The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1879-03-06
REPLY TO OBJ sERyBR.

Eds. JoURNAL~-Aiter carefully reading
the remarks of observer No. l." would
respectfully beg leave 10 answer him
through the medium of your columns. Al
though agree with him in many points,
we differ widely in some respects
have no prejudice against guano manu-
facturers or agents, and while sympathize
with the farmers in their distress, | would
not intentionally criticise or censure either
party unjustly.
say that the farmers are in distress be
cause that wood expresses my meaning
more forcibly and fully, than any other
could use You know it was ''the last
straw that broke the camels back. F" And
while the rise in the price Of guano is COM
paratiyely slight, still this in conjunction
with other things has made load which
can not well be borne by many who were
already weak in the knees carrying heavy
burdens, and who, to use a common ex-
preston, had TO strain every muscle ITO
make both ends meet.
In bringing about this state Of affairs the
farmers are far from being blamless. Reas.
oning from observer standpoint labor
ing under the Authorizations and mistakes
of This theory large numbers have found
that guan0 has been an ignis fatuus which
has well nigh brought the sunbrowned ye0'
many of old Georgia TO financial ruin.
That many of our farmers are slothful, /
admit. | firmly believe that their Incidence
in preparing their own fertilizers, is one OF
the reasons why so much guano has been
sold. Time that should be utilized is idled
away, and when the genial spring comes
thew are compelled to go in debt for guano.
After having run this schedule for so many
wears many of our farmers believe that 1t is
impossible to farm without guano, they ac-
cordingly pledge themselves to pay for il in
the fall with good cotton, and too many OF
them instead of standing up to their con-
tracts like men. have endeavored to liqui-
date these debts with cotton of very infe-
rior quality This, perhaps, is the cause OF
the present dispute. But innocent parties,
men who have always fulfilled their con-
tracts, have to suffer equally with those who
have not No doubt the present misunder-
standing may be amicably settled in two
WAYS. First, every farmer will give good
cotton as he promises to do, and gnano men
could be sure Of it, fertilizers could undoubt-
edly be obtained on the same terms that
they were last year Second, If the manu-
faciurers would sell only at cash prices, the
difficulty might be Obviated Then let the
farmers pay the money for it, or if they pre-
fer, give their notes with interest payable
the following fall
This will enable agents to sell at the low
est possible figures, and they will not then
be imposed upon by having inferior cotton
palmcd off on them.
Perhaps it would be well for those farm
ers who cannot do without guano to adopt
the latter plan.
But why not give up the idea that guano
is indispensable ? Instead Of being DEEPEN
dent on others for high priced fertilizers
let our farmers save the manure, which IN
large quantities is annually wasted in lots
and elsewhere instead of letting it be
washed away by every rain, suppose they
gather it up and put it under shelter, and in
this way let the farmers avoid guano debts.
Guano no doubt stimulates land and
makes it produce more for few years, but
in itself il cannot supply the great waste
which ensues consequently the land soon
becomes exhausted, as proof Of what | say
travel over the southern part Of our State
where guano has been used for so many
years and see if this is not true. A man
NAV drink alcoholic stimulants, and while
under its influence be able TO do more work
than he could otherwise, but the alcohol
does not supply the waste which takes place
in the system, and when its influence is no
longer felt he finds that he has eXerted him
self beyond his strength If this practice is
persisted in, larger and larger quantities OF
alcohol are needed and the unfortunate man
soon becomes wreck.
So it is with land at first small amount
Of guano will make it produce IN abundance
but larger quantities are needed as the
waste becomes greater, and in a few years
the soil will produce nothing without guano
and but very little with it.
But says some one land in constant cult
walton will naturally wear out | answer
that in the State of Georgia may be found
lands which have been cultivated for many
decades, and are now richer by far, than
when first cleared, and this desirable result
was obtained without the use of single
dollars worth of commercial fertilizers.
For every man made rich by using guano,
six have been made bankrupt by it. And
if land is impoverished although the farm
er may increase his revenue for two or three
wears will he not rob his children ultimate
ly?
About forty years ago my grandfather en-
riched large field by means of leaves
which he hauled in great quantities from
the adjoining woods; for more than quar-
ter of n century the field produced well, and
even yet the beneficial results of such treat
ment are not entirely obliterated If this
could be done by simply using leaves, how
much might have been accomplished if the
leaves had been manipulated thoroughly
in the horse lot.
Taking these facts into consideration, if
our farmers wish to improve their land and
be richly rcmunerated at the same time, lee
them manufacture their own fertilizers and
avoid spending money for those not near
so good.
If our farmers will adopt this plan, and
have their smoke houses and corn cribs at
home instead of in the far west, they will
soon beln to eXperince such prosperity as
has not been felt since the old ante bellum
days.
ANICUS AGRICOIARIrM