The Southern States, March, 1894: An illustrated monthly magazine devoted to the SouthVarious
History
The Southern States, March, 1894: An illustrated monthly magazine devoted to the South
Various
Agriculture -- Southern States -- Periodicals; Southern States -- Industries -- Periodicals; Southern States -- Periodicals
G. N. BARKER, Longstreet, Ga.--As one who has been a resident two years
in Middle Georgia after ten years residence in the West and Northwest,
occupied in stock raising, etc., I may be able to point out a few
advantages and differences relative to these parts. What will strike
the farmer most on arriving in this section is the total absence of
grass meadows or any visible facilities for the pasturing of stock,
but curiously enough, an abundance of fairly nutritious hay may be cut
during summer, of sufficient nutritive value with the assistance of a
little grain for stock. The corn crop is light per acre to one used to
the West; oats, however, yield well when well cultivated, and are off
the ground in May, the same ground making also a good hay crop the same
year. Bermuda grass makes an inexhaustible supply of pasture for all
stock, except three winter months when green rye, barley or oats will
take its place. Italian rye grass I have found grows luxuriantly during
winter and spring, and it makes more milk than almost any herb. Red
top grass also succeeds well. During summer there is an abundance of
forage crops for all classes of stock, and of good nutritious quality.
Stock is healthy here, provided it is kept clean and not overfed with
too highly fattening foodstuffs. My health has vastly improved in this
climate and I have recovered from the exposures of the Northwest. The
land here is poor and run down, but good cultivation and moderate
manuring soon restore a fertility that is astonishing to anyone seeing
only what is done without fertilizer. The greatest drawbacks in this
section are the total inability of the laborer, merchant and business
man to comprehend or encourage anything but cotton. All kinds of fruits
flourish with good care bestowed upon them.
Farmers coming from other parts will have to either do or closely
superintend the minute details of their business; nothing can be left
to the colored labor and they have not yet had any practice with the
better methods or implements. Lumber is cheap; also carpenters very;
to one accustomed to Western prices, so many comforts may be had
unattainable out there. The heat is no drawback, not being anything
like the maximum attained in North Dakota and Montana, but the summer
is long and debilitating to the newcomer, who must use discretion in
taking too much sun the first season. Good foundation stock of all
kinds can be bought here at moderate prices. Living is very cheap
and work not hard, if cotton is let alone, as there is more time
all-the-year-round to work than in colder regions. Roads are moderate
and railroads numerous, obviating the distances to be traveled out West
to and from one’s station and postoffice. As a place of residence for
comfort, absence of great atmospheric changes, cheapness of living and
land, and other things necessary to the comfort of a farmer, I consider
the South has many and varied advantages over the North and West.
From New Hampshire to North Carolina.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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