Saving Southern Soils Demonstration on Franklin County Farm, 1940

From the November 1940 issue of The Southern Planter

North Carolina State College has demonstrated on the farm of H.F. Fuller, Franklin County, that sound rotations and winter crops are essential to the saving of Southern soils.

In two plots where cotton and corn have been grown continuously since 1937 without a winter cover crop, 44 tons of soil per acre were lost each year.  In another plot, where lespedeza has been grown continuously, no soil was lost during the same period.

In two other plots where corn and cotton have been grown and crimson clover was used as winter crop, the annual loss of soil per acre from the 7 per cent slope was 38 tons. But where a four-year rotation of cotton, corn and barley was planted with lespedeza, crimson clover and barley as winter cover crops, the annual loss of soil per acre was only 7 tons.

In 1939 the corn yielded 31 bushels per acre on the plot where corn has been grown continuously, 51 bushels per acre where it was grown in a two-year rotation, and 53 bushels per acre where it was grown in a four-year rotation. In 1940, barley grown in the four-year rotation yielded 55 bushels per acre.

Extension Homemakers on Way to Australia for International Meeting, 1974

North Carolina Extension Homemaker Delegates to Perth, Australia, ACWW, 1974: Left to right: Bess Alverson, Jemima James, Verla Vick, Juanita Hudson, Helen Bess, Juanita Lagg, president.

J.W. Soles' Success with Scuppernongs in Columbus County, 1940

From the November 1940 issue of The Southern Planter

J.W. Soles of Whiteville, Columbus County, N.C., sold $365.52 worth of scuppernongs this fall from eight-tenths of an acre to find a new cash crop from vines which he set six years ago.

He harvested 18,276 pounds of the grapes which he sold for two cents a pound, or $40 a ton, and says this new enterprise has proved profitable. For the first two years after planting, Mr. Soles fertilized the vines with 1,000 pounds per acre of a complete fertilizer; but since that time he has been to no expense whatever, except for the pruning and harvesting done with ordinary farm labor.

Other farmers in that section have watched Mr. Soles’ experiment with great interest, since nearly every farm has one or more grape vines from which new plants may be rooted. Eastern North Carolina has ideal conditions of soil and climate for the production of scuppernongs, and farmers who are searching for new sources of cash income to supplement that supplied by cotton and tobacco may find the answer in Mr. Soles’ results.

E.P. Thomas Family of Wingate Is an Inspiration, 1940

“Carolina Farm Notes” by F.H. Jeter, Extension Editor at N.C. State College, Raleigh, as published in the Nov. 1940 issue of The Southern Planter

One or two kinds of livestock, one of which should be chickens, along with ordinary crops will help young farmers to become independent landowners. That is the opinion of Tom Broom, oldest county agent in North Carolina from the standpoint of service.

Mr. Broom was led to make this comment by studying the efforts of Mr. and Mrs. E.P. Thomas of Wingate, Route 1. Mr. Thomas embarked for France on the morning of November 11, 1918, but the Armistice was signed that day so he was disembarked and mustered out of the army one month later.

He married Fannie Price on February 5, 1919, and for five years they lived on a rented, one-horse farm. They bought 20 acres in 1923 for $900 on credit. Recently they bought 88 ½ additional acres. Now they own this all, free of debt, and have a beautiful little bungalow in place of the three-room cabin into which they moved when they were married. They own their own car; the home has all modern conveniences of water, electrical power and labor-saving devices; and most of it is due to a flock of 300 laying hens, a herd of 10 cows and much hard work.

Their farm is terraced. They follow a crop rotation, including lespedeza. They live at home,* they have sent one girl through college and now have a son in high school. They say the cows and chickens helped them to pay cash as they went along and the crops came along to furnish the built of the payments which had to be met. This is enough to inspire anyone who loves the land and believes in its promise.

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*Live at home was a program that promoted stretching the family income by producing as much as possible at home, particularly through home food production, rather than relying on a single cash crop.

Bea Griffin and Marie Evans in 'Special Memories'

 “Sleep Walker or Not” by Bea Griffin as printed in Special Memories: A collection of stories by Chowan County Extension Homemakers

When I was 11 or 12 years old my mother made me a pretty new dress of blue and white gingham with a white peter pan collar. After 50-some years I can still see it. Looking forward to wearing it to school the next day, I carefully pressed it with the old flat iron, then hung it on the back of a chair in the bedroom we three girls shared.

When I awoke all excited the next morning and reached for my dress it had disappeared overnight. Knowing my sister Delsie was a sleep walker, I pulled the covers from her, and sure enough, there she lay with my pretty new dress all wrinkled.

So really, was she sleep walking or was it jealousy? I guess I’ll never know. You be the judge.

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“Remembrances” by Marie Evans as printed in Special Memories: A collection of stories by Chowan County Extension Homemakers

I remember going out to the barn in the cold to milk the cow. And making butter by shaking the cream in a fruit jar.

I remember picking cotton in the fall.

Envoy of Peace--U.S. Army Poster

The U.S. Army's CECOM Historical Office has a collection of fine Army posters online at http://cecomhistorian.armylive.dodlive.mil/category/poster-collection/page/2/.

Japan surrendered on August 14, 1945, but the troops didn't all come home at that point. American and British soldiers would occupy Japan until 1951. I chose this particular poster because my father was an Army medic in World War II, returning to the Philippines with General McArthur and then serving with the occupational forces in Japan. 

From Armistice Day to Veterans Day

Veteran's Day was originally Armistice Day, marking the cease fire that ended World War I at 10:58 a.m., November 11, 1919. World War I was originally called The Great War and was referred to as the war to end all wars. 

The United States Congress passed the following concurrent resolution in 1926: 

Whereas the 11th of November 1918, marked the cessation of the most destructive, sanguinary, and far reaching war in human annals and the resumption by the people of the United States of peaceful relations with other nations, which we hope may never again be severed, and

Whereas it is fitting that the recurring anniversary of this date should be commemorated with thanksgiving and prayer and exercises designed to perpetuate peace through good will and mutual understanding between nations; and

Whereas the legislatures of twenty-seven of our States have already declared November 11 to be a legal holiday: Therefore be it Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), that the President of the United States is requested to issue a proclamation calling upon the officials to display the flag of the United States on all Government buildings on November 11 and inviting the people of the United States to observe the day in schools and churches, or other suitable places, with appropriate ceremonies of friendly relations with all other peoples.

Armistice Day was made a legal holiday in 1938. The Act of 1938 was amended in 1954, changing the observance from Armistice Day to Veterans Day, and President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued the first Veterans Day Proclamation:

"In order to insure proper and widespread observance of this anniversary, all veterans, all veterans' organizations, and the entire citizenry will wish to join hands in the common purpose. Toward this end, I am designating the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs as Chairman of a Veterans Day National Committee, which shall include such other persons as the Chairman may select, and which will coordinate at the national level necessary planning for the observance. I am also requesting the heads of all departments and agencies of the Executive branch of the Government to assist the National Committee in every way possible."