26 BULLETIN 941, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



part of the acreage otherwise devoted to hay. Such areas can be 

 diverted into pasture, which allows a broader and more adequate 

 basis for soil improvement, or they can be used as an aid in growing 

 additional feed or cash crops. 



OTHER CROPS. 



Field beans, potatoes, and sorghum for sirup represent a minor 

 source of income on many farms. A small area of field beans con- 

 tributes substantially to the income of some farms. Some operators, 

 however, have been unable to find a satisfactory sale for their crop. 

 The marketing facilities of this region are very limited, and it would 

 be unwise to include a large acreage of a new crop, such as field 

 beans, without first having secured an outlet. Sorghum sirup and 

 potatoes, when sold, represent usually the excess over the amount 

 raised for home consumption, and are sold on the local markets. 

 The principal miscellaneous crops sold are cotton and sweet potatoes 

 raised in the southern part of the area. One operator who raised 

 broom corn sold $390 worth of brooms. Small sales of berries, 

 cherries, garden produce, etc., are also among the miscellaneous 

 sales. The small operator is very much "up against it" for a cash 

 crop in this region. Evidence of this is seen in the amount of receipts 

 from the sales of ties, and receipts for work done off the farm. The 

 entire region is too far north for the profitable production of cotton. 

 However, with intelligent cooperation and the solution of the market- 

 ing problem involved, an increased amount of one or more of these 

 minor crops (sirup, field beans, potatoes, and berries) could be sold 

 from many of the smaller farms. 



FRUIT. 



Apples. — The apple enterprise seems to be very much neglected 

 and on the decline on these farms. A total of 168 acres of apples 

 was found on the farms studied, but this does not include many small 

 areas reported for home use only. The trees in most instances were not 

 cultivated, pruned, or sprayed. Many of the areas in orchards were 

 used for pasture or hay and the trees were dying out. The returns 

 from many of these orchards are of minor importance. The neglect 

 in caring for them was due to the difficulty experienced in marketing 

 previous crops. Only one farmer was found who sprayed and other- 

 wise systematically cared for his orchard, and he, last year, from 

 two acres of trees, sold over $400 worth of apples. They were all 

 sold, however, on a local market, and he was furnishing about all 

 it could handle. (See fig. 10.) There is no doubt, also, that many 

 orchards in this region have been set on soils which are not suited 

 to this purpose, particularly such as are underlain at a slight depth 

 with a hardpan or solid rock. 



