Marion County GaArchives News.....Joseph S. Rogers May 10 1889 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Carla Miles http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00010.html#0002476 November 23, 2004, 3:13 pm The Marion County Patriot The Marion County Patriot, No. 19 May 10, 1889 Page Two A Marion County Farm We left Atlanta, as you know, in the coolness of an early morning. After riding briskly two hundred miles, we landed in our rustic arbor when the sun was low in the west. The first impression was “a study in green and white” – for on one side of the wide, white and green farmhouse stretches a field of oats, with fig and peach trees set about in the luxuriant grain; on the other side a goodly rye patch in which stand rows of trim, young pear trees and homely apple trees. This rye field was picturesque with horses, colts, baby calves and hogs that did not appear to be “good roadsters.” Directly in front of the house is a yard full of evergreens and flowers enclosed by a white fence. On the long front veranda are stands of rare and beautiful flowers recently brought to light from their winter house in the garden. A peculiar interest attends these flowers. The gentle hands of the sweet woman who planted and loved them have lately been folded over a still heart in lasting peace. She was the beloved mother of our hostess, and her fondness for cultivating flowers was one of the strongest traits of her nature. There is a vast difference between the woman who simply delights in a bouquet of cut flowers and the woman who gathers slips and cuttings and cherishes them with daily patience till they grown and bloom in gratitude for her care. The many fine roses and other flowers now blooming so profusely here are so many sweet notes breathing the melody of her life. The young shade trees, vines and fruit trees also stand as monuments to her unselfish love for others. This farm of 2,500 acres is the home of Mr. Joseph S. Rogers, one of the best farmers in Marion or any other county. It is about four miles from Buena Vista on the Savannah and Western railroad. Mr. Rogers has another farm of 800 acres adjoining this. He is a young man yet, having captured a bride in Newton County only four years ago. About fourteen years ago his father gave him two thousand dollars as his “start in life” and five years gave him five hundred dollars more as a slight “reward of merit.” He bought a small farm at first and by usual industry and economy has always made money by farming. Of course his profit varies, but he has prospered steadily and - but your readers, doubtless are asking “how?” In the first place Mr. Rogers believes firmly in the value of fertilizers. He buys the best grades of commercial guano, for which he pays cash, and then he makes compost and utilizes all the stable manure. Above all he sees that his land receives a thorough application of “elbow grease.” He has two white and sixteen colored families as tenants – he furnishing everything but labor, and dividing the crops by halves with the tenants. He likes the employments of tenants when he is enable to consult them and direct them once or twice a week. He also hires six boys for wages and boards them in the kitchen. He runs twenty-seven plows, allowing about thirty acres to a plow, planting half in cotton and dividing the other half for corn, peas and sweet potatoes. By the way, he values one good acre of sweet potatoes above five acres of chufas or goobers as stock food. Rye is his favorite pasturage and sometimes allows a field of rye to mature before he turns the cattle on it. Although Marion is a productive locality for cotton, Mr. Rogers intends to devote more attention to cattle and horses in the future. He has a Jersey bull brought from Kentucky and twenty-five half Jersey heifers, also five or six tiny calves. He sells cow and beef cattle. In addition to the “plow nags” there are two horses for driving and eight young colts. He sells young horses in the fall – averaging six or eight every year. As an instance of the energy and decisive methods of this young farmer I will mention the fact that he planted out a peach orchard on this place the day after he bought it. The peaches are fine and never fall. There are two young scuppernong arbors in the garden. Mr. Rogers thinks farming pays. He has a barn of fodder made in 1887. Hs has sold $50 worth of hams and some lard this year besides keeping enough for his own hospitable table. He has loaned $4,101.38 this year, Mrs. Rogers is truly a help-meet for her husband, looking well to the ways of her household and keeping watchful eyes on all things from the flower pit to the henhouse and chicken coops. She is an accomplished musician and can entertain her guests with a piano recital more enjoyable than an opera at deGive’s. There is a fine mineral spring at Knowlton’s mill three miles from here. It is very cold, and the water is impregnated with iron and sulphur. The road to this spring is through a forest of all kinds of trees, under which a garden of lovely wild flowers is blooming. Strawberries and English peas are tempting me to abide a while longer at this delightful place, but I own to a fondness for home – but it ever so stoney and up toward the sky. Yours truly, J.C., Jr. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/marion/newspapers/nw1759josephsr.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/gafiles/ File size: 5.7 Kb