The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-05-15
Reply TO MIR. Fickli7a.


space in your columns to reply to Mr.. Flick
Inns communication in your issue of the
10th instant. After reading his article |
see no reason to change my advice. ne
knowledge my mistake in reference to t.ic
present price OF tobacco. l sold small
crop OF tobacco, in loose state, early in the
winter, and received good price for it con-
siderns its medium quality, induced by late
planting and indifferent plants. Since then
have had no occasion to note quotations OF
prices, and not living in tobacco region
did not hear the subject mentioned. But
that is unimportant. III prices OF tobacco
rule low, then there is less reason for plant
ing it. But there cannot be much differ
epce in prices. l find in Il letter from
alpha" in your issue of May II, that the
average price in Danville for April, 1876,
was S12.G9, and for April, 1877, was S12.0S;
while from 1st October, 1876, TO following
Nav, the price was $3.50, and in the cor
responding period the preceding year it was
only S10.SS.
Dir. Ficklin miSundcrStands my reason
for advising less planting OF tobacco and
more provision crops. 1t was not designed
to make corn the money crop, hoping that
the present high price of wheat, with the
fine prospect OF a good yield, would furnish
farmers means to meet most Of their eX-
penses; nor was it designed to suggest the
abandonment of tobacco; but the planting
OF a moderate crop, which, too, would help
to pay expenses, leaving Sufficiency OF corn
land. from which to supply plenty OF bread
and feed with which to raise pork. And
this advice was in view OF universal belief
that tobacco-raiSerS were preparing for a
large crop of tobacco, another reason why l
thought tobacco was bearing good price;
or else why the inducement to plant large
crop? If it is expected the existing war
will increase the price OF this article, | am
afraid there will be disappointment, for /
have conversed with no one who anticipates
this result. This subject is attracting atten-
ton i'm the cotton States. In the Planter
and Farmer for May will be found circu-
lar from the Commissioner OF Agriculture
in Georgia advising raising less cotton and
more provisions, and since my article was
written have received from the same COM
missioner Or. Janes) the following circu-
lar:
DEPARTMENT OF AGKICuLTURE,
"ATLANTA, GA, May B, 1877. }
" To the Farmers of Georgia:
..In view of the war in Europe, and the
probable scarcity and high prices OF bread
stuffs and low price Of cotton which vii
prevail, again respectfully advise that you
will. by every means in your power, in
crease the area planted in provision crops
/ suggest checking your fields Of cotton
with corn in rows fifteen to twenty fec
apart, one hill at every intersection.
"With fair seasons this will very largely
increase the product OF corn without cor
responding decrease OF the cotton.
81 further suggest the planting of the
stubble-feds in peas so soon as the wheat
and oats shall have been harvested.
Pay special attention to the raising
every pound of pork possible. 1Ghe care
Of the pigs.
"These suggestions are not designed tc
alarm or to create n sensation. 4 aCOrd &c
the acise is sufficient.
"' A prudent man foreseeth the evil and
hideth himself, but the simple pass on and
are punished" Very respectfully,
"TuoMAs p. JAMES,
Commissioner Of Agriculture"
think Mr.. Ficklin is mistaken in belicY.
ing that tobacco will pay better price than
corn at 81 per bushel. The late Mr.. Hill
Carter, one OF the best farmers and most
practical men ever reared in Virginia, sal d
il he could get 81 per bushel for his corn be
could make a fortune.
by an assemblase Of farmers-the Tuckahoe
Farmers Club-on yesterday Q0th), just
prior to the meeting of the Club. A dis
tinguished professor (''Civis"), also a
farmer, remarked that'if he could get 81
per bushel for corn he would never teach
any more chemistry. II tobacco is such 6
profitable crop, why has not the Southside
grown richer? 1t is no better off financially
than other portions OF the State, and not so
well off as the grass-groWing and Stock-rais-
ing portion.
1t Is admitted that more wheat can be
raised after tobacco than after corn, for
wheat and corn abstract from the soil very
much the same elements, which Is not so
much tho case with tobacco and wheat. But
it is very questionable whether farmers make
any money by wheat, particularly the South
side farmers;.and certainly in Virginia, since
the war, the farmers have made very little
from wheat, whatever tile cause may be,
though it is exceedingly probable that the
cause Is the same which reduced the yield
OF the Genessee country OF New York from
more than twenty bushels to seven or eight
per acre; and that was the abstraction
through number OF years Of elements
essential to wheat, particularly phosphoric
acid and potash, without return. Since the
cause was found out the remedy was applied
and the country liz .regaining its original
production OF wheat. Oats follow corn bet.
ter than wheat because they require much
less OF phosphorie acid and potash than