The Bulletin 13 



yields of 30 bushels being recorded. Small acreages are usually sown to 

 rye, but most of this crop is either pastured or turned under as a soil 

 improver and no yields of grain were secured. 



Dairying and market gardening are carried on in the vicinity of 

 Charlotte for the purpose of supplying, in part, the local demand for 

 these products. Seven creamery routes ship about 8,000 pounds of 

 butter fat per month. There is probably 10 per cent more live stock in 

 the county now than in 1910. Poultry raising on a small scale is 

 carried on and brings in a considerable revenue to farmers. 



In addition to the products just enumerated there is grown a con- 

 siderable quantity of sweet potatoes, Irish potatoes, cabbages, and other 

 vegetables, a few strawberries and some peanuts. Watermelons and 

 cantaloupes are grown commercially in a small way and are ready 

 money crops. Patches of sorghum are grown and manufactured into 

 sirup for home use. Around nearly every farm are found a few apple 

 trees, peaches, pears, and occasionally cherries and figs. Hogs for sup- 

 plying needs of the homes are raised on most every farm, and occa- 

 sionally some are sold at the local markets. 



RECOGNITION GIVEN ADAPTATION OF SOILS 



It is generally recognized by the farmers that the meadow or bottom- 

 lands along the streams are especially suited to the production of corn, 

 while the Congaree fine sandy loam produces extra large watermelons. 

 They recognize that the Durham sandy loam and the lighter areas of 

 the Cecil sandy loam are well adapted to sweet potatoes, peanuts, and 

 early truck crops, while strawberries, cabbage, Irish potatoes, sweet corn, 

 and tomatoes do best on the slightly heavier soils. It is also recognized 

 that the Cecil clay loam, Iredell loam, and the Mecklenburg clay loam 

 soils are well suited to the growing of cotton, corn, wheat, oats, and 

 clovers. The Iredell and Mecklenburg soils are especially well suited 

 to Johnson grass, and the Iredell loam especially to oats. Around Rock 

 Hill, South Carolina, across the State line, the red clay of the Mecklen- 

 burg soils is used for the production of alfalfa on a commercial scale, 

 and is a profitable crop. 



PREPAEATION AND CULTIVATION OF SOILS 



In recent years there has been considerable improvement made in the 

 preparation of land. Many farmers, however, plow their land shallow 

 and do not produce the mellow seed-bed before the crops are planted. 

 The best farmers now plow their land fairly deep, harrow it two or 

 three times, and give the crops from three to five cultivations. Some 

 disk the corn land and drill in the wheat. Many others break this land 

 to a depth of 5 to 8 inches, harrow until it is pulverized finely, then 

 drill in the wheat. The crimson clover is either sown in the fall alone ; 

 at the first picking of cotton ; or at the last cultivation of corn. 



