A visitor to the farm of Mr. Marshall P Lassiter of Elevation township is an inspiration to anyone who delights in looking over a model farm.
Mr. Lassiter started out in life 32 years ago with a medium-sized farm, not an acre of which was cleared, and a gun and a dog, when labor was 40 cents a day or 25 cents and board. Turpentine from the pine trees furnished the money to pay laborers for helping to clear the land. Mr. Lassiter says it was much harder to get up enough money to pay 40 cents for labor in those days than it is now to meet the present high prices. Eventually however, by tireless effort month after month, the trees and stumps disappeared, and fine crops were produced on the “new” land.
The farm now consists of 350 acres and all the cleared land in the highest state of cultivation. His potato crop and corn and soybeans are unsurpassed in Johnston county. Seventy-five acres are planted to the Wannamaker improved variety of cotton, which is from waist to shoulder high and is loaded with bolls. It is estimated that the fruitage is sufficient to produce at least 100 bales.
Mr. Lassiter believes that rotation of crops is the best way to build up soil and keep it fertile. He plants beans in his corn and also sees that his land is protected from washing in winter by a cover crop.
All of Mr. Lassiter’s time and attention are not devoted to field crops. From the establishment of his home, he has striven to install every labor-saving device and today he has one of the best equipped country homes in this section.
A Delco-Light plant furnishes light for the home, store, garage, and barn. A Delco pump carries water from the deep well into the house. The churn, iron, washing machine, fans and other devices are run by electricity. He also has telephone service.
This progressive farmer has a saw mill, corn mill, wood saw and large truck for use on his farm. A small round building of brick and concrete, ventilated at the top, services as an ice house in summer and a place for keeping sweet potatoes in winter.
Several years ago Mr. Lassiter opened a country store and he has built up a large trade in his territory. Later he put in a garage in connection with the store, and he now has repair work from miles around his home.
An orchard of three or more acres is devoted to man fine varieties of apples and peaches. This year the trees have been fairly loaded with fruit. The famous James scuppernong grapes and a large number of big pecan trees are also found on this farm.
The entire farm is well kept and the yard around the home is scrupulously neat. Mrs. Lassiter, who is a great lover of flowers, sees to it that there is plenty of variety and color in the plants about the house. They are planned to form just the setting for this country home.
Mr. Lassiter is the oldest son of the late John W, Lassiter and Mrs. Lassiter of near Four Oaks. He is a successful farmer, and his success has been due to hard work, executive ability, and everlasting faithfulness to the job.
Editor’s Note: A Delco-Light plant is a gasoline-powered generator used to provide electricity for a country home and/or farm in the 1920s.
From the front page of the Smithfield Herald, Friday morning, September 17, 1926
To see a photo of Mr. Lassiter standing in his field, go to: newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn92073982/1926-09-17/ed-1/seq-1/
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