The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-05-30
a Georgia Farmers View OF the
Profits Of Farming, Cotton-rais-
ing, etc, etc.


III farm produce continues very
low. Corn finds dull sales al 10 ceste.
and bacon at 6Sf cents. This shows
there l. plenty of provision. in the
country, hence such a large crop of
cotton Is TO be planted. for when sold,
AT nigh or low prices. II always brings
cash TO the farmers, and II always
nnds a ready market The following
extract, taken from the Atlanta Con-
stltutlon. shows the commanding in
nuence II holds az a staple crop that
always commands cash. The article
IS headed A Sturdy old King and
the writer say
The decline in prices fof cotton has
carried nearly every staple article
down to date beHum low water mark,
and many Of them below il. but cotton
still stands away above the old figures.
and seems 10 have determined TO come
no lower. Let US look at the compar-
alive value of a bale of cotton. ac-
cording To the present figures A bale
of cotton will buy s33 pounds of bacon,
where 1t formerly bought coo; 1t Will
buy 200 yards of calico. where ii
would formerly buy 300 to 400 wards
1t Will buy 500 pounds of sugar. where
IT would formerly buy $50 pounds il
will bring 81 barrels of -four, where il
formerly brought about 6 barrels it
Will bring j. sacks of salt. where 1t
formerly brought about 30 sacks; it
will bring $50 gallons Of syrup. $50
pounds of coffee, 62 pounds of lard,
1880 pounds of iron. or 4N pounds of
cotton bagging, and any farmer who
looks over these figures will see very
readily that the purchasing power of
a bale of cotton is from One-third to
One-half greater now than it was be-
fore the a Shoes, hats, all manu-
featured cotton goods. and wooden
goods, have gone down from one
fourth to one half in price, while
cotton still ranges about one-fourth
higher than before the war.
These figures may all be correct, but
the successful results depend entirely
on the management of the farmer
To make it successful, he must diver
SHY his crops so as to raise his own
supplies of bread, meats and fruits,
and guard against the temptations
when cheap articles are apt to lead
n into unnecessary extravaganza.
The most successful farmers | have
seen since the war are the small farm
ers, who have carried on their arms
with the help Of their own sons
chiefly. and have raised their own
supplies, and narrowed down their
| expenses within their incomes; and
that is the secret Of success in all pur-
suits and occupations. To make farm
ing pay we must all fall back upon
that principle as the only way to sue
coed. The article copied above Is apt
to mislead many, as what shall now
state are facts that cannot be contrO-
verified. Before the war, with slave
labor, | have seen debts contracted for
the purchase of a plantation paid with
cotton at 8 cents a pound Now 1t
cannot be done, and | am of the
opinion that a farmer of 400 to 500
acres, now purchased at 30 per acre,
cannot be paid for with cotton worth
10 cents per pound. 1t requires the
best management to make ends meet
with cotton at 10 cents. While pro-
visions are as low as now, in my
opinion, there is more money in rails
ing good cattle and sheep than there
is in cotton. 1t would be still better
to raise some cotton, some wheat,
oats, poultry, eggs, beef, mutton. WOO
and pork for market, and from al
combined, with a sufficiency left fol
home supply, a comfortable support
at least, will be insured to one thus
managing a farm.'-Ertrdct from Az
bany Country Gentleman.