The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1880-05-20

AND USEFUL INFORMATION.
Southern Agriculture.

Prairie Farmer.
The cotton fields of the south
have added a vast amount annually
to the wealth of the world, bringing
profit to the middleman' or factors,
the manufacturers and merchants,
and in fact TO all connected with
the industry, save those who have
raised the crops. Such, at all
events, has been the case during
the most of the years that have in
tervened since 1864. The energies
or the planter have been strained to
produce a maximum of this single
staple, and in doing so, he has re-
duced his means in order to meet
his necessary wants. The past
year was an exception perhaps, but
there is abundant authority for
saying that, as a rule, the statement
made is true. In all those years
there was no over production OF
| that staple in the cot5on-growing
regions of the world. The demand
has exhausted the supply, and al
though the crop of last year was
exceptionally large and good. there
has been increased consumption, so
that the price of goods-and, in
sympathy, the raw staple-has ad
vanced.
But at no time of late years have
the returns been satisfactory (it we
except 1879, for after paying the
niece ssary expenses for producing
the staple, little was left on the
right side of. the farmers ledger.
while frequently the final balance
has been on the wrong side. The
showing is not a subject for pleas
ant contemplation. Favorable sea
sons, good crops and good prices
cannot be expected always. There
will occur now and then a bad sea-
son, and possibly two or more in
succession. With only a single
APPLE to RELY upon, this means TO
many men bankruptcy and ruin.
That no people can become perma-
nentIy prosperous who are not self
sustaining is accepted as an aXio-
matte truth by some of the wisest
and most eminent thinkers AID
writers upon political economy, and
observation has shown that plan
tiers in the South who have follow
eel this suggestion and lived within
themselves are more Independent
ana carry less Indebtedness than
those who confine themselves to
cotton.
u oil hn h or fne
comprise one of the most favored
portions of the earth. With fortu-
nate conditions of variety of soils
and climates adapted to almost
everything OF value that grows be
tween the tropics, with untold mia
eral wealth in her mountains, and
water power in abundance, the
south has opportunities that only
need to be developed TO place her
in a position OF prosperity aud
wealth second to no other part OF
the earth of like extent. In almost
every branch OF the rural indus
tries she may equal if not excel
other portions OF the union. In
the production of textile fabrics she
may stand pre-eminent. Cotton
and flax and hemp and wool are
products that she can produce OF
excellence. The cereals
and root crops, fruits, ETC., are all
at home within her borders. The
best grasses flourish luxuriantly,
and live stock, in all branches of
hat industry, may form one of
her most important interests. With |
such opportunities it would seem an
easy matter TO so direct her laoors
and energies as to realize to its
fullest extent the benefits which |
low from a system of diversified |
Industries.