54 BULLETIN 648, IT. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



margin of profit per bushel. As a grain crop, rye is very uncertain 

 on this light, sandy soil, but it fills an important place as a cover 

 and pasture crop. 



COWPEA HAY. 



Cowpeas are frequently difficult to cure for hay in this region, 

 owing to rains during the period in which this crop matures. For 

 this reason, the crop is not so commonly planted here as it is but 

 a short distance farther north in the State. One-half of the area 

 of oats and rye for grain is followed by a crop of cowpeas. One- 

 third of the farms reported receipts from the sale of cowpea hay. 

 The yield reported was low. averaging a little more than one-half 

 ton to the acre. For purposes of determining costs, the crops 

 baled were kept separated from those unbaled, the respective costs 

 per ton of hay in the barn being $16.72 and $18.58. The difference 

 in cost in favor of the crop bales was undoubtedly due largely to 

 the difference in yields. Higher yields would unquestionably have 

 given correspondingly lower costs per ton. 



WATERMELONS. 



Brooks County is in the center of an important area for the pro- 

 duction of watermelons for shipping to northern markets, and on 

 nearly half of the farms studied this crop is an important source of 

 income. The fertilizer charge is the largest single item of cost, 

 closely followed by that for man labor. It is usual for a professional 

 car loader to pack the melons in the cars at a fixed rate per car. This 

 cost is entered as " special carloader," instead of being included under 

 costs of man labor. The material used for bedding the cars is mainly 

 pine needles or oats or rye straw, the local value of which is nominal, 

 and the cost of hauling which is included under the labor charges. 

 The paper, nails, and slats charged are for lining and closing the 

 cars. After the crop is harvested, cattle and hogs are usually allowed 

 to graze off the cull melons and the growth of crab grass. The esti- 

 mated value of such pasturage has been deducted from the gross cost 

 as a pasture credit. Often a crop of cowpea hay follows the melons, 

 in which case the former shares its proportionate part of the land- 

 rent charge. The net cost of this crop amounts to $25.09 per acre, 

 or $50.18 per carload. Xearly all the melons are bought on the 

 loaded car at the shipping point, and the costs shown are figured at 

 that point. 



The average yield of half a carload per acre was normal, but the 

 market price declined in the middle of the harvesting season to so 

 low a point that a part of the crop was not gathered. The costs 

 given in the table represent crops harvested and do not include the 





