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THE SOUTHERN WORLD, NOVEMBER 1, 1882.
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meat, first, in placing in order furniture,
pictures, busts, brackets and various knick-
nacks that tell so much of the refinements of
a true home wherever it may be, or however
bumble, and a little labor in directing the
formation of flower beds and walks around
the bouse, and setting out roses and budding
plants, in rooting and planting oleander
slips, in sowing thunbergia and other rapid
growing vines, in procuring from the neigh
boring hammocks yellow jasmine, creepers,
scarlet honeysuckle, bona noz and other
thrifty vines to the manor born.
They all looked very small and puny at
first, and it seemed almost ridiculous to
hope to see the oleanders become trees, or
the vines cover the latice-work around the
porch, or to dream that the two-feet high
orange trees, set out from a grove near by,
would ever be large enough to support one
orange, not to say thousands of that luscious
golden fruit. It will be just four years this
present month, since this work of creating a
home out of the wilderness was commenced;
the oleanders tower aloft higher than the
roof, and mingle theii fragrant pink flowers
across the carriage way. The roses —that
came to us in cigar boxes—run riot over
frames and cover one end of the house,
reaching above the attic window at the peak
of the roof and disputing the march of a
noble English ivy; verbenas cover the
ground in luxuriant masses never seen at
the North, petunias flourish and bloom,
sometimes becoming perennials, while for
six months or more, phlox of all conceivable
colors and shades, make the ground ane bril
liant mass of color, sowing itself season after
season, just as buttercups, daudelions, vio
lets and daisies dot the fields at the North.
The viues have clambered to the very top of
the lattice in one tangled mass, and spread
out below into a dense moss of foliage. The
evening jasmine towers above the piazza
roof, shading one end completely, and tilling
the air with much delicate fragrance, almost
too powerful however, as the sun goes down.
More important than all, the back-bone of
a Florida home, the orange grove trees have
aspired above their two feet stature into
goodly trees of eight to ten feet high; lime
trees, one foot high when planted four years
ago, tower to the attic windows and are
loaded with fruit; guavas, grown from seed
sown two years ago, this season bore fruit
enough to supply the table, Florida lemon
trees are loaded with yellow fruit, and some
tine budded aorta will bloom a few months
hence.
All this in four years from the wilderness,
with no commercial fertilizers, and on excep
tionally poor soil. So you see it is not so
fearful a thing as it looks to be, this making
a home in the Florida woods.
We have not thus related our own experi
ence from egotism, but because we could bet
ter thus depict the methods and result of in
telligent, refined labor, and so dispel the
dread that is doubtless felt by many would-
be Florida settlers, at the idea of starting a
new home out of virgin materials and on
virgin soil.
Following Far lata Furman.
The Katonton (Ga.) Chronicle gives the fol
lowing colloquy on the Btreets of Milledge-
ville between a Putnam farmer and a gentle
man Bitting in front of a store near the post-
office:
Putnam farmer.—*' How is that Furman
can get kainit at about $14 a ton, and they
want to ask me $35 in Eatonton ?"
Milledgeville man.—“ I don’t know. Do
you want to farm like Furman ?”
p. F.—“ Yes, if we could make money like
he does, we all better go at it.”
M. M.—" Now look here old man, you bet
ter let well enough alone—farm like Fur
man! and I will be swamped if you don't
wear patched breeches the balance of your
days."
P. F.—“ Do you reckon so? By George, I
don't want my breeches to be any worse
than they are now.”
M. M.—** Then be content and let Furman
farming alone, it costs him 30 cents to make
a pound of cotton."
p. F.—“ Yes, but PU be blamed if I ain’t
going to try it anyhow. You’ll be surprised
to see me come rushing down from Putnam
in a few years to Milledgeville drawn by a
coach and four I”
M. M.—‘‘Yes! very much surprised.”
The circumstances that once surrounded
our fathers no longer envelope us. Times
have changed and we must wake up to that
change, or we will be left in the race. We
have a glorious country—glorious in its cli
mate—glorious in its soil, and hallowed to
us by those tender and endearing associations
that ever duster around the name of home.
