They think that to scratch over many acres of land, guiltless of manure or help of any kind, with a yoke of oxen and then to have all the family from the oldest to the youngest turn out and plant the corn by hand, disturbing it as little as possible by work until it is ready to harvest, is to be a farmer, and they are satisfied. In the spring R. L. A. was trying to persuade one of these very satisfied old men to plant a few acres under the direction of the Department. He turned on him.
"Look a' yere, young man," he said, "I bin fa'ming long before y'u ever wus thought of, en I want y'u to onderstan' I don't believe in deep ploughin', I don't."
R. L. A. used all his blandishments until the old man promised to plant two acres by his directions, beginning with deep ploughing. He told me that when he went back some months later the old man said:—
"Youngster, I don't know what's the reason, but I kyan't get any of my corn to grow but them two akers o' yourn—the dry drought is just a-burning up the rest o' my corn." And still later when the steady rains set in and he went that way the old man clapped him on the back and said with much embellishment of action:—
"Well, you've got me; the rain's done finished the rest of the corn, but them akers of yourn jest keep on a-growin' en a-growin', en I jest tell you now next year I plants jest about half o' what I bin a-plantin' en I ploughs it all deep en does jest es you tells me to do."
That was a wonderful triumph for the young director, and he tells me there are many such cases.
July 21.
Having land prepared for turnips, which are a very important winter crop for us. The corn and cotton both look very well, also the potatoes, and the little amount of rice planted is fine. The agricultural society of the State has offered a prize of $100 for the best results in hay from five acres of alfalfa during 1906, and I have determined to enter the contest. I know I cannot get the prize, but trying for it will make me more careful in planting and preparing the land. They give very exact directions and insist on a great deal of fertilizer being used—that is, what seems to me a great deal, and I never would spend all that money unless I were in a way forced to it by entering the contest. I am now reading everything I can find on the subject of alfalfa, and there is a great deal to be found.
Wrote to George T. Moore for inoculating material for alfalfa. I am so delighted that he is back in the Department of Agriculture, so that I can write to him. I have been miserable over what I considered the great injustice to him, and am so thankful that amends have been made and he has been reinstated.
I am so happy to-day over a check received from a liberal paymaster that I am quite stupid. I had sent off the last money I had in the bank for fertilizer for the alfalfa, and was feeling anxious, and now I am so relieved.