To the Farmers and
Business Men of Polk County. . . Salutatory Address for the Year 1920
J.R. Sams, County
Agent
Here you are, the new year of 1920. Yes—with fresh red
blooming cheeks—all aglow and full of opportunity for every man, woman and
child in Polk County. Now don’t everybody turn foolish and desire that the same
opportunity shall come to me for it will not, but opportunity certainly will
come to each and all of us. Opportunity does not loiter around and stand and
knock and pound and wait for the individual whose opportunity it is to think
and ponder too long. Opportunity, like time, is ever moving. The individual
must be constantly looking out and ready to lay hold of his opportunity when it
comes. Some may have opportunity this year to make large sums of money, some to
give away large sums of money, some to make great improvements on their farms
and homes, some to preach the gospel, some to teach school, some to sing the
gospel, some to serve in the bank, some in the store, some to grow cattle, some
hogs, some poultry, some to keep house, some to serve as nurse for the sick and
some to dig the ditch that drains the west low lands, and perhaps he is the
greatest benefactor of all. But it matters now where or what the opportunity
may be, let every one watch and be ready to seize the opportunity whatever it
may be and make the most of it. Polk County is of all places in North Carolina
and in the South land a place of opportunity.
Her young men and women, for lack of vision on the part of
the parents, have failed to see these natural opportunities and have gone to
other counties of less opportunity, and old Polk still lies undeveloped. Some
young man might ask the question, where is the opportunity of which you speak?
I answer, all over the county. They may say, the soil is poor. Not so, no where
is the soil so rich in potash, and this is the foundation of good farming. True
humus nitrogen are lacking, but how quick these can be grown and supplied right
on the ground needing them. The great rain fall and splendid sunshine make it
one of the fastest growing places I know. In the county we have an altitude
above sea level of from 895 feet to 3,500 on the mountain heights. On this
great range of altitudes and different soils found, we grow cotton, and all the
grains grown almost anywhere in the United States, when planted at the proper
time and in the proper way. Then all kinds of fruits, from the finest winter
apple to the fit, including the peach, cherry, plum, grape, apricot, pear,
quince, goose berry, current, & c, & c. Then the root crops, such as
sweet and Irish potatoes, turnips of all kinds grow to perfection when properly
cultivated. The water supply for man and beast is of the very best and every
where in great profusion. Fuel in the form of hard wood and pine is abundant,
and will grow father than consumption. Land is cheaper today than any where I
know, compared to its real value. The climate is more than one can ask. Seldom
ever too cold for work on the farm and never too hot to work out or rest and
sleep well at night. All the grasses and clovers will thrive and so well, and
will support the very finest herds of cattle, hogs, sheep and poultry. When
humus and nitrogen are added, and a little lime would help, but not absolutely
necessary, except for alfalfa and a few other legumes.
Now what more does a young man want? Here is a cheap land
and plenty of it. The finest sweet water in the world, and plenty of it. The
best and most equitable climate the year around to be found, no better place on
earth to grow grapes, peaches, apples, strawberries and other fruits than here.
Tomatoes almost grow wild. Everything necessary to grow livestock in the way of
pasturages, and forage crops will grow in great profusion. Timber for home fuel
is abundant and the supply, under our heavy rainfall and good sunshine will grow
faster than the consumption, so, to my mind, there is everything a young man
could ask in the way of opportunity in Polk County. All that is needed is a
good supply of gray matter in the upper story, some genuine nerve in the inner
chamber, a generous amount of real red blood in his veins and a good sensible
wife with grit and pluck, educated to know the meaning of real usefulness and
serve to man kind. Nor this is what Polk County needs. Just this kind of people
hitching up together and make the waste places blossom like the rose.
I know one man who raised a family of boys in Polk County,
and they are doing the very thing I am writing about. They are pulling stumps,
building barns, clearing land, preparing to grow good pastures and later on
growing live stock. They are helping to build good roads and good schools, and,
and are growing a lot of good children to attend these schools. This is what
will make Polk a great and rich county. I know other farmers, sons are seeking
jobs in the city. They work for high wages through the week and “blow” it all during
the week end and at the end of the year are no better off than at the first; while
the father and mother on the wide acres of land back at home are struggling for
a bare existence. I appeal to all parents to make home life such that the
splendid bright boys and girls of the county will settle and remain on the
farms and help build up the greatest county life in all world. There are many
farmers in Polk County that are abundantly able to have the electric light
plant installed in the home to take the drudgery of home life off the mother
and give her opportunity to visit and aid her less fortunate sister in finding
ways to lighten her burdens also. We need improvements along all lines. All
lines of agriculture must be improved. More and better corn, better cotton and more
per acre, better pastures—real pastures I mean—better live stock and more of
it, more and better fruit of all kinds, more and better truck, which will
supply our factories, make business for the banks and merchants and make the
homes prosperous and happy.
To do this the soil must be studied and improved and
operated. This is the task of the farmer, backed up by the banks and merchants
and other business men of the county, to this is the task of all—task of the
banks, task of the merchants to aid the farmers in growing his crops, and
helping him to market the same, task of the farmers to co-operate with these
agencies and County officials, all pulling together for the same great end—and that
end to make Polk County the cleanest, the best and the most desirable place on
earth for men and women to live together on the friendliest and best terms to
be found on the face of the earth. Now this is the task of all—and like men and
women with real hearts of live within, with the necessary gray matter and pluck,
nerve and grit go about this task and make 1920 the most progressive, happiest
and best of all the years within the history of the county. So with good will
and love and greetings of the season, I wish every one a prosperous year and
stand ready as the servant of all to aid any famer or citizen in any way
possible to better his or her condition.
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