Show MAKING WORN OUT TOBACCO LANDS PRODUCE MOST profitable CROPS maryland farm of 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 0 IL ALFORD state demonstration agent maryland J C greenwell ot of st marys county maryland Is making good soil out ot of poor and making money at the same time because ot of the work ot of re worn gullied lands to Is a fundamental process in remaking the tobacco districts and because mr Green greenwell welt has done such notable work along this line I 1 thought it worth while hile to pay his farm a visit there are tow few farms which would more richly reward 0 tanner farmer tor for a visit one hundred and sixty four acres 0 ot f rolling land and every acre showing the effect ot of intelligent and loving care on all this farm there are not more than ten acres that have not been made fertile by lime acid phosphate legumes and live stock few gullies have not been reached but there are broad acres where clovers and grasses grow luxuriantly which still bear evidence ot of the time when they were marred by gullies simple essential process how is he making the soil more productive ind and adding to his bank account every year dy by the simple but essential process of 0 lime phosphorus legumes and live stock ile he grows crops to enrich his soil on a large part ot of his 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 0 of course but the real work ot of reclamation was done by the crops which were plowed under or fed to live stock and the manure spread on the poorest 4 A I 1 el I 1 P it al 4 1 1 1 X greenwell farm dwelling spots with wi th a manure spreader cow peas soy leans beans crimson clover red clover and alfalfa have all been grown even a growth of weeds to is considered helpful mr greenwell says bays that the main trouble with the worn out tobacco lands la is lack of humus he grows legumes to fill 1111 hla his soil full of humus and nitrogen and to furnish valuable teed feed the policy ot of furnishing the soil an abundance of vegetable matter is pursued on every part of tho the farm such crops as the clovers tobacco corn and wheat are grown in the rotation crimson clover is always planted in fit 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 ot of persist grit ant soil feeding that has increased the productiveness pro of this farm until it yields an average 0 of more mora than 2000 pounds ot of tobacco two tons ot of hay bay 45 bushels of corn and 30 bushels of wheat followed sane plan this la Is the great big lesson to learn from this farm sir mr greenwell realized that the most intelligent farmer will tail fall on poor land unless he builds it up and set out to make hla his soil sol lvery very i productive he did not attempt to do this by the extravagant we use ot of commercial fertilizers he followed the sure sane and economical method of good plowing phosphorus iline legumes and live stock of course ho he believes in commercial mr greenwell Greenw eU grows practically all of the feed and food consumed on ills his farm lie he does not send money to other sections of the country to pay tor 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 lust 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 la is planted in its place in cases w here a vegetable occupies the soil tor for a considerable sid erable time the succeeding crop la is planted between the rows or even between the plants in the rows lie he not only fully realizes the value of a systematic rotation of crops but he also knows the great importance of 0 a rotation in the garden and the keeping of a supply of fresh vegetables all the year round the average farmer fanner gives little attention to the garden and on many farms it if the mother f falls ails to look after the garden few vege vegetables talles are grown utilizes advantages ho he is fully aware of the numerous advantages his section has tor for the economical growing of live stock he utilizes the many advantages to the fullest extent the land is comparatively cheap and tor for this reason he depends largely upon grazing tor 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 tor for about ten months in normal years during durine six months of the year the pastures afford all the grass his animals consume and part of this teed feed for four additional months the teed feed for the balance of the grazing period Is furnished by supplementary crops produced on other portions 0 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 ing crops and about one fourth pound of corn per hundred pounds of hog per day keeps the hogs ju in the best possible i condition the poultry department supplies eggs chickens and turkeys for home use and to sell the turkeys contribute their share of 0 the profits but chickens are considered the best money makers mites and lice are kept off the chickens clean well ventilated houses furnished and plenty of good teed feed sup bup plied several good milk cows are kept on the farm to furnish milk cream and butter tor for the family good pastures clover hay bay and cottonseed meal ineal are fed to the cows tho the manure Is carefully saved and applied to the poorest spots home made beautiful ills 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 to him the tha dearest spot on earth it is not luxuriously furnished but comfortable fur M 9 II 11 FW ara TI P t a zw N ate oats in shock in july fertilizers but he is not afflicted with the notion that land can bo be ably dr permanently built up with commercial fertilizers it if the life of the soil a L supply of decaying vegetable matter Is lacking ills his success as aa a soil builder appeals to me it would ap peal to anyone who could see as I 1 saw the beautiful stretches ot of tobacco and poa meadows the splendid reaches of 0 oro larn and uie the broad wheat fields nish ings neatly kept in order make it attractive to its inmates the boys and girls on this farm will bo be impressed in early youth with high ideals of rural life and will most likely be contented to live on the tarn farm rather than cultivate desire for or 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 bome the paint brabb brush on the tha dwelling and tho whitewash a h brush 1 1 11 h dru 91 applied to the fences and ou outbuildings buildings out 9 as often as required not only preserve I 1 the buildings from decay but add greatly to the tha attractiveness 0 of the entire home A perfect lawn with trees and shrubs add greatly to the beauty of the place ile ho rhose chose the free and natural style as he loves natures way of doing things high priced labor makes it imperative for him to use laborsaving labor saving implements and strong teams this is one of the main reasons why he makes money farming fanning the strong teams and laborsaving labor saving implements lift him above the routine of endless drudgery it conserves his energy his and his lire life it gives him an opportunity to enjoy life he uses hla his brain moro more and his hands loss less ire he shelters his tarsi farn implements when not in use ills his mower binder pigs in rape bay 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 har bar ness bees that Is kept in good condition the harness is kept soft and pliable and the horses shoulders are never bruised I 1 hava bave seen few moneymaking money making farms anywhere as neat a 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 cow peas the peas clover and grass fields explain how these poor lands were made good and gives promise of even better things tor for the future northern farmers farmer coming many northern farmers are ara 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 aa anyone tobacco farmers need only to get to reading and studying about their work and secondly there are few workout vorn out 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 aus all show ow what can be done by the man who looks ahead and who cares tor for hla 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 at establishing attractive and comfortable farm homes of taking the lead in the development pi z 4 i in the cowpea field and direction of a spirit of progress or on the part of their tel fel mr greenwell is doing this kind of work and it can be done by thousands who read this sketch it if not on tho the same scale at least with the same spirit and to the same worthy end |