Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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ALFALFA GROWERS ORGANIZED W1SACKY FARMERS I NDERTAKE WORM. OF FAR-REACIUNG 1 MFD Kl t\< I I>SJ ( niiniv Alfalfa (.rowrrs A???4Hia uuu UrganUcd with Twenty flieht Members Each of Whom Has Planted ?MT Will Plant One or More Acres of Alfalfa?Organization Cotapoeed of Most Pro?;rc*?dve tN-rw-ecN of This Section?Alfalfa Growing Haa Already Pax*cd Ex prrlsamtsl Stage at Wlr+aoky?A Nsnaber of Farmers WIR Flow up Cotton to Plant Their Aon*. The farmers of the Wlaacky sec? tion of Lee county -having: become thoroughly convinced by the demon? stration plot of alfalfa that has been growing on Mr. R. M. Cooper's farm for the past two years that alfalfa can be grown successfully and profi? tably In that section have decided to plant alfalfa as a regular crop here? after. More than thirty representative farmers met at Mr. Cooper's farm Friday and after hearing an address on the subject of alfalfa culture by Mr. A. O. Smith, of the United States Department of Agriculture, twenty eight of them organised the Lee County Alfalfa Grower* Association, the condition of membership being that each pledge himself to plant one er more acres of alfalfa at the next planting season?September or Oc? tober?and to cultivate it under the direction and aupervleon of tbe agents of the Department of Agriculture. So enthusiastic and determined were some of the members to leave nothing undone that would promote the sue e*awful accomplishment of the under tafeln*: that they pledged themselves to plow up at least one acre of cot? ton. If no other Und on their places were found adapted to alfalfa, in or? der that the land may bo properly prepared for the sowing of the alfal? fa thla fall. This gives in the fewest possible words an Idea of the spirit that animates the pioneer alfalfa grower* of L?ie County. They believe that the greatest of all forage plants can be grown as n commercial crop on their lands arJ i re determined to give it the best posidble chance to mwk* good, reducing the possibility of failure to a mln'.mum, to the end that the doubting Thomases may not have horrible exempt.** to point to when they make the ttvread-bare ar? gument that this is a cotton country and that the man who trlee to make any other crop is either a fool or Wore*. They are inspired by the spir? it that accomplishes results and works revolutions in agriculture, as well as In other things. It it> a safe predic? tion tbat the Lee County Alfalfa Growers Association will grow alfalfa and that the twenty-eight will be greatly multiplied within tbe next two year*, for by the expiration of tbat time recult* will convince tbe less progressive farmer* tbat it is time to get on the band wagon of diversifica-' tlon. rotation and soil Improvement. The meeting it Friday was tbe first striking result of the demonstration work in alfalfa culture undertaken St Wlaacky two years ago by Mr. A. G. Smith, with the hearty co-opera? tion of Mr. R M. Cooper and his -on. Mr. R. M. Cooper. Jr.. who haa charge of the farm. One and a fifth acres of alfalfa were planted in the fall of ItlO under the direction of Mr. Smith. The land was selected by Mr. Smith and after having been fertiliz? ed and limed was thoroughly p.. Pared before the seed were sown. A good stand was secured and the crop grew so well that the first season? the spring and summer of 1911?the r*?!d wss at the rate of six tons per acre. The second season?1912?the yield from the plot of one and a fifth acres was 15,t)CO pounds, notwith? standing the fact that tbe army worms destroyed one cutting entirely, only three. Instead of four cuttings having be*n made. This year the first cu.tlng was the heaviest tbat has yet been secured. The sec ond cutting tbat was made Just a few dsys ago was stttl on the ground