The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1875-09-11
Less Cotton-More Corn.


Less Cotton-More Corn.
We hear every day remarks from
our farmers, aud that from farmers Of
enterprise and industry, Of the policy
Of pushing cotton to market ear:y-oi
tho wrong done tho cotton producer
BY those who estimate tile yield in
! the South.
We admit tho truth of many Of
their arguments sustaining their po-
sitions, but all the harm to the farmer
| does not lie in this hypothesis alone
There are many other things to be
taken into cons,deration-prominent
among them, and We might say the
most prominent, is tile quantity Of
cotton planted.
From an address of Mr.. B. W. Est.
Ian, published in the P;cayane, June
Goth, we extract the following, and
commend it to the consideration Of
our farmers generally: .
!. Plant Is per cent less land in
cotton aud use the surplus for raising
corn, wheat, oats, barley, rice, Iota.
toes, cow peas, fruit and vegetables.
You will, by this course, save 20 per
cent in labor, will be independent Of
the West for your supplies, and in.
dependent Of your factor for advan.
ces. You will find ready sale for all
Of these products you can mako over
and above your own consumption,
and this revenue alone will detray all
your personal and family expenses
and leave the proceeds Of yonr cotton
crop clear.
2. Practice for n time strict ccono-
my, avoid debt as you would pesti
lencc, and enter into no new con
tracts until you are quite sure you
have tho means and ability to carry
them out. Build warehouses or sheds
on your respective plantations, and
take care Of your cotton after 1t is
balcd, and not, rs is frequently the
case, let it lay exposed to the weather
and then send it forward half rotten.
Market your cotton when there is q
demand for it, and when prices are
remunerative, WITHHOLD it in times Of
deprcssions, and do not again as you
did this past season, throw it all at
once into the laps Of spectators and
spinners who laugh at you for your
stupidity.
This is sound advice from one Of
our leading cotton men of New Orr
leans, and should be, not only deeply
considered, but put into practice.
In other words, entirely too much
cotton is planted for the demand, and
no meat or bread is made, in sufficient
quantities for our home consumption.
What the country wants to make it
prosperous. is, to produce more than it
consumes. To diversity our crops
make coru, raise hogs, cattle and
sheep-do not go iuto debt, aud it
will he found that the farmer is, at
the end If the season, in 4situation
to do az he pleases with lis cotton !;
to sell it at just such a price as he
likes, and at such times rs it suits
him to do SO. ....
The supply of cotton each year, ap.
proaches nearer the demand than any
other known agricultural production
and it should not he surprising to
any one that their ideas Of tho value
Of productions are not fulfilled.
People may talk as they please of
cotton being the only production We
can ship ct profit, but wo beg leave
to differ. There are many things
which can be cultivated with sue
cess here, that would find market
at home or abroad, if not that, their
production would not require their
purchase for home consumption. -.
Say we raise rice, cane, oats, rye,
barley, potatoes, pumpkins, peas cat
tie, horses, mules, hogs, sheep, and
the thousand other things that can be
done, and no one will doubt, or can
calculate the saving, to say nothing
of the income to he derived from them.
Lot our farmers begin at once new
system-a system Of producing at
home all that you require for your
food and clothing; planting cot
ton io small quantities, and they will
find in short time the road to wealth
fully opened to them. No blame can
then DO attached to cotton men over
estimating-to prices being low, for
the control Of tue entire cotton crop
will then he in the hands Of the pro.
d0cer.
We learn that no defeuite under