The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1875-11-04
Grain vs. Cotton.

DEAR CITIZEN As the year is
drawing 10 a close and we can be
gin to look around, and see some
what the result of its labor, we
find that Notwithstanding the gen
eral gloom and depression that
seems to overshadow the whole land
on account of the scarcity o money,
and the low prices of cotton and
other articles Of produce, and the
shortness of the cotton crop. yet
there are sources of qualification
still left US, when we reflect how
much better of is our condition
than it would have been, if in addi-
ton to the scarcity of money and
meat and all our other misfor
tunes, there had been a scarcity of
bread also But thanks for the
wisdom displayed by our farmers
last fall and spring, that calamity
has at least been avoided for the
present. And of the articles of
consumption except meat, we have
enough and to spare And it would
have been a calamity indeed, had
this not been the case. Think
what would have been our cOndi-
ton had it not been for our grain
crop, of this year, with not more
than a third, and perhaps not more
than a fourth of full cotton crop,
and it only bringing from ten to
thirteen cents per pound, and the
county already burdened with debt,
and every one crying for money,
money, money, and no one able, or
willing, if able, to relieve them. Bad
as this state of things is, it is far
better than TO have the hungry
multitudes crying for bread and no
one to administer TO their wants.
For the country to have been as
poorly supplied with provisions
as it was last winter with the pres
ent scarcity ofmoney, our condition
would have been reduced almost to
wretchedness, and such doubtless
would have been the case had it not
been for our heavy wheat and corn
crop.
Should this lesson not induce us
to pursue a like policy this fall,
and plant as much and even more
wheat than last. The wheat crop
of this year has paid well, and the
cost of raising it is a mere trihe
when compared with raising q crop
of cotton, and the land on which it
was raised is as good and perhaps
| better than when it was soWn.
And think of the cost of our present
cotton crop, when the meat with
which the hands were fed cost is
to 20 cents per pound, and the corn
and meal for the stock and hands
cost, from a dollar thirty, to a dol
lar forty cents per bushel, and yet
we are only making about one bale
to five acres, and only getting from
ten to l2t cents for that. After all
the toll, trouble, aud expense In rails
ing it, what it brings will but little
more than pay for the damage done
the land on which it was grown,
and leaves but little or nothing to
pay for the trouble and expense oi
its production. Would it not seem
strange that the farmers should still
pursue the course of former years
when the experience of this, as vel
as former years teaches how suicidal
tits to the interest of the country
And may we not hope that they viii
heed the lessons taught them by
this and former years, and pur
sue the only high road to indepen-
dance left them, by planting large
crops of wheat and other small
grain SO that we may not only have
our produce but a surplus for mar.
ket, and preserve and improve oul
lands. Many other reasons might
be urged why we should pursue
| this course but this article is get
ting too long, SO ] must close.