curing, and the yield could not be estimated accurately, but Mr. Cooper stated that It wee not a* heavy as the first cutting this year, as the dr> weather since th* flrst ssjttttsg had retarded the growth. It Is this 'Xperimental p|y| snd an additional four acres that Mr. Cooper planted last fall that con? vinced bis neighbors that thero Is more In alfalfa than mere talk. Hence the meeting and tin- organisa? tion of the association The r-owd begun to assemble about U n o'clock and Wh*S Mr Smith arrived at 11 there were genre than thirty gathered In the grove In front of Mr Cooper * borne. The first thing In order was an ln*pe. t lag of Ik* alfalfa fields, in ? Bj b of whe h I Small pb>t had been left unmowed, so that the growing plants In both Do old and new plots could be seen. Re. turning to the grove where seats had been arranged for the creerd Mf IV M Cooper. Jr. wie. I . I tiled tin meeting at the request of It****. Interested in alfalfa, wax naked to state tbe object of the meeting II? did so ver\ briefly, saying that Mr. A G. Smith of the Department of Agn culture would talk on alfalfa growing and explain the subject fully. In in? troducing Mr. Smith, he said that the alfalfa which had just been inspected had been planted under the direction of Mr. Smith and that the success that had attended the experiment ?poke for Itself. Mr. Smith, he said, was an authority on alfalfa, that he came to South Carolina from an alfalfa coun , try and that so highly did the oftV cials of the Department of Agricul ? ture esteem his knowledge of the subject that he was assigned the duty of writing the department bulletin on alfalfa culture. In his introductory remarks Mr. Smith gave a brief out? line of the history of the alfalfa ex? perimental plot on the Cooper farm, stating the facts relative to yield quoted above. He said that efforts had been made to grow alfalfa in this State for at least thirty or forty years, but that there had been an average of three complete failures to one success, and that when the census of 1910 was tak? en there were only 139 acres of alfalfa growing in the whole of South Caro? lina. The failures were not due to any fault of the plant, but to the fact that those who had attempted to grow it did not know how. Anybody can grow alfalfa with proper care, but no one can succeed with slip-shod methods. It is not a 1 question of whether alfalfa will grow, 1 but whether It is planted by the proper people who will give it the in? telligent care that Is essential. It j should be planted on good, well drain led land, having an open, porous sub soil. A porous subsoil is preferable because the roots will penetrate to a depth of six to ten feet and the growth of the plant will be more vigorous. A soil with a wet, pipe? clay subsoil will not do, and land with a water level of less than three feet should be avoided. A sandy soil with a deep sandy subsoil Is not suit? able. On this type of land vetch, fol? lowed by peavines, is recommended, and experience proven that better and more profitable results are obtain? ed than with alfalfa. The best land for alfalfa is a well drained s.indy loam, with a porous clay subsoil. Select land that is in a good state of cultivation and free of noxious weds. Do not plant on land that Is in Bermuda grass, nut grass and Johnson grass are not as objec | tlonable as Bermuda, in fact do not Interfere seriously with alfalfa Hav? ing selected the right land it should be planted in oats, followed by cow peas. Before planting the peas ap? ply barnyard manure am', ilme. (Jet the peas off In September, for that is the best time to plant alfalfa. Plant? ing later than October 10th, is not advised and after November 1st the chances of obtaining a good stand are not more than fifty per cent. Pre? pare the land well, plowing deep where the land has been plowed deeply heretofore, but