£jwnrtnw\t.
Farm Work for November.
SOWING QBAIN.
Owing to the dry weather that prevailed
during the greater part of October, a large
portion of the area intended for oats must be
sown in November or lie over until after
Christmas. If we were asked whether it
would be better—all things considered - to
sow in November than defer until spring,
we would answer, yes, it would be wise to
sow now, even in Middle and North Georgia
and corresponding latitudes, provided the
seeding and manuring be heavy and the
vrain covered rather deeply. Where all
other circumstances are equal the fall sown
are so much more certain of a good yield
than spring sown, that it is better to run the
risk of winter killing—which is all that is to
be feared. The plowing and harrowing is a
good preparation for spring sowing the same
land in case of winter killing; and the seed
will not be a heavy loss with the present
plenty and low prices. Of course in further
South, November is about the best time to
sow.
OATUKRINQ COTTON.
The weather, since Sept. 10th, has been ex
ceedingly favorable to the rapid maturing
and opening of the cotton, and November
will find but little in the fields to pick. The
work, however, should be pressed just as
rapidly as may be consistent with proper
attention to other duties. December is
usually an unfavorable month for any ex
cept heavy, active work, and the cotton re
maining on the stalks until then will be
injured in value much more than the extra
expense that may be incurred in getting it
out now.
CANE AND SIRUP.
The season for grinding cane and making
sirup in the sections where the “ribbon cane”
is planted, is now close at hand, and all ar
rangements should be perfected for the work,
so that, when it is begun, there will be no
clash or unnecessary interruption. Let the
fuel be prepared, the mill and kettles, or
pans, overhauled, barrels made ready. The
improved evaparators are far superior, for
sirup and sugar making, to the old style iron
kettle. The well made and mounted 2-roller
Southern mill is about as good os any and
costs less than the Northern made 3 roller,
iron frame mills.
In making sirup and sugar a saccharome-
ter is so convenient and reliable that when
once tried it will be found indispensable. It
is a gloss Instrument costing about one and
half dollars, and is used just like the gravity
test employed by dealers in spirits. The
saccharometer is placed in a deep cup-full of
the nearly finished sirup and the height at
which it stands—as shown by the graduated
scale on the stem of the instrument—indi
cates when the sirup is “done," thus ena
bling the operator to make, with certainty,
any quality desired or a uniform quality.
POTATOES.
In a previous number we were somewhat
particular in suggestions about digging pota
toes. At this writing no frost has yet occur
red sufficient to arrest the growth of vines.
But after Nov. 1st it is not safe to postpone
digging, and if the ground is dry and growth
suspended, the crop should be housed at
once. Those having a surplus of potatoes
will do well to enquire into the matter of
freight rates to the northwest, with a view
to shipping to that Bection. Mr.' Joseph M.
Brown, General Freight Agent, Western aud
Atlantic Railroad, has arrauged a liberal
tariff of rates with special view to encourage
and facilitate profitable shipments of this
crop, and we have now before us a copy of
Special General Tariff, Jto. 1. The rates on po
tatoes in car load lots(24,000 lbs.) to several
points in the North and West are as follows:
From Atlanta to Cairo, 111. 20 cts. per cwt.
“ “ “ Chicago, “ 30 “ “ “
“ “ "Cincinnati, 20" “ “
“ “ “ Louisville, 20" “ “
Dealers in provisions should examine
these rates aud make an effort to inaugurate
the business of shipping potatoes to these
distant markets. They are lower than liave
ever been offered in the past. We presume
corresponding low rates may be secured over
other or connecting routes by dint of effort.
The opportunity afforded to develop the
western market for our potatoes should not
be neglected.
SOWING GRASS.
