The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1868-12-25
TIE SECRET OF AGRICULTURAL
SUCCESS
TFrom the savannah Republican.

LUIS IS What HcHtly every oouY wants
to know and but few have found cut
AS general thing farmers and planters
Of the South have beeno opposed to learn.
ips. They get into tho habits and old
beaten ruts Of their ancestors, and it is
next to impossible to get them out
"Bookfarming," as it is termed, as a
general thing, is unpopular, and yct
these very books so summariiy discard
ed are but the experience of men whose
labors have been crowned with success,
and who have grown prosperous and
rich by abandoning tho errors Of the
past. Look at Mr. David Dickson, OF
Hancock county ne is a bao!-farmer,
working n plantation which ten years
ago was remarkable for its poverty more
than for any other quality, and yet he
makes one acre produce, with the same
amount Of labor, from three to ten times
as much rs the lands of Georgia neigh
bors. How is this great result accom-
plishod That it is great, and that the
same processes adopted generally by
the agrcultursts of the South would
double our wealth in less than five
years, is beyond all question. The
facts are clearly established, and aschool
boy who can cipher in the Rule of Three,
will be at no loss at demonstrating this
conclusion.
We take AIr. Dckson's case because
it is an Illustrative one. 1t is not a
question Of luck, but one of skill and
good Judgment, ant! any man who fol-
lows his plans is obliged to succeed
What, theu, is the secret Of this great
Georgia farmer! Il is simply to give
back more OF the producing principle to
the soil every year than you take away
from il. Here is a solution Of the whole
mystery, aud We may add that the more
yor give back the mare prosperous you
.yiIl become. Mr.. DicIlson's plan III
Wolves no particular SIX Ill Of cultivation
He ploGghs deep, keeps his crops clean
and the earth we'll stirred during the
rowing season. Most planters do this,
and yet there-is one essential part of his
+ystcm--thc one that vitalizcs all his la
bars and crowns them with success
tha, most other planters do not observe.
It is that which we lave mentioned
the A4efa! use Of a,a;aI0-cS, whether made
on Inc farm or imported from abroad,
though in cycly respect experience has
demonstrated the superiority of the lat
Ter. They are more powerful and more
portable, andin the long run the cheap
en- OF the two.
We are well aware that the idea of
paying out money for manurcs is repug
nant to many old fogies, who are content
TO Ias behind in the race of progress ;
but all Intelligent planters arc obliged to
see and confess that practical results
Lave established their unreasonable OBJ
stinacy. If anacrc of ground unaidcd
sill bring the value Of S33 in cotton,
and by the application af $50 in manure
yon can make it produce 500, there is
clear gain of $47 after paying all eX-
pcnses. This is a reasonable caicula-
ton many planters who use CONNER
cial manurcs greatly exceed that amount
ii # gain. Then, why do our agrcultur-
list hold back ? Why not avail them
selves Of dis new power commerce has
placed at their command and reap the
glorious fruits, instead of toiling on year
after year with exploded systems of eul-
turc, and growing poorer and poorer as
time ADVANCES Common sense is a
popular phrase among planters, and we
commend them to It's teachings in this
matter. 1t is grave one indeed, and
involves the destiny of our people for
the future.
And in this connection we would bring
to the public attention the claims Of
those merchants of Savannah who have
embarkc in this particular business Of
supplying our planters with the various
fertilizers, foreign and domestic. While
they seek their own prosperity, they are
engaged in a bcncfcent work, and we
would rejoice to see them all get rich,
for we would have the assurance that
they did so not at the cost Of their coun-
try men, bat upon their thrift and pros
per:ty; though, to. speak more correct.
", we should reverse the order Of cause
AID effect--the planter viii have pros
pcrcd on the business of the merchant.
The time is approaching for prepar-
ing the soil for another crop, and as
most ofour planters will have surplus,
let them all invest liberal portion of it,
it not the whole, which would be better,
in well selected fertilizers. 1t pays
quickly, pays surely, and far better
per cent than any other possible invest
ment.
LIZA reYiyaIist encountered large