plow shallow where the land has heretofore been plowed shallow, and follow with a sub-soiler. For alfalfa It Is neces? sary to keep the fertile soil, contain? ing organic matter, on the surface. The best time to apply tho lime, if it was not put down with the peas, is af? ter plowing, then work it in. But re? member that lime is an absolute ne? cessity, as much so as inoculation. Apply not less than two tons of ground limestone, but not more than five, since more than five tons would not be profitable. Ground limestone is better than burnt lime, the latter costing more, and, unless great care la exercised, will burn the humus out of the soil. Ground lime-stone should cost laid down at Wiaacky, about $3 per ton, if bought in quantity by co-oper? ation among the farmers. At York ville it costs $2.30 in bulk and $2.80 per ton in sacks. Too much emphasis cannot be placed upon the need of lime, lands here need lime more than J ordinary fert'Mzer. Lime also pays well when used with general crops, ? ?n poor, sandy land near Columbia two tons of lime to the acre brought an Increase of 108 pounds of cotton per acre and 800 pounds of pea vine hay. Additional fertilizer to be ap? plied should be 1,000 pounds of basic slag. 1,000 pounds of kainit and 400 pounds of ammoniated (cotton seed meal.) Do not use acid phosphate, as It will kill the bacteria. The next point In inoculation. You must inoculate to obtain success with alfalfa. It Is best to use soil from u field where alfalfa is growing, If It is obtainable. This bacteria bearing soil nhonhl be applied at the rate of OHO two-horse wagon load to the acre, more would hi better. This BO|| should not be exposed to the sun? light and should be cowred as soon as applied to the land. Apply by brood uitlng on top of the prepared soil ami follow Immediately with ? smoothing harrow, if the Inoculated soil (-? got available, cultures ran be ueed, it can i.btalned from the government, or Parm-o-gcrm, sold by ( M "i inner t'? , will do. This rul lure ohouId be ueed exactly ;<s direct? ed, omre being, taken thai it is not ex? posed to sunlight. Thlrt) pounds of alfafa seed should la nse,i to the acre, it must be sown broadcast broadfasi hair of the seed une waj of the Hold and the other hair I broadcast across, so that there will be no missing places. The seed should he covered lightly, using one-horse weedcr; then roll thoroughly to smooth and firm the soil. If after the first, or subsequent cutting, crab grass should give trou? ble it can be controlled by going over it with a weeder and scratching the soil?this will kill tho grass and not injure the alfalfa. In this section alfalfa will last with? out re-seeding for five to eight years and make profitable crops. It lasts longer on red land than on sandy. Another point that must be consid? ered is the seed. He sure to buy the best seed with a guarantee of freedom from weed seed. Some seed that is sold on the market is adulterated with weed seed?yellow trefoil, buckhorn, etc., and this must be guarded against. At the conclusion of his talk Mr. Smith answered a number of ques? tions and explained in greater detail some of the points that he had cover? ed. The meeting was then organized by tho election of Mr. Hugh Scott as temporary chairman. Mr. Smith pre? sented and read a draft of constitu? tion and by-laws, which was adopted. The name of the organization agreed on was "The Lee County Alfalfa Growers Association." Membership is limited to residents of Lee County and adjacent territory. The officers elected were: President?R. W. McCutchcn. Vice-president?C. W. Josey. Secretary and Treasurer?H. M. Cooper, Jr. Tho Constitution and By-laws pro? vide for the appointment of two standing committees ? Purchasing Committee and Membership Com? mittee?which will be named by the President at his leisure. The dues are one dollar