails to look after the garden, few vegetables are. grown. Utilize* Advantage*. He is fully aware of the numerous advantages his section has for the economical growing of live stock. He utilizes the many advantages to the fullest extent. The land is comparatively cheap and for this reason he depends largely upon grazing for the necessary feeds for all live stock. He has excellent pastures of clovers and

orchard and rye grass. The clovers, alfalfa, vetch, rape, wheat and other crops furnish good grazing for about ten months in normal years. During six months of the year the pastures afford all the grass his animals consume and part of this feed for four additional months. The feed for the balance of the grazing period is furnished by supplementary crops produced on other portions of the farm. Purebred Duroc Jersey hogs are kept on this farm. The pigs are sold for breeding purposes and used for pork and lard. Permanent pastures, grazing crops and about one-fourth pound of corn per hundred pounds of hog per day keeps the hogs in the best possible condition. The poultry department supplies eggs, chickens and turkeys for home use and tc sell. The turkeys contribute their share of the profits, but chickens are considered the best money makers. Mites and lice are kept oft the chickens, clean, well-ventilated houses furnished and plenty of good feed supplied. Several good milk cows are kept on the farm to furnish milk, cream and butter for the family. Good pastures, clover hay and cjttonseed meal are fed to the cows. The manure is carefully saved and applied to the poorest spots. Home Made Beautiful. His home is the most highly valued, of all his possessions. It is his and his loved ones’ castle. It shelters those he loves most and is tc him the dearest spot on earth. It is not luxuriously furnished, but comfortable fur-

nlshings neatly kept in order make it attractive to its Inmates, iTie boys and girls on this farm will be impressed in early youth with high ideals of rural life and will most likely be contented to live pn the farm rather than cultivate desires for the mere surface attractions of the town or city. The flowers, neatly kept yards and fences always maintained in proper order are all that is needed to make this

a beautiful home. The paint brush on the dwelling and the whitewash brush applied to the fences and outbuildings as often as required not only preserve the buildings from decay, but add greatly to the attractiveness of the entire home. A perfect lawn with trees and shrubs add greatly to the beauty of the place. He chose the free and natural style as he loves nature’s way_jof doing things. High-priced labor makes it imperative for him to use labor-saving implements and strong teams. This is one of the main reasons why he makes money farming. The strong teams and labor-saving implements lift him above the routine of endless drudgery. It conserves his energy, his heatlh and his life. It gives him an opportunity to enjoy life. He uses his brain more -and his hands less. He shelters his farm implements when not in use. His mower, binder,

hay press, cultivators, grain drills and plows are not left out in the weather. The tools are cleaned and oiled at the end of the season. His horses have properly fitting harness that is kept in good condition. The harness is kept soft and pliable and the horses’ shoulders are never bruised . I have seen few money-making farms anywhere as neat, as thrifty and as progressive looking as this one. The neat home, good barn, tool shed and all tools in their places, good stock, fine fields of tobacco, corn and wheat, grass fields and sure enough fields, not little patches, of cowpeas. The peas, clover and grass fields explain how these poor lands were made good and gives promise of even better things for the future. Northern Farmers Coming. Many northern farmers are coming into this country and doing good farming, but Mr. Greenwell is native born. His work proves two things—first, that to be able to do as good farming as anyone, tobacco farmers need only to get to reading and studying about their work; and, secondly, there are few wornout tobacco soils, even those naturally thin, which cannot, by proper handling, be made to produce profitable crops. .Thriving tobacco, corn, peas and other crops where once red galls show what can be done by the man who looks ahead and who cares for his soil. The East needs more than anything else men who will set themselves patiently and determinedly to the task of rebuilding rural life, of making the waste fields fertile, of establishing attractive and comfortable farm homes, of taking the lead in the development

and direction of a spirit of progress on the part of their fellowmen. Mr. Greenwell is doing this kind of work and it can be done by thousands who read this sketch—if not on the same scale, at least with the same spirit and to the same worthy end.

Greenwell Farm Dwelling.

Oats in Shock in July.

Pigs in Rape.

In the Cowpea Field.