September is the proper month for sowing
grass seeds of all kinds, but October is quite
as favorable a time provided the winter does
not prove es vere. Up to the 19th of the past
month the ground bas been so dry that it
was hot practicable to properly prepare it
and see urea stand, where the work was not
done in September. In the lower portion
of the Gulf Slates grass seeds may be sown
even in November with fair prospect of suc
cess, tevere cold being the only danger.
Heavy seeding and good manuring on well
prepared land are the prime requisites to
success.
THE HOG PEN.
As the weather grows colder a large quan
tity of corn or other fattening food will be
necessarily consumed in laying on a given
weight of flesh and fat. Au ear of corn fed
in October is worth two fed in January.
Push the hogs, giving them all they will eat
and changing their food occasionally. Try
a mixture of cotton seed meal with potatoes.
The meal is well suited to producing flesh as
well os fat. Give charcoal frequently and
occasional meal of turnips or collards. Get
ready to kill by the first good cold spell
which almost invariably occurs about the
middle of November. There is little gained
by feeding fat hogs in cold weather—better
put them in the smokehouse. K.
Green Oats.
Editor Southern World.—Please answer
in your next issue, about how many pounds
of oats—cut in a green state, or just before
maturing, for hay—can be grown on one
acre of land that will grow three-fourths of
a bale of cotioa? J. H. IIines.
Aiken, S. C.
Answer.—It depends very much on the
kind of oats whether low growing or tall.
We cannot give an exact or even a very sat
isfactory answer as we do not remember to
have seen a table showing the relative
weight of green and cured oats. It would
probably be near the mark to say that such
an acre of land would produce not less
than six to eight tons of green oats—cut at
the stage firmaking hay, and that when cured
would weigh from one-third to one-hulf as
much. R.
Editor Southern World—Many of our
farmers say, from experiment, that cotton
seed is not a good manure for barley. Is
that so, and if so, why ?
When is the best time to plant Bermuda
grass, in the fall or spring? J. N. C.
Due Weet,S. C.
Answer.—We have never before heard
that cotton seed was not a good manure for
barley, and know of no reason why itshould
not answer as well for oats, a grain of simi
lar character. The chemical composition of
barley, oats and wheat is so nearly the same
that a manure that is good for one will be
good for all. Oats require more ammonia
and soluble silica and slightly more lime,
and rather less phosphoric acid, but the dif
ference is too small to indicate any material
diflerence in the composition of the fertil
izer required for each. Burley is more par
ticular as to soil, and does not yield satisfac-
factory results on poor land. March is the
best time to set Bermuda, but It will do well
if set in April, May, or June if not very dry.
In the southern part of your State any time
during the first four months of the year will
do. B.
Uesult* of Co-operation.
Editor Southern World.—I wrote to you
giving a synopsis of what our Grange at this
place had accomplished, f. e. we have organ
ized a Farmers Co-operative Store which has
now been in successful operation for three
years. It affords me much pleasure to in
form you that the store is still booming; but
that’s not all, I told you of another enter
prise which we had in contemplation and
that 1 wanted some advice from you on the
subject, (which you kindly gave and I take
this opportunity to thank you for it), a
steam mill and giu.
I promised to write to you and let you know
of our progress. I have waited this long
awaiting the development of our undertak
ing. We commenced on a capital subscrip
tion of four thousand dollars, and by the
first of June we had on our grounds a 30
horse power engine and saw rig which cost
over two thousand dollars. Our machinery
is all on brick foundation and in an open
field. Without even a shelter over the
engine, we commenced to saw lumber. To-
duy we have a commodious bouse, two
stories high, 60 feet long by 32 feet wide, to
gether with a shed 60x32 to cover engine
and saw rig, all of which is covered with an
iron roof, the iron alone costing over three
hundred dollars. The lumber which we con
sumed in the building, (all of which we
sawed ourselves), Is worth in this market
over five hundred dollars. We have just
stopped the saw and commenced to gin, for
which purpose we purchased a seventy saw
Carver gin with feeder and condenser com
plete. The gin has been running just three
days. The first day we ginned and baled
out nine bales, the second, we ginned and
baled out ten bales, the third, we ginned
and baled out twelve bales, and our foreman
asserts that he will gin twelve bales every
day with ease, from sun up to sun down.
