American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-11-08
Hon. &. c. LAkGDON ON AGRI.
CULTURE.

dcCtIuIiiS NhdC We Wdul sumo
thing else is needed. We must di-
versiIy the products of the farm,
and make at home, so far as prac-
ticable, everything we need to eat
drink, wear aud use and then make
cotton we can, as ii surplus cash
crop. So long as we continue to
make cotton our sole, or Chief crop,
and purchase from abroad all the
nesessaries of life, it matters not
how rich may be the lands, or how
heavy the crops, we shall continue
to grow poorer. Taking the five
years, from 1867 to 1872, the aver
age annual value of the cotton crop
was, in round numbers 500, OOO,-
900. or this it is estimated that
$3.50 ,OUO,OUO go to hired labOrerS,
western farmers, oIthern and Eu-
ropcan manufacturers, commission
merchants, bankers and middle
men-leaving only S:j,OUO,OOO to be
distributed among the producers.
1t was recently stated by the Gov
erner of Georgia (and L have no
doubt Oh good authority, that the
four States of Alabama. Georgia,
Florida, and South Carolina use
every yeal 50.OO0,OGO more bushels
of grain than they produce, costing
as MANY million dollars. 1t is prob
able that the remaining cotton
States consume about as much
more. And here go at once S1OJ,-
900, OO0-mOre than one third of the
entire cotton crop-fOr the purchase
of articles that should just as well be
grown al home-lrticleS for the pro-
duction of which we have climate
and soil equal to any in the wide
world. Again: with our mild win
ters and pasturs of perennial green
we can raise all kinds of live stock
horses, mules, cattle sheep, and
hOgS-cheaper than can be done in
the West or North; and yet, we buy
horses and mules and meat from
the West; buy Northern butter
and cheese, and use Yankee soon
densed milk" for our coffee. We
can grow clover ard the cultivated
grasses as successfully as they do in
New England, and we have rich Ma
tive grasses, yielding three crops a
year, that we can convert into hay
at an expense of ten to fifteen dol
lars per ton, and yet we pay from
thirty to fifty dollars ton for
Northern hay. We grow cotton,
and could raise wool, and Yet we
buy our dry goods and clothing from
Northern and European manufac-
tureIs. And SO Oh to the end OF
the chap!er-buying everything.
and growing nothing but cotton-
no wonder that its proceeds are ex-
hausted and we are left penniless
We labor and toll to make others
rich, while we sink into poverty.
enriched, except him who produces
it. Why, my friends, the cotton
plan CT of the South, as his business
is now conducted, is the veriest
slave that ever eXisted-slaVe to
the merchant, slave to the manufac-
turer. slave to the banker, slave to
the negro who cu!tivates his
grounds.
Now, is it not time to abandon a
system SO utterly ruinous and deg
radinge Resolve, here to-day, i
beseech you, that it shall end with
the gathering of the present crop;
and, with earnest opening OF the
new wear. commence in earnest the
work of reform. Once entered up
on, all difficulties will speedily van
iSh aud the task of its accomplish
ment will be found easy. Appropri-
ate thIee-fOurthS of the land HOW
devoted to cotton to the production
of the neceSsaries of life, and plant
the remaining one fourth i'll cotton
80 cultivatlng and enriching the
soil as to make the One-fourth
yield as much as YOU have been i'll
the habit of getting from The whole.
This can be easily done, as | have
pointed out. You will then
have ii full crop of cotton, the entire
proceeds OF which-aS You have
raised all your needed supplies
will go into your OwD pocket. And |
here is the whole thing in nut
shell. Continue from year to year !
to improve your land by a judiclons I,
and systematic rotation Of crops !; |.
cuitivating clover and the grasses,
turning under green crops and saw
ing carefully and applying faithful
~ all the manure from yonr stock. |
You Will thus be saved the neces I
sity of purchasing costly fertilizers:
Your lands VIII continue to improve;
} our crops TO increase /; and i'll
few Years You will have small sur
plus Of everything to sell. Iou will
be able to spare Il hlooded colt (for
take it for granted you will have
no other than bIooded stock a Jer-
~ COW. a MerinO buck, a pair OF
Berk shire pigs, IL THO OF Brahma
you will have a surplus OF
beet, of nation, of pork, of butter,
Of poultry and eggs, of fruit, (you
will have an orchard, of course,) all
IF which will find a ready sale in
,ur cities. towns, villages ana fac
tories. Every day in the year You
will be able TO turn some product of
your farm into money, and at the :
md OF the year, or whenever you
ire ready to sell, the proceeds OF
your cotton crop will come III bulk
ALL PROFIT and ALL YOUR OWN.
This is prosperity, and this prosper
ty it is in the pOwir Of every tlIler
If the soil before me, OF every far
ner i'll the South, to attain and en-
oy. Away then with murmuringS,
euiuiuoS and cOmplainiuoS Away