June 30, 1904 . . . In a recent issue of the Farmer and Breeder, James Parrish of Midway says “Tobacco pays better than any other crop a farmer can grow.” He is the largest grower in the state and has been in the business 20 years. He has a farm of 1,100 acres and grows annually from 150 to 200 acres of tobacco. His 200 acres last year brought about 11¢ average, giving him about $37,000 for his crop. Had he held his crop a week longer he would have received 25$ for a total of about $75,000. After each crop the ground is given a rest of five years unless it is virgin soil, in which case he grows two successive crops. After housing, the ground is sown in wheat, red clover and orchard grass. Wheat follows tobacco well and the next year a splendid crop of wheat is gathered. The second year the clover and orchard grass yield an abundant and excellent pasture, which lasts ten months out of the year. The third year the bindard grass seed yields a u remunerative harvest. The seed is cut and harvested with a self-binder, just as wheat is harvested, and thrashed. The seed brings from $1 to $1.50 per bushel. The crop itself pays, to say nothing of its value for pasture and as a fertilizing agent. value over the blue grass is that is in the fact that it takes possession of the ground one year sooner. Orchard grass gets about 30 inches high and looks in the distance like a field of shake. Parrish also raises each year from 50 to 100 acres of hemp. He was growing the hemp in a field that had already grown eight crops of tobacco. “If the ground is handled right and given the proper rotation of crops, I can x truthfully say that tobacco impoverishes land only for tobacco.” farm are 14 large tobacco barns, six of which were build last year at a cost of $1,460 each. Each will house 14 acres of tobacco.”If a man’s land cost him $100 an acre, his investment in barns, etc, should cost him about the same.” He employs white labor exclusively, finding it the most reliable, “in fact, the only labor.” [NOTE – The Sun publishes historical articles “as is” to reflect all of the county’s history – good or bad]. He furnishes the land, barns, wagons and teams for half interest. One man can tend four or five crops, until housing time, when more labor is required.
Experiments have shown that a person speaking in the open air can be heard equally well at a distance of 100 feet in front, 75 at either side and 30 behind.
Under the new school law the next a term of school will bex six months. In districts where children have to travel mud roads and where streams are numerous, the schools should begin as early in July as possible. Where the school is in a village or where there are good roads and bridges, it may begin later and finish after Christmas.
Miss Susan Mitchell won second honors in the vocal contest at Lancaster last week.
Hiram Cannon and Charlie Steele went to Lancaster last week to run in the athletic contests there. Hiram won the half-mile and mile dashes but Charlie was not permitted to enter on account of age . The Bluegrass see crop just gathered is one of the largest ever harvested. An ordinary crop of seed for the whole blue grass region is half a million bushels. This year the crop is estimated by good jauges to reach from 800,000 to one million bushels. The kernel is full and heavy. It was gathered under most favorable conditions and is in splendid shape for keeping.
One of the heaviest rains in years fell here Tuesday afternoon, delaying the harvest and possibly causing much damage to the fine wheat crop.
June 26, 1924 . . . Charles E. Marvin of Midway, banker and prominent in the burley business, will become the next State Banking Commissioner July 2. He will succeed James, P. Lewis, according to informed sources.
Herman Williams died Saturday in Lexington of tubercular meningitis. He was a partner in the podl room in the Ray Rau Building with Ollie Babbitt. He was about 33 and leaves a widow and three children. He lived on the Versailles Pike just south of town.
LM Epstein’s store was robbed Friday night of more than $300 wotth of goods. Apparently entry was gained through the back door.
A huge patriotic rally will be held July 4th at Joyland Park, Addresses will be made by Sen. A..Stanley, senatorial candidates Judge B.J.Bethurum, John W. Howell and Fred M. Sackett and congressional candidates Virgil Chapman and Marcus A. Jones. Special VFW guest Sgt. Wn. Sandlin, who killed 24 Germans, captured six machine guns, and holds 12 decorations.
Miss Ruth Gattrell’s 8th birthday party included the following guests: Frances Thomas, Thelma Greenup, Mary Katherine Wilson, Kenney Moore, Thelma Johnson, Lora Wills, Clara Louise Reid, Shannon Reigner, Morrell Gatrell, Alexine Mastin, Louise Stevens, Lady Louise Langley, Emily Logan, Emily and Faris Cleveland, Martha Jane Lacefield, Dinsmore Davis, Loretta McKinn-on, Christine Driscoal, Marjorie Steele, Dorothy Champe, Eunice Katherine Allison, Virginia Gatrell, Sallie Pates, Francis Lacefield, Anna Cunningham, Lelia Nore, Mrs. Hugh McAvoy, Lucille Hallman, Dorothy Lucille Davison, Ida Josephine Haverly, and Alice Virginia Edwards. Assisting in entertaining were Mrs. W.A.Gatrell, Mrs. Vernon Sutton, Mrs. J.W.Cunningham and Mrs. Arthur Allison.
Russell Bishop, 93, one of the four remaining Confederate veterans of Woodford County, died Thursday at x the home of his son, John J. Bishop, on Soard’s Ferry Pike. He is also survived by two other sons, Thomas F. and Russell Jr. The other Confederate veterans still surviving are H.L.Martin, David J. Holden and J.A. Faulconer.
James Henton’s will left $40,000 to his grandson, Samuel H. Henton Jr. , in the hands of Dudley and Wade Henton and Hiram Wilhoit, until the boy is 25. The rest of the devised equally to Dudley Henton, Wade Henton and Jessie Wilhoit. Owing to the death of Jessie Wilhoit, his daughter, a codicil made Hiram Wilhoit her representative for her son, Darnaby Henton Wilhoit, to be managed by Hiram Wilhoit until his son is 21. Mr. Henton hoped that farm would be kept intact.
Eugene Allen Davis succeeded the late W.O. Davis as trustée for the Logan Helm Library.