per year, payable an? nually in advance. Three regular meetings are to be held?spring, sum? mer and the anjnual meeting in De? cember?and other special meetings will be held at the call of the Pres? ident. The following members were en? rolled, each one signing an agree? ment to plant one or more acres of alfalfa at the next regular Beason? this fall: J. E. Scott. W. C. Rogers, L. P. Carter, L. R. Beasley, C. W? Josey, E. B. McCutchcn, W. W. McCutchen. R. W. McCutchen, G. H. McCutchen. H. D. Thomas, W, E. Du rant, L. F. Montgomery, R. L. Hearon, J. J. Shaw, Jr., R. M. Jenkins, R. W. Law, J. E. McCutchen Jr. Geo. McCutch? en, J. J. Shaw, W. W. DcsChamps, Roben M. Cooper, R. M. Cooper, Jr., 8. N. Welsh, W. A. Gardner, A. H. Rogers, J. E. Mayes, J. V. Carter, L. D. Welsh. Three or four signed with the pro? viso that they would plant this fall if they had land suitable to alfalfa that would be clear of other crops. If they could not plant this fall, they would begin then to get their land in condition to plant the following year. Several announced their intention of of plowing up an acre of cotton now so that the land could be planted In peas to be in readiness to sow alfalfa in September. In the afternoon Mr. Smith visited tho farms of a number of the asso? ciation members for the purpose of inspecting their lands and selecting the acres to be Planted in alfalfa. He visited the farms of those who agreed to plow up cotton to make way for alfalfa and selected the acres of land best suited for the purpose. The meeting, all things considered, was a most encouraging one. It dem? onstrated that the Wisacky section is imbued with the progressive epirit of modern, scientific farming nnd that the farmers are alive to the oppor? tunity as well as the necessity of profitable diversification of crops. The men who formed the Lee County Alfalfa Growers Association are among the most intelligent and suc? cessful farmers in this section of tho Itati and if they cannot make a suc? cess of alfalfa growing it may as well be accepted as a fact that It is not adapted to this soil and climate. But no one who has seen what has been accomplished on Mr. Coopsr's farm believes that there is a possibility of failure In the undertaking to which the new association has committed itself with so much earnestness. Just before the meeting adjourned Mr. Smith distributed among tho members the following brief directions for planting alfalfa. Directions for Planting Alfalfa. Select a field of well drained lund of good fertility and free from nox , ions weeds. The subsoil should be porous If the land is in oats, follow with cow peas, removing tho cowpeas by the first of September. Prepare the land thoroughly, if the land has not pr? viously been 1 plowed deep, plow shallow and sub? soil. Uae ;it hast three tons of ground limestone per acte, applying so ms to keep the lime in the lop soil. More hme would be ad\ laable. Apply ten in more Iwo-horse wag "ii loads of barnyard manure porj acre. The lime and barnyard man? ure are most efficient when applied for the pea crop. Fertilize as for a banner crop of corn or cotton. Basic slag is prefer? able to acid phosphate. Cotton seed meal or blood meal is preferable to nitrate of soda. The fertilizers should he applied a few days before the alfalfa is plant? ed. Inoculate with soil from an old field of alfalfa or with cultures. Care must be taken to keep the soil out of the sunlight frcm the time it is taken out of the old field until it is worked into the new one j to prevent killing the inoculating bacteria. .Similar care must be tak? en with the cultures. Put the land in perfect condition and plant in the month of September. ?Sow 30 pounds of seed per acre, sowing one-half one way across the field and half the other way to pre? vent skips. Cover lightly and roll the land. Attendance Records. The