The Houston Post. (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 34, No. 297, Ed. 1 Sunday, January 26, 1919 Page: 10 of 46
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Texas Digital Newspaper Program and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the UNT Libraries.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
10
THE HOUSTON POST: SUNDAY MORNING. JANUARY 26 1919.
i l j Tll: .
Farming Made Fortune
iW. C. Porter of Terrell Volunteered to Perform Ex-
periments in Improved Methods at Request of
Dr. Knapp and Today Has Prosperous
Farm With Comfortable Home and
Plenty of Live Stock.
BY FRANK E. BURKHALTER.
COIXEC.E STATION. IVvss -'".
Sixteen years agn W (". l'..n r of Ter-
rell deciieii t im;rov.' Ins nu'Thods of
farming by employing h systt'm of diver-
sification crop rotmion and intensive
cultivation as rpc.i:i;:i.'!i.'i! by the late
Dr. Seaman A. Kna.'p of the 1'nited
States department of acnetilture. best
known perhaps from t:. fa.t that he
wr the first proniot.T of boys' corn
dubs and other acn'uitural and live stock
1 organizations of the boys and girls of the
'farms.
j So well has Mr. lVrter succeeded by
: this method of farming that he believes
other farmers of the State will be bene-
fited by his experience.
J Mr. IVirter has not only succeeded in
j making good crops every year since that
- time but he has made good money as
well. He lives on a well improved tUfcl-
' anre snnrlr lanH farm f !i r mila from
Terrell owns a smaller black land farm
in the bottom between Terrell and Kauf
man lives in a $10000 home that ia pro-
vided with all modern sanitary conven-
iences and comforts including baths
sewer system flowing hot and cold
water in the bath room hardwood floors
large comfortable living rooms sleeping
porches and other conveniences that be-
long to modern homes. He is surround-
ed with plenty of good work stock mod-
ern toots and implements and has a
couple of automobiles for the use of him-
self and family.
While Mr Porter does not contend that
every farmer will succeed on the same
financial scale that lie has done by fol-
lowing improved methods of agriculture
as recommended by the federal depart-
ment of agriculture the extension serv-
ice of A. and M. college and the agricil-
tural experiment station he believes thnt
the pursuit of these methods will make
the average farmer much more success-
ful than he has been heretofore for Mr.
I'orter himself has uniformly made larger
crops than his neighbors even in sea-
sonable years and the difference has
been marked frequently in the drouthy
vears of which there have been a num-
ber. Kriefly stated the I'orter program
which is recommended to farmers gener-
ally is as follows: Rotate crops as often
as possible plant those crops for which
there is a sure and ready market select
the best seed available plant corn and
cotton in rows 4 feet apart cultivate
intensively do not undertake a larger
farm than you can handle well with your
force carry a few live stock especially
cattle and hogs raise your own feed
atuff raise an orchard and home garden.
ran all the surplus tsuff from the orchard
and garden and lire at home.
It waa an accident that Mr. Porter be-
came the first demonstration farmer in
Texas under the direction of Dr. Knapp
but E. H. R. Green president of the
Midland railroad desiring to see better
farming methods employed in Kaufman
county invited Dr. Knapp to come to
Terrell and deliver an address in the win-
ter of 11)03 after there had been a series
of short crops. Farmers business men
and others interested in better farming
attended the address and listened atten-
tively and when Dr. Knapp called for
volunteers to demonstrate the virtue of
the methods he advocated Mr. .'orter was
the first volunteer. An experiment to
find the best varieties of cotton and corn
was one of the first tests carried out
by Mr. I'orter. and he used Webb cot-
ton for a number of years as a result
of this test though of more general in-
terest he believes is his discovery that
by planting both his cotton aud his corn
oil rows 4 Mi feet apart he invariably
makes a larger yield of both crops per
acre than his neighbors do the average
being a third more than on adjoining
farms. Since he began using the wide
rows 10 years ago he has never made
less than a half bale of cotton nor less
than 30 bushels of com per acre on 2"
acres of land that has been in cultivation
for 40 years and frequently the yield
has been much larger. Mr. Porter has
averaged a third of a bale of cotton on
all of his farm during the past 18 years.
Rotation of crops and methods of cul-
tivation have also entered into the pro-
duction of these yields corn oats and
wheat being rotated regularly with cot-
ton and a large buzzard-wing sweep be-
ing employed largely in the cultivation.
Mr.i Porter estimates that the past year
Kaufman county lost at Wast a fourth
of its cotton crop from bacterial rot
due to failure to rotate crops regularly.
All the latest farm machinery and tools
are employed including tractor plows
seed drills and the like but all of them
are properly housed when not in use
and the deterioration is reduced to a
minimum.
After several years' experience Mr.
Porter has come to the conclusion that
two-thirds of his farm to cotton and one-
third to grains is the most profitable di-
vision. On his HOO-acre tract he plants
400 acres to cotton 100 to corn aud 100
to alfalfa and oats. He plants his corn
.'10 inches in the drill. This season he not
only reserved enough feedstuff to carry
all his work stock cattle and hogs
through until another crop comes in but
managed to sell 3000 bushels of oats at
S5 cents. 200 bushels of corn at $1.65
per bushel on the farm and 00 tons of
alfalfa at $30 per ton. Sir. Porter began
the growing of alfalfa in the bottom land
when the boll weevils became so bad there
cotton was no longer profitable and he
has netted $30 per acre from that crop
for 10 years. At the present price of
alfalfa it will beat 30-cent cotton and is
almost no trouble to produce he advises.