But to-morrow is mill day and as we have a
first class eorn mill, made by Manmon &
Nordyke which also rests on a brick foun
dation, a number of the association will
be present to see it make a start, which we
feel assured will give satisfaction. The gin,
mill and press will be run simultaneously.
AVe have been able so far to pay off all
bills and accounts at maturity, and by the
1st of December next, we will not owe a dol
lar on the whole enterprise.
What do you think? The association is
not satisfied yet. They sav they must have
a Plantation cotton seed oil mill also. So
Mr. Editor I will have to call on you again
for information. Where and by whom are
these Plantation mills manufactured?
Please auswer at your earliest convenience
and oblige. Jno. T. Malone.
Capleville. Tenn.
DEKALB'S MODEL FABMER.
Editor Southern World.—At each month
ly meeting of our Farmer’s Club at Decatur,
a committee is appointed to visit and report
upon the farm of one or more of the mem
bers. The committee appointed for that
purpose visited the farm of Mr. George
Webb, and to any farmer who is considering
seriously the question, whether farming can
be made to pay upon ordinary soil, the re
port of the committee will be of exceeding
interest. “ Mr. George Webb’s farm inspect
ed—10 acres in cultivation with one mule
He harvested 250 bushels of oats on 9 or 10
acres, 43 bushels of wheat on 4% acres, 12
acres in upland corn, 4 acres in cotton, in
fine condition, (August.)
While not a carpenter, Mr. AVebb built his
dwelling house and picket fence around yard
and garden, all of which are painted. He
has au orchard of 250 trees and a small vine
yard. He owns 65 acres, 50 of which he pur
chased in 1870, on credit and paid for it
wholly from the products of the farm. He
has one mule, one cow and several hogs. His
farming tools, buggy, wagon and stock are
all well housed and preserved. His fences
are in fine order. He has eleven large gates
and many small ones all swinging upon their
hinges, instead of dragging upon the ground."
The discussion of the report drew out the
following facts:
Mr. Webb uses the gourd for a dipper.
He is at home when not away on business or
at some meeting of his church or Sunday-
school.
Coming to maturity during the " war be
tween the States ” and marrying the year
after its close (1866) he found it necessary to
attend school four months in 1868. At the
time of marriage, neither he nor bis wife had
aught but their scanty wardrobes and 2 beds
of the Confederate make. For four years
after marriage he labored for wages or on
shares on the land of others. In 1870 he
bought 50 acres on time and paid 8 per cent,
on the purchase price; with a small mule
given him by his father and 16 acres of open
land he went to work with a determined
spirit and paid $200 on the land the first
year and in 3 years paid every cent of the
amount due. His wife being in feeble
health necessitated the employment/)! con
siderable labor in the house and the payment
of doctor's bills, so it will be seen that he
succeeded by square, hard and constant work
and severe economy. After this his wife
received from her father’s estate as her share,
15 acres of land, and a buggy which to-day
looks like anew one. From 1870 to date,
Mr. AVebb has never bought $5.00 worth of
meat, but has sold as high as $40.00 worth in
one year..
Mr. Webb states that his money is raised
about one half from cotton and the other
from farm, orchard and garden crops. He
sells something every month. In January
1882 he sold about $10.00 worth, February
$36.00; March, April and May $2.50 each,
June $10 00, July $14.00; August $22.00.
The products of the poultry yard and sur
plus butter belongs to his wife and she uses
the money to pay for necessary labor about
the house and dry goods.
Mr. Webb keeps a memorandum book in
which he records all money received and
paid out. To a member of the committee he
said that then his Indebtedness was $12.00.
He is liberal in all matters of charity and
religion. There is probably not one acre of
what might be called rich land on Mr
Webb's farm. It was worth $650.00 in 1870*
but could now be sold, easily for $1,650.00.'
Its productive capacity has been increased
fourfold. He has no advantage in any re-