following are the statistics for attendance of the pupils of the City Schools for 1912-1913: First Grade Girls: Neither absent nor tardy; Louise ,eddingham. Not absent: Louise Leddingham. Not tardy: ? Anna Leeze Walsh, Genevieve Buck, Martha Carr, Katie Durant, Margaret Durant, ? j Iii?? Helen Hinsoi^ ^ Mabel Hurst, Willie Hudson, MM Margaret Cherry, J i I Margaret Nettles, S { Esther Ostecn, Susie Osteen, Pearl Reams, j Minnie Reams, Nannie Sue Simpson, ? t Bessie Troublefleld, ? Annie Waggoman, # ?? Marlon Yates, ?. Margaret Dick, Katherlnc Sternberger. First Grade Roys: Neither absent nor tardy: Joe Tinsley, Not absent: Joe Tinsley, " Not tardy: / Edward Baldwin, Albert Beach, Glenn Birchard, Luther Carnes, Joe Darr, Alfred Gregg, John Hancock, Guy Hatfleld, Walter Hatfleld, [ j Mac Jenkins, ';! ) Ansel King, Philip McNeal. Oliver Sholar, Henry Taylor, Wendell Turner, Joe Tinsley, John Whllden, Sam Stafford, | Robert Walker, Harold Wannamaker, Sbelton Wactor, / Whlteford Wedlklnd. ^. Second Grade Girls: " Not tardy: j Edna Boney, Margaret Edmunds, Er ma Bultraan, | Lucy Burns, 1 Susie Gregg, 4 4 Florence Hurst, Cecile Lide, / ^ j Sarah Luc lug, J i \ May Willis Osteen, '?! Audrey Schwerin, v Priscilla Shaw, | j ?! * Eucile Smoak, f u Mamie Tucker, J j Not absent: ; Florence Hurst, Priscilla Shaw, * Neither absent nor tardy; Florence Hurst, Priscilla Shaw. Second Grade Boys and Girls. Not tardy: Leon King, Marion Curtis. t Guignard Wilder, Warren Richardson, Don Blanding. J Towsond Rivers, j | J Du Rose Rivers, if. : Franklin Jackson, Truesdalw Moseley, i William Meran. ', Kenneth Jennings, Horace Darr, ? S ? * Donald Auld, i 1 Delmar Wadford, J J? : Henry Llgon, J Marion Foxworth, I ' J Eddie Hancock, Louis Lyon, ! Robert Aldredge, Jessie Haynswotth, \i Hazel Chandler, ? f 1 Blbridge Kennedy, f Carleton Whllden, Not absent: { ? tAJ** Blbridge Kennedy, ? * I Carleton Whilden, I Neither absent nor tardy Rlbridge Kennedy, Carleton Whilden, ^ Tlilnl Crude ftlrla, * Not tardy: Ethel Bynum, Doris Moses, | | | t Elizabeth Owens, ^ Margaret Sanders, - Louise Troublefield, Mildred Wactor. Tlilrd Grade Boye. Bcnnic Alpert, Not tardy: Vivian Weldon, Thomas Rowland, J ? Edward Buck, Robert Bland, ; Frank Clarke, i DeSaussure Edmunds, Alken Kennedy, Henry McLaurin, Marion Phelps. Not absent ^ Bennie Alpert, < i t Charles Haynsworth, Neither absent nor tardy: Bennie Alpert. Fourth Grade Girl?. Not tardy: Thelma Carr, t Isabel Jennings, Marie King, Marion Knight, \ ^ Bessie Parham, Fannie Richardson, Alice Rowland, * t t as i ? ? Elizabeth Waggoman, . Catharine Warren, Irene Dixon. Alice Bynum ha? been neither tardy nor absent. Fourth Gra?e Boye. Neither absent nor tardy: Charlton Walah. ? Not tardy: Allen Andrews, < Dyer Barnum, J James Blanding, j Austin Beck, | { \ . Jesse Hudson, ; i Ray Lowry, "j | r. I John Morrisy, . . ? Blanding Nettles, '/& Wilmot Owens, I j \ ,\'\ Julius Pitts, C f ? DuPre Rhame, Sheldon Reynolds, Earl Witherspoon. Charlton Walsh. j j ; Not absent: Charlton Walsh. Fifth Grade Girts. Not absent: 'mi Marion Jackson, Clarice Wise. ! I Naomie Shearer, | Ethel Rev 111, ; ? . ? Not tardy: Margaret BeaumoaU Ruth Lyon, Florlne Rowland, \ ? ' Loulle Folsom, Katie Reardon, Bertha Jones, 1 ~ Carrie Harper, . i ? Lorine Troublefield, Reba Spann. * * t Naomi Shearer, f Ethel Revlll. Neither absent nor tardy: Naomie Shearer, Ethel Revlll. f . Fifth Grade Boya. Not absent; u Henry Edmunds, I. Archie Phelps, i Alexander Tisdale, Harold DeLorme, j. Not tardy: , ? 't. : Henry Edmunds, Archie Phelps, i j j Claude Smith, Wiley Sholar, Jenkina Knight, Wiley Sholar, [I a 9. t Edward Booth, Dick Bowie, Kenneth Dennis, *? Leslie Schwarta, p Douglas Cheyne, /? ? Julius Kolb, . Jj John Shaw, ! j Robert Edmunds, J J Harold DeLorme, Neither absent nor tardy: Archie Phelps, Henry Edmunds, Harold DeLorme. Sixth Grade Girls. Not tardy: . *j Winntfred Alexander, ' Mary Bland, j J Constance Bultman. Mary Darr, . ^ [j Ainslie Felder, j ? J Lilllo Folsom, J?