Another contribution toward making
farming profitable is raising some cattle
on the side Mr. Porter has found and
he carries a herd of 40 Shorthorns reg-
ularly. He disposes of his cattle wholly
for breeding purposes and always finds
a ready market for them. He has a large
pasture on which the cattle graze but he
has bis fields so subdivided that he can
graze separate portions of them at stated
I periods and by this means be has nem
i pasturage for his live stock throughout
I the late fall and winter. This makes it
necessary for him to keep up his fences
but the saving in feed made possible from
using the fields as pasturage makes the
investment in fences a good one.
Hut in addition to looking after his
farm and live stock Mr. Porter finds time
to discharge his duties as a citizen. He
is greatly interested in education as
would be natural for a father of a big
houseful of healthy ambitious children.
I ana was instrumental in toe cstaDiisn-
j mcnt of a first class rural school in his
'community. He represented his com
munity in the drives for the Red Cross
liberty bonds war savings stamps and
united war work and worked every
house from his home to the Hunt county
line a distance of 14 miles. His terri-
tory went over its quota in every one of
these drives and every man but three
bought at least one liberty bond.
The following of demonstration meth
ods fit farming baa been worth thousands
of dollars to him Mr. Porter says while
he is not profligate with 'tis money he
has a home that would do credit to any
city he and im family live well and sup-
port every public call of a patriotic and
religious nature; they keep posted on
the affairs of the world by reading the
daily papers and other current literature
and are getting a great deal of happiness
out of life as well as putting a great deal
into it
Leddy Urges Amendments
to Homestead Law
Houston Post Special. .
AUSTIN Texas Jan. 25. C. A.
Leddy of the Farm Loan bank Frylay
night addressed a joint meeting of the
house appropriations committee and the
senate finance committee. In addition to
the members of the two committees most
of the members who have heretofore
formed a caucus to prevent any action
whatever concerning the homestead
clause of the constitution were in at-
tendance to listen to Mr. Leddy.
lie advanced the well known argu-
ments of why the homestead clause now
prevents the small land owners of Texas
from obtaining cheap money; of why It
has compelled (he sacrifice of many
homes and he proposed the remedy. He
was given a most attentive hearing.
OR
WD!
yu
. v 'fell? i jj
c tr ess 45j;
EXPANSION
-VERSUS
DISTRACTION
The Only Piano
Manufacturers'
Stores in
j t)
SaawjsMBMaacMMss?slsssssiWsm I II III B&MWi9tfKlflllf
.TWO STORES
807 MAIN
moiuston
TWO STORES
717 TRAVIS
Houston often unjustly referred to as a "One Street Town or City" is greatly (although unintentionally) retarded and injured by just such comment
cut it out brother; that's small town talk. Houston is a full fledged Metropolis we've proven it in 1 91 8 by doing more and a better business in Hous-
ton than we did in any of the previous 25 years. We are strong for Houston and Texas and want to continue to give to Houstonians and Texans the best
place to buy the best goods to buy and the best values on earth with suitable attractive environment and perfect service and typical courtesy.
BUS! and GERTS PIANO CO.'S NEW ANNEX
Opens for Business Monday Morning January 27th 1919
Travis Street and Rusk Avenue
We will continue to offer the full line of standardized one priced Pianos Player Pianos Talking Machines and Records at our established location 807 Main St. "University
Club Building" with added facilities demonstrating record and player rooms comfortable enticing and practical in equipment homelike and inviting in appearance where
all of our former patrons and many new ones can be served and accommodated with typical Bush & Gerts Service.
Mason & Hamlin Hardman Bush & Gerts Starr Milton Henderson Remington Richmond and Trayser Pianos
and Players are recognized as leaders each in its rightful class grade and value Upright.
New Pianos from $275 to $800 New Grand Pianos from $550 to $1600 New Player Pianos from $485 to $1000
TALKING MACHINES World's Leaders
Victrolas
$22.50 to $325.00
Starr
$60.00 to $300.00
Aeolian Vocation
$90.00 to $350.00
Records Immense stock of new unused perfect Victor Records largest stock in
Texas. Columbia 1 0-inch while they last 45 cents. 1 2-inch 50 cents.
CLOSING OUT TO REBUILD OUR CASES
At Our Annex N. E. Corner Travis and Rusk
During alterations on Main street fite carloads on the way 1 00 Pianos and Play-
ers will be offered; some new lines we are adding will be introduced at special pre-
war prices:
Uprights
$275 $300 $325
Players
$465 $525 $600
Grands
$525 $585 $600
These are Pianos of makes sold in Texas for over 49 years and have Stood the Test of Gulf Climate.
FILL OUT COUPON
BUSH A GERTS PIANO CO. 807 MAIN STREET.
HOUSTON TEXAS.
Gentlemen: Send me full particular and Infor-
mation regarding your price and sal plan on
Piano Players Talking Machine.
Mark In box with (X) the Instrument you are Interested In.
Pianos U Players JTalklng Machines.
Nam
n
Address.
Place.
Full Value Will Be Allowed on Second-Hand Piano Player
and Talking Machine.
ANNOUNCEMENT EXTRAORDINARY
Bush & Gerts the only union made Piano in the-United States warranted for life from now on will have used in its construction exclusively the only
Alexander s Impervf&us Waterproof Glue heretofore used only by Bush & Gerts factory for government contract work on aeroplanes. At last a
lasting perfect piano finish is guaranteed against dampness. Think it over and look at your own old or newly purchased Piano and come and see a panel
that has been soaked boiled frozen baked and finished nine months.
Both Stores Will Be Open for This Great Expansion Sale Monday 8 A. Mi Terms Arranged to Suit
807 Main THE OftLY PIANO MANUFACTURERS' STORES IN HOUSTON-717 Travis
s' V '
r
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
The Houston Post. (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 34, No. 297, Ed. 1 Sunday, January 26, 1919, newspaper, January 26, 1919; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth608915/m1/10/?rotate=0: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .