Carolina Farm Notes, December 1938

Carolina Farm Notes by F.H. Jeter, Extension Editor, N.C. State College, Raleigh, as published in the December 1938 issue of The Southern Planter

In spite of an unfavorable season for corn growing in the mountain section of North Carolina, yields of 100 bushels of grain an acre are being harvested by some of the 65 farmers who entered the annual Henderson-Transylvania Corn Growing Contest.

An official harvest made recently on the farm of W.A. Lance of Horse Shoe resulted in a yield of 102 bushels and 45 pounds of corn on an acre entered by Mr. Lance, and of 113 bushels and 45 pounds of corn on the acre entered by his grandson, Reid Lance. Lance grows the variety known as Lance’s Prolific, originated on his farm. The two acres in the official contest were grown in rotation with red clover and were fertilized with 400 pounds of a 4-12-4 mixture.

The contest is conducted annually in the two counties by G.D. White, farm agent of Henderson, and J.A. Glazener, farm agent of Transylvania. These two agents report that a number of the farmers will produce over 100 bushels of corn per acre.

STATE 4-H WINNERS

Winners of State 4-H Club contests among girls who will receive a free trip to the National 4-H Congress at Chicago, November 26 to December 3 have been announced by Frances MacGregor, assistant 4-H leader.

These winners are Ruth Alexander, 18-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. R. Lee Alexander of Iredell County, records; Helen Higdon, 17, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. D.C. Higdon of Jackson County, food conservation; Margaret Kinlaw, 18, daughter of Mrs. R.A. Kinlaw of near Fayetteville in Cumberland County, food preparation; Lucille Gupton, 20, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J.P. Gupton of Vance County, rural electrification; Mildred Bell Edwards, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Edwards of Winteville, Pitt County, clothing; and Ruth King Mason, Iredell County, 4-H Health Queen.

Miss MacGregor says two other girls may win a Chicago trip by winning sectional contests in which they are now engaged. These are Eloise McLaurin of Cumberland County, state winner in home beautification, and Carmen Nicholson of Jackson County, winner in handicrafts. These two girls have already received watches as state awards. The Bethware Club of Cleveland County also will compete for national awards in a social progress competition.

BETTER THAN COTTON, DURHAM COUNTY

Forty dollars an acre from his seed in addition to the straw and leaves left on the land for soil improving purposes is a fair return for his labor, believes David S. Ball of Bahama, Route 1. Mr. Ball planted two acres of Korean lespedeza last spring. From this two acre plot he has harvested 1,600 pounds of seed which will give him at least 1,400 pounds of recleaned seed. At this low price of six cents a pound, this means a $40 income from each acre in addition to the greater benefits provided by plowing the straw and leaves into the soil.

BURLEY TOBACCO

Burley, considered as North Carolina’s “junior” tobacco crop, is now being sorted and graded in preparation for the opening of the Asheville market on December 7. Burley tobacco is grown in Alleghany, Ashe, Watauga, Caldwell, Burke, Rutherford, Polk and all counties west of these. A total of 5,262 of the 7.163 Burley grows in the state, or 73.5 percent, voted for quotas in the referendum held last April 9.

It is expected that these growers will have all information about their 1939 allotment in time for the AAA referendum to be held on December 10.

TONS OF CABBAGE ON MACON COUNTY FARM

Forty-two tons of cabbage were harvested by J.T. McCoy of the Goldmine section in Macon County from four acres of land set to the crop this spring. These cabbages sold for an average of $16 a ton and the four acres brought $672. This was in addition to vegetables used at home. Mr. McCoy said production expenses, including all labor for harvesting and marketing amounted to $221 which left a net profit of $460 from the four acres.