* ,4 y y ? Kathleen Parham, jjg Thelma Turner, $ * Nell G?lls. 1 II I ' * Mary Knight. sixth Grade Boya. Not absent: ? i v\ John Tinsley. ? { Not tardy: ' * J Cecil Kolb. f ^ Richard Gallagher, I j Marion Hurst. Seventh Grade Girls. Not absent: f Frances DeLorme, j k s Gladys Chandler, Mary Brunson, | Pauline Phelps. Not tardy: * ? J ? Trances DuLorme, | j : Gladys Chandler, J '1 Mary Hrunson, | ^ ^ Dorothy Burns, J f Marguerite Chandler, ' f Virginia Chandler, ?I ' j Annie Churchill, Lurttne Griffin, Sarah Herbert, Carrie Marshall, (?ra< e Reynolds, Jante Strange, j n'5 Hill im Katbryn ?Stubbs, Lucile Brunsoni ' ' 1 Neither absent nor tardy: ij Frances DeLorme, Gladys Chandler, ?? : < Mary Branson, j Scvcntii Grade Boys. Not tardy: | Robert Team, ^ Robert Reaumont, Walton Butlman, | ~ J Henry Thomas, , 4 Mims Pitts, I II ' Not absent: Eugene Sanders, entered fourth month. a j First Year High School GlrU. Not absent: Marion Raffleld, j. y Ruth Rcvill, " i'?l\&jfL Maggie Lou White. TP Neither absent nor tardy: Marion Raffleld, Ruth Revill, fi Maggie Lou White. tj*j ] J | i Not tardy: . { | Ruby Benbow, jj -* | \ Mary Adda Booth, ??) j Hallle Cuttlno, i d Jessie Harper, j ? .. . Elizabeth Lucius, . ? i t $ Mildred Nettles, f r. ^^-^1 Ruble Oliver, Marion Raffleld, j' : W Elna Ramsey, * k&BaS Ruth Revill, i .' . \. Margaret Waggoman, j Leona Walker, M ^Ji Maggie Lou White, First Year High School Boys, j Not absent: ? * James Burgess, ^ Zack Darr, 5 1 I S Whit Shaw. 4 ,' . ^ P Leslie Boney. )i | , j Not tardy: J J ';. I 'j Edward Brogdon, Hal Clarke, Zack Darr, Ralph Flowers, Percy Rhame, j7;BIeVt WThit Shaw. <" Leslie Boney. Neither absent nor tardy: I^eslie Boney. ! 1 ,1 Whit Shaw, \ . . ' Zack Darr. Second Year High School Girls. Not tardy: Colzy Herlot, \1 - Anna Eliza Brunson, y Anna Bryan, Minnie DeLorme, Lillian Delgsr, Sara Edmunds, Elizabeth Hood, Nell Phillips, Mary Ellen Riehardson, Virginia Thomas, Kethleene Walsh. Not absent: Elizabeth Hood, Neither absent nor tardy: Elizabeth Hood. Second Year High School Boys. Neither absent nor tardy: George Rowland, ?"' * j J Charles Wilson. ' * * :? & Not tardy: J j j t; | , Marion Tolar. ; \ V f SA* 1 Charles Bradham, Wiley Rraziel. ,j jV'.!^ Albert Brogdon, J jj" ^ y | John Green, y Edward Hinson. jj-- d ^ ^ Walter Jennings, J ? 4 . Hensel Miller. \ . i .t.v .j Mac Stubbs. . ^ George Rowland. ' J | -j < j Charles Wilson. \j ^ f*j Not absent: j j j ] Dewitt Brunson, John Gallagher, ^ >. j-.Ajjj James* Sanders, \ George Rowland, \ >1 Charles Wilson. j Third Year High Sohool Gtrb. Not tardy: | ,j Rosalie Brown, jv| (i^4 <, j Thelma Bultr.ian, , ^ ,j Laura Fr?ser, jj . ' . J Kate Hinson, J i $ \ $ Virginia Ives, ^ J ! ?-| ? Kathleen Mercer, i ^ l.| 1*> i i Mae Porter, I . | 'X - Aline Reynolds, | j j!;t *? Lell Weathers, j i. |:'| t J Esther Clarke. * ^ iii; Not absent: k '\ Aimie Herbert. \ Third Year High bvhooLB^ra' Not fcbeent: - * v A Charles Boone, ? j Roland Lawrence. j 1 . J\ Julius Chandler, ). { J f\ y*\ Ansley Hurst. 1 f ^.ftPgfl Not tardy: ' 11fII IVafaf Thos Monaghan, i ? a. Giftord Shaw, > Julius Stubbe, 1 . j i jfllll'li Wilton Wallace, , ^ Iveslie Brower, ' - ? ( Julius Chandler, j *J Ansley Hurst. 4*1 1 Neither absent nor late: ^ Julius Chandler, ) Ansley Hurst. * Attendance records for the fourth year High School have already been published, _ . t Ue-t - Miss Marguerite McLeod entertain ed Thursday morning in an informal way. a number of her friends being present to enjoy the occasion. The young ladies spent their time in em? broidering ^nd conversation. Re freshments ot ice cream and cake bb ing served. Delightful music wa- fur? nished by Misses Hurt rude Knight, Margaret McLeod and others.